Roger440

Welcome to my world! Logic and reason don't really come into it. Any opportunity to get the customer to pay for the infrastructure seems to be fair game. My quote was more than twice as much and it's from a pole that's 50ft from my building in my own field. Trying to reason with them, so far, has get me nowhere. I'm interested that they agreed to do a free upgrade to 100 amp though. I could live with that, as like you, mines a 60 amp supply. How did you confirm it would be free?

Loads. So many it would take forever. How does 1.8 million for three slow down ramps sound?

I'd beg to differ. Highest taxes ever, and the least to show for it. I'd say it generally isn't. It's completely out of control.

I think I'd be challenging that. Who's to decide what is "big enough"? Depends what you want to do, surely?

Paying tax is fine if it's used for the good of society. Sadly. That's too, a significant extent, no longer the case. I am therefore be fleeced or whatever other term you wish to use. As for taxing still more, fortunately I don't think any government of any colour are quite stupid enough to do that. All it will do is make poor people poorer (and colder). Those people simply don't have the capital to move to a heat pump. No matter how cheap electricity is. Fortunately for us, most people don't want to punish there fellow man. It will be a very sad day if that ever comes to pass. I find it sad the people want to do this.

As far as i can see it needs BR However, if its for months, rather than years, id just crack on, unless you have particuarly nosey neighbours? Even if it could to the point of enforcement, 6 months would be long since past. But why not just get a mobile home, thus avoiding such issues?

Option 4 Keep oil boiler and fit UFH. Will be your cheapest option, and with UFH will be lovely. If you didnt already have a boiler, then maybe a different option. But you do. If you decide to throw it away, please let me know and ill come and take it away! (distance dependant!)

Ive not got another quote yet. I made it clear i wasnt paying that much, and asked for the evidence that their position was based on, given their publically stated position is that i dont need to pay for "network re-inforcement. So far, not forthcoming, but they did attend site in my abscence. I mildly optimistic of some common sense being applied. For now, im just waiting. i think ive got a loose plan now for generator set and batteries if the cost doesnt come back to planet earth. Somethings gone very wrong when it makes much more economic sense to install a generator set, than connect to the grid 50ft away! Its also a good thing that, several decades ago, when electricity was rolled out to the masses, that the people at the time didnt try to charge everyone for the installation costs, but did it because it was the right thing to do to connect everyone. Otherwise, everyone outside a city would stll have no electricity. Something has gone very wrong along the way. though i think we can all work out what that is/was.

Energy suppliers might be, but the DNO isnt!!!

As scottishjohn said, be sure to make sure your 3 phase quote is for a resedential connection, not non-residential. Turns out my quote was non-residential. Fortunately, owing to the bonkers price attached id not persued it yet.

It was one of the reasons i gave up on the idea of self build. You can easily be deep into 5 figure sums, before you put a spade in the ground, and it is, essentially, a lottery. I cant imagine, despite the bullish PR, that it will ever get "easier". As Streamy observes, it only ever gets more complicated. I admire those, many on here, who persue the dream despite all of that, though clearly the moree healthy your bank account, the easier it is to suck up the obstacles placed in your path.

Its probably far to say, theres a wide range of experiences, especially in the last year. Were your previous experiences before or after the changes to the system? Its clear that there was a lot more "judgment" going on before the changes. Im confident that what i want to do is sensible (and pretty much what most people would do in the circumstance), i have no confidence it will be accepted, without either all the supporting docs, or at all. Which rather precludes doing it under building notice as the risk of having to do it twice is too high.. Structural calcs wont be a problem for me as im not making any structural changes. On a purely technical note, 100mm of wood fibre to a solid wall is well past what most people would suggest is wise. Or was this more conventional construction?

That is indeed as it is laid down. But they will still want SAP assesment, condensation analysis and anything else they think of to support it. Which all needs paying for, with no gurantee of acceptance. And you are still at the mercy of the individual BCO. Given that BCO's now appear to have a limited amount of liability for the decisions they make, we are starting to see some "issues" on older buildings with BCO's refusing to deviate from the regs, despite compliance being impossible, and despite regs allowing for deviation. Not doubt because they are too concerned about their liability should they use judgement. The end result if course, will be that more work is done without any compliance.

You can indeed. Its an option, but not a great one. Inefficent as they just vent off excess air.

With reference to your last point, im one of only 2 dwellings. Theres no realistic prospect of any more being added.

For clarity, my circumstances at the pole are identical to yours. Have National grid agreed to upgrade to 3 phase and not charge you for the transformer?

Id like to agree its rubbish. They "claim" "apparatus and plant" is included in the scope of "conductor" as per my earlier post. Their words, not mine. As i said, im awaiting the actual documents. I hope you are correct re the connection. Ive also sought clarification if the quoted 3 phase connection is in addition to the existing single phase, or a replacement for it. Though id not thought about it before, if it just feeds the workshop, it could be deemed as non- resedential. Maybe. Who decides? If it feeds the workshop which then fed the house, does that matter? Is it still residential? Though it is a "workshop" its NOT a business, its just for my hobbies and domestic use. Use "incidental to the enjoyment of the main dwelling house" to use the correct phrase. Getting a clear understanding seems "difficult". Its essential its clear before i do anything.

Do let us know how you get on please.

You have not misunderstood. I didn't know this either, but googling suggests that's the case. As ever with our ridiculous electricity market, you can't actually find out real numbers unless you make contact with a supplier to get a quote. I think we know how that will go given I don't have a 3 phase supply. Quite why it needs to be a secret, I don't really know ? I don't know anyone with a domestic 3 phase supply to ask. Maybe someone on here can tell us what they are paying.

There argument is that the transformer is a "conductor" as defined in the documents. Which I'm currently unable to find. Which sounds like weasel words hence I really want to see the document that spells this out. Ive requested that or a link to it

I already have a single phase supply. Albeit, it's only rated at 60 amp. I just want/need 3 phase in my workshop which is currently fed from the house. There's 3 phase on a pole in my field, 50 feet from the workshop!!! So near, yet so far. Main loads would be a big compressor, extract fan (big) ramp, bead rolling machine, woodworking thing. If I had 3 phase id be adding a lathe to that at least. Maybe three croc clips is the answer 😂

I can get a decent silenced genny for circa £3-4k. Got batteries. Need a 3 phase invertor. So would be up and running for say £6k, with a lower cost per unit. Thats ignoring any solar i will add. Would service the genny myself. 3 phase isnt price capped either, so could go up much more than a regular domestic supply (as it did llast time). Standing charge much higher too. The reality is, it wont get used much overall. The batteries can run the stuff like the ramp. Very short periods of use. The big load will be a new, bigger compressor. I might use that for a decent chunk of a day, then not use it for 3 weeks. So genny run time will be small. My current supply isnt reliable now, never mind in future if Ed gets his way. There is something to be said for my own security of supply, though thats not the driver here as i already have and have used, a small standby genny. Which is great if rather noisy! Just pondering my options as £20k is daft. Before i do anything i need to understand if National Grid are correct, or if i should be challenging it as others here have done? One person on here got it down from £26k to £450!!! So clearly they engage in piss taking in the hope you just stump up!

Back again. National Grid say no on the following basis: "As per National Grid current policy; for reinforcement concerning three-phase upgrades :-Where a customer requests a 3 phase connection and it is necessary to add a third conductor*the customer will be required to pay the full cost as it is not considered a shared asset.* includes apparatus/plant etc…" Im unable to locate any document with such words via google. Does anyone have a view please, on if this is worth challenging before i throw in the towel and buy a bigger generator?

Why would they need to? It will be chaos. No need to confirm via cctv.

Late to the party on this. I got a quote for a conection , close to £20k from pole in my field. It was 3 months PRIOR to the change. They were charging me for a new double pole and transformer. Thanks for the posts and links. Ive gone back to challenge that.