So I've started planning to demolish the old timber bungalow on our new build site. At present we are supplied with electricity via an overhead supply from one of three power poles in our garden.

So having taken advice from an electrician friend he suggests we drop the overhead supply down the power pole and terminate it in a box. This will help reduce costs, as terminating the supply in a box containing the main fuse and switch and meter is priced by the Power Company as one job (to move it to a temporary box and then move it back into the new house is two jobs and hence twice the price). We would then distribute the power within the site via ducts to the house, garage and shed.

So the question is what sort of box? He's suggested a brick build box with EDP roof, however he did also say that GRP enclosures are available in green (helps hide the thing within the garden. What did you do? Any suggestions?

I've just had UK Power Networks out to do a site survey of my site with the view to set up a temporary supply. They were very specific on the type of structure they will accept to locate the supply in. It can be brick built and basic, but needs to meet specific dimensions and have a lockable door etc... I asked the gentleman who did my site survey about plastic boxes I heard you could buy. He mentioned they would install in a certain manufacture's box, but they cost around £1,000 and are only really economical if you can re-use them across multiple sites.

I've found UK Power Networks pretty helpful, although not cheap, so I'd give them a call.

Posted By: TriassicSo having taken advice from an electrician friend he suggests we drop the overhead supply down the power pole and terminate it in a box. This will help reduce costs, as terminating the supply in a box containing the main fuse and switch and meter is priced by the Power Company as one job (to move it to a temporary box and then move it back into the new house is two jobs and hence twice the price). We would then distribute the power within the site via ducts to the house, garage and shed.

Presumably the meter will go in the box? If so, won't you need to use whatever the local DNO specifies for meter boxes. From the sound of it that's UK Power in your area but the type of box is region-dependent as I understand it.

Also note that if you put the meter at the bottom of the pole then you won't need ducts to distribute the power because after the meter you will have to use armoured cable to distribute the power. That doesn't need a duct and if you do use a duct it needs a big one! (Don't ask me how I know this )

Posted By: borpinRemember with any utility quote, there are contestable and non-contestable costs. Non-contestable - the power company have to do; contestable you can get anyone to do. So laying duct/tarmac is contestable, connecting the cable to the meter is non-contestable. Not always clear in their paperwork.

It's true that some elements you can do and some must be done by particular providers. The cable from the local mains distribution is laid by the local DNO (either in a duct you laid or in a trench you or they dig). You must provide an approved meter box. The meter is installed and connected to that cable by your chosen electricty supplier (often subcontracted to a meter company). Not all electricity suppliers are willing to install a meter; I had to go with a big six firm, but you can change the supplier the day after the install. The meter is connected to your distribution box (using the meter tails) by your electrician (but the tails must be present when the meter is installed, if I understood what happened on my recent installation).

Note that the above concerns your land. In the highway, the utility dig the trench and install and connect the cable, and make good the road. If there is tarmac on your land adjacent to the highway, you don't need to use the utility for that part but you must use a contractor who has local highways approval.

Posted By: borpinMay be different in England, but in Scotland, as long as you prepare the hole to the utility spec (size of hole usually) any highway approved contractor can do the hole and the duct. Often this is a way to reduce cost if you can do multiple utilities at once as the cost of tarmac is just silly.

How do you persuade the electricity, gas and water people to all come on the same day to make their connections, or even the same month?

Posted By: djhHow do you persuade the electricity, gas and water people to all come on the same day to make their connections, or even the same month?

Get a road opening permit for a longer period and use either a plate or temporary fill. Depends on the road of course. Gas and elec were pretty good for me (SPN and SGN) coming when I needed - water a complete pain in the $%£$. Still, managed to get it done in one go although Gas did mole it in the end then gave me a refund on what I had paid. They were also the cheapest and least hassle!

Not saying it is always possible, but saving big bucks on tarmac can be had.

Shevek

I've been in a similar position with our new build ie old bungalow to be demolished fed by an overhead electricity supply that crossed the road opposite to the plot and then went via several poles across the plot to another property with a terminal coming off the pole to the bungalow

To save duplicate costs I put in a green GRP kiosk on the plot boundary close to entry point of the overhead cable(the only one I could source was from Image Composites £795 - a concrete base is also needed with ducting - UK Power Networks have the spec of what they require). UK Power Networks then relaid the cable underground across the road and through the plot, disconnected the supply to the bungalow and made the connection to the kiosk (cost was £1400 which was cheap but I had discovered they didn't have a wayleave across the plot to supply the other property)

The electricity provider then put in the meter into the kiosk and the supply to the house was laid underground from the kiosk (the house is 50m away from the kiosk so the cable had to be upgraded to deal with the voltage drop)

I used an extension lead to the kiosk for a temporary supply while the new house was being built

Would this not do?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30-01-013P-Electric-meterbox-surface-wall-mounted-domestic-meterbox-EBP0012-/281221347920?pt=UK_BOI_Materials_Supplies_Electrical_ET&hash=item417a193a50#ht_605wt_1033

I think I want something like this http://www.meterboxes.co.uk/ic6-grp-kiosk.html . It's large enough to put the meter, the main switch, the fuse holder, earth bar and my 6 way distribution board.

I suppose the next task is to ensure the DNO is happy with what is proposed. Anyone got a helpful contact in Electricity North West?

Thanks for all you help.

Posted By: joe90Gosh, a grand for a temporary box!!!!

My box will be permanent as it saves me money, I need to do a disconnection from the house to be demolished, move the cable into the box. If it were temporary I'd have to pay for a reconnection in the future when the new build is complete.

As for the grand, I'll be watching out for one on Ebay, Bidspotter and the like. There must be one out there waiting for a new home!

The fall back position is a blockwork home-made jobby.

@joe90 - I've been charged £1,900 (inc VAT) for my temporary site supply. I have to build the temporary supply box and run a burried pipe to an appointed position next to the highway and then UK Power Netorks come and do the connection. It certainly isn't cheap.....

Posted By: Triassicand my 6 way distribution board.

Surely you want that in the house unless it is for the temporary supply. A 100amp DP switch and then connect to a cable to supply the house which in itself is then terminated at the distribution box. Or am I missing something.

Posted By: TriassicSix way as I have a separate garage, shed, garden annexe, the main house and a couple spare, all there spread around a one acre plot.

My meter is mounted on the [detached] garage wall. Inside the garage is a sixteen way consumer unit at my electrician's recommendation. There are already several circuits in the garage (lights, sockets, water heater, external lights, electric car charge point) and larger CUs don't cost much more. There'll be another CU inside the house.