Opening for electricity meter

[strawberryzoe]

Hello!

I am looking to install a recessed electricity meter box in my new extension but I'm not sure if the rules for the location of "openings" in cavity walls in the building regulations apply.

The wall is a standard cavity wall construction so the meter box would only be recessed in the outer skin and not the inner.

I am looking to put it in the corner (out of the way) next to a door but think it might be too close. Off the top of my head, the door is around 700mm from the corner so it would be tight!

Any advice would be great!
Thanks,
Zoe

 

[noseall]

Odd you should ask this but this issue came up recently after a building collapsed local to me!

The meter box location along with a myriad of other contributory factors led to an (old) building collapsing, i.e. joists span direction, roof span direction, weak ground rotating etc.

The common scenario is to show at least three brick lengths (675mm)
from the outer corner to a reveal. Any less and b.c. get nervous.

 

[r896neo]

Some utilities companies are a bit fussy our local lot give the threat on a sticker in their boxes of

'Locations more than 2m from the front corner of the building will not be connected.'

If its on the side wall and the driveway does not continue past the corner they get a little tetchy

 

[Shytalkz]

The meter box location along with a myriad of other contributory factors led to an (old) building collapsing, i.e. joists span direction, roof span direction, weak ground rotating etc.

The common scenario is to show at least three brick lengths (675mm)
from the outer corner to a reveal. Any less and b.c. get nervous.

I find a meter box being a contributory factor to a collapse somewhat difficult to believe.

I can, however, believe that a BCO would have kittens about the distance from a return, when there is no need to.

 

[noseall]

I find a meter box being a contributory factor to a collapse somewhat difficult to believe.

It was a peculiar one Shy. A turn of the century building was having a gable end footing underpinned. The builders were excavating a fairly shallow trench at the wall bottom when the shoite hit the fan.

Unfortunately the floor joists were running parallel with the gable wall as were all the roof members. There was no side restraint whatsoever. There was a doorway and a meter box close to the gable end, at ground floor level. It was at this exact point that rotation first started the deck of cards to fall.

 

[Shytalkz]

Hmmm. Old building, so solid walls and meterbox is thus recess rather than hole - still can't see that it would have had anything other than *possibly* a minor contributory effect on the situation