Moving Gas Meter with limited space to move to!

[carryoncamping]

I am to build an extension early next year and I'm currently sorting the ground work and utillities.

The current plans have a wall running through the middle of my gas meter. So the meter has to be moved, changing the plan at this stage is not an option.

I have a semi-buried meter box flush against the wall
eg http://www.meterboxes.co.uk/content/METERBOXESdetails.asp?ID=18&CatID=23&TypeID=1

There is approx. 400mm between my new wall and the boundary wall.

As space is very tight as to where I can move it I have a limited number of options.

Ideally I would rotate the box 90 degress counter-clockwise and have it flush against the new wall. BUT before I can do that, I need to be able to dig the footings, pour concrete without disturbing the gas main. So that's not an option unless Transco (National Grid Gas?) disconnect the whole supply, I then dig and pour the footings, build the wall and then reinstate the gas. An expensive option (£1000 ? RIP OFF! ) which would leave me without gas for some time.

The other option would be to have the box flush with the boundary wall. Is this allowed or does it have to be a house wall? The entry/exit pipes would be transposed so would have to cross each other is that allowed?

Other option would be to get rid of an external meter and install one inside. This is not ideal as it would be in my living room

Any constructive advice warmly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[chrishutt]

I don't think there's any question of anyone other than NGT (Transco) or their agents moving the gas supply pipe to the meter (££££). However you might find a Corgi gasman who would be willing to reposition the meter box, meter and outlet pipe (to house) based on the existing supply pipe position.

Are you sure you can't build the foundations for the new wall with gas supply pipe in position? The first section of it will be in a duct anyway, and you could add ducting around any other buried pipework that runs close to the foundations. The buried pipe may be plastic (MDPE). Even if the ducting became encased in concrete the supply pipe itself would remain unaffected.

I'm not saying that doing the above would necessarily be 100% kosher, but I can't see why it shouldn't work out in practice, with careful supervision of the works at that location (you don't want to damage the gas pipe!).

 

[Agile]

I find that I am unable to make any suggestions because its unclear what the "new wall" is for.

Could you post a layout plan showing what the whole arrangement is please including the usage of each area? If necessary give the heights of the walls etc. so that we can fully asimilate exactly what it final layout will be. Include the current route of the gas supply pipe.

Tony

 

[carryoncamping]

I find that I am unable to make any suggestions because its unclear what the "new wall" is for.

Could you post a layout plan showing what the whole arrangement is please including the usage of each area? If necessary give the heights of the walls etc. so that we can fully asimilate exactly what it final layout will be. Include the current route of the gas supply pipe.
Tony

Here is a very rough artist impression I've made to show the location of the meter. FRONT ELEVATION (The new looking brickwork at front will be the new extension!)
The Meter is located in the bottom right corner flush with the existing house. Not visible on picture but you can see how the gas main leads up to it.


Here is the plan of the above FRONT ELEVATION.


The foundations will be 900mm wide, which means the footings will stradle the cavity wall by 300mm either side.

The meter box is not exactly to scale. But I've measured the gap between the boundary wall and new extension wall and the box should just fit against the boundary wall as previously described with no disturbance from the foundations.

 

[carryoncamping]

I find that I am unable to make any suggestions because its unclear what the "new wall" is for.

Could you post a layout plan showing what the whole arrangement is please including the usage of each area? If necessary give the heights of the walls etc. so that we can fully asimilate exactly what it final layout will be. Include the current route of the gas supply pipe.
Tony

Here is a very rough artist impression I've made to show the location of the meter. FRONT ELEVATION (The new looking brickwork at front will be the new extension!)
The Meter is located in the bottom right corner flush with the existing house. Not visible on picture but you can see how the gas main leads up to it.


Here is the plan of the above FRONT ELEVATION.


The foundations will be 900mm wide, which means the footings will stradle the cavity wall by 300mm either side.

The meter box is not exactly to scale. But I've measured the gap between the boundary wall and new extension wall and the box should just fit against the boundary wall as previously described with no disturbance from the foundations.

Just wondering if anyone has had time to ponder this one?

 

[Jezzy]

I was fitting meters a couple of weeks ago and had to go to a few similar jobs where people had moved there meter to a different place. I was told that if it is moved within a very small distance (i think it was less than 4 feet) you could ask for the cheapest move option from transco and it is only approx £400 to do this. If that is true, then that would be your best option and like someone else pointed out, get a corgi man in to move the outlet pipework to fit the newly moved meter. Transco won't do this anyway as they are only responsible for the supply and up to the meter. In fact they won't even fit the meter sometimes, instead giving the work to Alfred McAlpines (based at Elland - Blackbrook Way) and they will just leave the supply pipe capped off ready for McAlpines to do the rest.

 

[carryoncamping]

I was fitting meters a couple of weeks ago and had to go to a few similar jobs where people had moved there meter to a different place. I was told that if it is moved within a very small distance (i think it was less than 4 feet) you could ask for the cheapest move option from transco and it is only approx £400 to do this. If that is true, then that would be your best option and like someone else pointed out, get a corgi man in to move the outlet pipework to fit the newly moved meter. Transco won't do this anyway as they are only responsible for the supply and up to the meter. In fact they won't even fit the meter sometimes, instead giving the work to Alfred McAlpines (based at Elland - Blackbrook Way) and they will just leave the supply pipe capped off ready for McAlpines to do the rest.

Yes, £400 to move the meter is about what I expected, plus £100 to reconnect the supply to the house.

Does there HAVE to be a wall to mount the semi-concealed (in ground) meter box to? As I have a catch 22 situation, I can't build the wall until I've moved the meter. But if the meter has to have a wall to mount to I can't move the meter!!!

 

[Jezzy]

There is approx. 400mm between my new wall and the boundary wall

400mm doesn't seem like much room anyway for someone to get in to check the meter each time you have a service done on your appliances? I know its only once a year but even so! What is the width of the meter box? They are probably at least 300mm. I have never seen one on a boundary wall at anyones property. Not sure whether you are allowed to put it there. I think it has to be against the property wall. Why not just move it to the front of the new extension, so basically its in the same place but just moved forward to the front wall of the extension? That would probably be more than 4 foot though.

 

[carryoncamping]

Why not just move it to the front of the new extension, so basically its in the same place but just moved forward to the front wall of the extension? That would probably be more than 4 foot though.

That's fine once the wall is built. But how do Transco mount the meter when no wall is built yet? I can't build the wall until the meter has been moved! Catch 22.

I can see I gonna have BIG probs with this one!

 

[Agile]

I think that you will have to build around the existing meter leaving a few bricks out which can be laid after the meter has been moved.

Tony