MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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We're looking into having our kitchen done and the electric meter is behind a drawer unit, Ideally this needs to be moved so we can have a better layout and fit everything in - it's a small kitchen that hasn't been touched in probably about 30 years. I've been told this is a job that ONLY the electricity company can do and it's uaually very expensive - anyone ever had this done, what was the cost?
Move it how far?
How does the incoming cable get in?
If direct from the ground in concrete, then it could be a dig up the floor/path to extend/reduce the cable, so £1000ish.
If overhead, and runs down your building, then a bit less, as no digging involved.
If there is some play in the incoming cables, then it may be able to be moved a small distance without Elec. Co. involvement (though dont tell them, as you shouldnt really touch them.)
On the same wall but say from inside to outside is a job done by the Electricity Distributor in your area, it may be free. If you want to move it on the backboard then your supplier can do that and it's free. If you want to move it from one wall to another then as alani says, it will cost you a lot of money but it's the Distributor in your area not your Supplier that charges you.
The complication is usually the meter is owned by the company who you buy electricity from and the "head" ie main fuse, is owned by the DNO (Distribution Network Operator), ie Western Power.
If you just want the meter moved then that can be a relatively simple process as it usually only requires tails extending from the head. If you need the "head" moved it may require an extension of the incoming supply and this is where it can get expensive.
Difficult to give guidance without seeing the site.
Rich.
a lot simpler ironically to have your gas meter moved.. if you want it moving up to 42 meteres regardless of digging up roads knocking down walls and making good its 740 plus vat.. if you want it moving 100mm to either side its 740 plus vat.
Ah, just come back to this, of course I should have put more details, idot! Cables coming up through floorboards maybe a metre away from an outside wall to the meter, then cables going back towards wall to the fuse box, ideally would like the meter put outside (gas meter outside already) but also the fuse box would need moving but I understand that a normal electrcian can do this, it's just the meter that needs relocating. Someone else said the electricity company might do it for free as they prefer them outside for reading?
Call them up and ask.
I'm a cable jointer for a DNO.
If you want your meter to go into an outside viewing cabinet, then your only option is to do a service alteration.
This involves digging to expose your service cable, cutting and laying a grew service cable to your new cut out position.
This can only be done by your Distribution Network Operator DNO or a contractor authorised to work on their network.
To have done "on the cheap nudge nudge" is a risk only you can decide to take. We train long a hard to work live safely. They'll charge you around £1000.
If you need any advice , give me a shout.