by swidders »
Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:50 am
On site last year we had to install and exterior gas box.
These can be bought easily (£40-£50) and are screwed to the wall. Transco (now National Grid) were very helpful on the phone and willing to give advice about placements amd pipe runs and it's worth talking to them since a builder will not be entirely up to date with current requirements.
If it's anything like water works, you should also be aware that they may want you to dig a hole for them - assuming you don't want the current pipe left inside and just extended to the new box/meter - since it's on your land. In which case, you will need to know the specifications for this!
In our case, the initial call was followed up about 5 weeks later by a bloke coming to check that we had done as was advised on the phone, which took him 10 seconds. 3 weeks later 4 blokes, 3 vans, 2 shovels and the wrong connector part turned up (luckily someone else had this 15 miles away). It took them 1 hour to do their bit, which seemed to involve using their mobile phones a lot and arguing with the neighbours about parking arrangements. 2 weeks later a very nice man with a suit came to connect up the new meter - took him under 30 mins, even though he spent most of his time on his mobile too!
You need to speak to them and get the ball rolling - from my limited experience, they don't organise appointments quickly, can be fickle, and the pound will continue to decline against the euro although their fees will increase!
