Getting electric and gas meters moved externally, new cabinets required

[danlightbulb]

Hi all,

Just thinking about the feasibility of this at this stage.

I wasn't sure where best to post this as its electric, gas and potentially brickwork/lintel work all in one.

My electric and gas meters, and consumer unit are in a kitchen cupboard, awkward to access and in the way of a future kitchen remodel.

Here is a picture of them inside the cupboard:

That is an external wall however, a fairly narrow entryway between the two houses. The gas and electric services come in there literally the other side of that wall.

I would like to think about having those meters moved externally in full, into external cabinets.



Because the passageway is fairly narrow, I would prefer to fit inset meter cabinets. My house is a solid wall house, but there is an old window in the vicinity that might provide an already close opening size. The window isn't used and is covered over from the inside by kitchen cupboards at the moment.

So here's what Im thinking.

Use that window opening to house an inset electric meter cabinet.

Directly below it, remove the outer skin of wall and fit an inset gas meter cabinet.

Get the meters moved.

Then obviously it all has to be connected back up internally at which time I'd take the opportunity to lift the consumer unit up close to ceiling level.



Any thoughts on this please would be greatly appreciated.

I was planning to remove that old window and brick it up anyway, so this might be a good use of it.

I'd be looking to put a thick steel flat bar lintel in to the brickwork to support the area above the existing window. Then I'd be free to remove the window and also cut away a new opening below for the inset gas meter cabinet.


It all sounds relatively ok to me, but it would involve multiple trades so not really sure how I would coordinate it all.

And no idea on cost of moving meters.



Appreciate any views.

Thanks

 

[danlightbulb]

Hi can anyone offer any advice on this please?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Hi can anyone offer any advice on this please?

Moving supplies and meters, is a very expensive job, before considering it seriously, ask for a costing from your suppliers for each. I've never seen or heard of the two cabinets being installed, one above the other, normal is side by side, making cable and pipe entry from the ground easy. Mine were moved to external cabinets, 40+ years ago, moved from understairs, just out through the wall.

 

[cdbe]

Thousands. I'd try to work round them unless a showstopper, moving the CU might be more useful and a lot cheaper. Obviously you still need safe access for the meters but if you get smart ones probably just needs the ecv to be available quickly.

 

[noseall]

Hi can anyone offer any advice on this please?

Dig down outside the services and locate the incoming lines.
Fit an electric meter box and a gas meter box, favourably above each line, about waist height and have 2.5 brick spacing between them.
Prioritise the gas over the leccy, as this will be slightly easier to adapt. Bear in mind your domestic connections.
Ring your utilities company and ask for quotes.

 

[danlightbulb]

Thanks.

And is it feasible to take out a skin of wall to fit a recess cabinet, in a solid 9" thick wall?

I think a surface mounted cabinet will add too much restriction to the narrow entryway between the houses.

 

[noseall]

And is it feasible to take out a skin of wall to fit a recess cabinet, in a solid 9" thick wall?

Yes.

 

[danlightbulb]

Yes.

Thanks, is this a DIY job do you think? Ive done a bit of bricklaying in the garden and my own repointing. Ive never cut into the wall of a house.

 

[noseall]

Thanks, is this a DIY job do you think? Ive done a bit of bricklaying in the garden and my own repointing. Ive never cut into the wall of a house.

It's modest stuff. We'd typically lintel over the service boxes with proprietary angle steel. If you do them one at a time, you'll unlikely need any propping, as the spans will be minimal. You should be able to do them both comfortably in a day, armed with a full depth Stihl saw a couple of short Catnic angle steels and a bucket of compo.

 

[danlightbulb]

It's modest stuff. We'd typically lintel over the service boxes with proprietary angle steel. If you do them one at a time, you'll unlikely need any propping, as the spans will be minimal. You should be able to do them both comfortably in a day, armed with a full depth Stihl saw a couple of short Catnic angle steels and a bucket of compo.

Is there any specific technique to how these boxes are installed?

Obviously an opening is required.

Do you need use any adhesive for the back of the box or the sides to keep it in place? Or sealant to weatherproof it?

I assume the box is installed prior to the gas/electric people coming in and doing the meter move? They don't also install the box do they?

 

[noseall]

Is there any specific technique to how these boxes are installed?

You need about 10mm space all around the box. They rarely tally up with brick courses. So once your lintel is in, you usually have to lay a split brick (or brick-on-edge) to acquire the correct height.

Do you need use any adhesive for the back of the box or the sides to keep it in place? Or sealant to weatherproof it?

We used to compo them in. We use foam these days as it grips better.

I assume the box is installed prior to the gas/electric people coming in and doing the meter move?

Yes...

Dig down outside the services and locate the incoming lines.
Fit an electric meter box and a gas meter box, favourably above each line, about waist height and have 2.5 brick spacing between them.
Prioritise the gas over the leccy, as this will be slightly easier to adapt. Bear in mind your domestic connections.
Ring your utilities company and ask for quotes.

They don't also install the box do they?

No.

 

[danlightbulb]

Thanks. Sorry another question on the dimensions.

This site indicates the dimensions of the opening needs to be 160mm deep.

BES.co.uk | Next Day Delivery On 15,000 + Plumbing Supplies

Order built-in gas domestic meter housing boxes online at BES. Low prices. Free next day delivery available. 15k+ Products in stock. P/N: 8310

www.bes.co.uk

The dimensions of 595 mm x 410 mm x 210 mm ensure compatibility with U6, G4, and E6.G130 meters and ease of installation (the hole in the brick work needs to be 540 x 370 x 160 mm H x W x D).

But in a solid brick wall (9"), that would be greater than half of the depth? Meaning I cant just remove the outer brickwork skin?

 

[noseall]

But in a solid brick wall (9"), that would be greater than half of the depth? Meaning I cant just remove the outer brickwork skin?

Ah yes. I've just looked at mine in the single skin garage and it protrudes into the garage space by 40mm. A pair of concrete lintels internally too and a slim wall (brick on edge?) bricked up behind each box.

Are the walls insulated internally? I'm thinking cold bridging issues etc?

 

[noseall]

But in a solid brick wall (9"), that would be greater than half of the depth? Meaning I cant just remove the outer brickwork skin?

Part of me is wondering whether a built-in box is actually suitable for a 9" solid wall...? It throws up issues such as thermal bridging and fixing (to the wall) issues and the risk of puncturing the box.

I'd hold your horses and check with your utilities.

 

[noseall]

But in a solid brick wall (9"), that would be greater than half of the depth? Meaning I cant just remove the outer brickwork skin?

"...Meter boxes are the same size whether they are surface or flush.
The only difference is that flush ones are designed to mount into a cavity wall, with the recess being the depth of the outer skin of bricks plus the cavity.

If your house has solid walls, then that is not an option, and is probably why it's in a surface mounted box...."

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