Utility connections and road closures advice

[tomfc]

Hi all, sorry, I couldn't see a forum for utilities but maybe I'm just being blind? If this is in the wrong place let me know.

 

Basically I'm asking for advice. We need to connect our plot to electricity, gas and water mains, all of which lie under the road next to the plot. The road is however single-track and so the local electricity people have quoted us a large amount, mainly because they'll have to shut the road.

 

I don't know if there is any way around this, and I don't think we'll know until we accept and someone comes and assesses. But the electricity cabling is on our side of the road according to their maps and it seems like they could maybe get away with not closing the whole road and just digging up our side, whilst leaving enough room for a car to squeeze past. Anyone know how big of a hole they'll need or whether this is ridiculous?

 

We also haven't got quotes from gas or water yet, but I'm assuming they will need to dig up the road too? If so how feasible is it to get them all to come at the same time to minimise the road closures and thus cost? Or again is this ridiculous? Does anyone have experience? I know the water is on our side of the road with the electric, but the gas is on the opposite side.

 

We are also opposite another self-builder who is a bit earlier in their build, reckon the utility companies would let us somehow split the cost and connect both at once? Surely it'd be easier for them??

[Jilly]

I'm just going through this, it's quite a palaver and there are companies you can pay to co-ordinate it.  My quote for electricity is £8.7k, water £3.5K, both from over the road and both had to be paid in advance (No gas available). They acknowledged they could share a trench and road closure, but it's on a refund basis which they won't disclose or promise the amount. Water needs to go deepest, but initially the electricity people said they were going to dig, until I pointed this out, so double check everything.

[ProDave]

Our connection was made in a connection pit about 1 metre square.  Within the grass verge but right adjacent to the single track road.

 

[Thorfun]

I am also interested in this and am at the stage of just paying UKPN/Openreach/Water utilities for the new connections. my road closure for UKPN is nearly £2.5k as it's a single track road. Openreach also charge for road closure and I'm waiting on costs from the water company. 

 

I am going to do my best to try and get them to all come during the same road closure period so I will hopefully only have to pay for it once! I guess I will then go back to the companies and ask for the refund. but I am fully expecting it to be a major ball ache. I guess it'll be just one of many trials and tribulations of our self-build.

[Bitpipe]

A new gas connection is often subsidised.

 

It cost me £1500 for a pre-demo disconnection and £300 for the reconnection from a different part of the frontage. The disconnection took two of them all of 30 mins, the reconnection was a full half day with a crew of 4.

 

So if they do it and leave the pit open.... you can perhaps cover with steel plates until it gets reinstated.

[Bonner]

I am going through this at the moment, water and electric on the other side of busy road. Both utilities said they would collaborate to avoid closing the road twice but I have to pay both for the road closure and dig in advance. They promised some refund if they don’t need to do all the works; road closure cost in full but only part of the excavation cost, depending on what they need to do. I will trust them and hope for a fair deal in the end. Water supplier will probably do the road crossing due to depth required. I am treating this a challenge to get two utilities to work together and if I save some money, that will be a bonus! 

[ProDave]

The secret for multiple services crossing the same road is get ONE of them to install their service, preferably water as that goes deeper.  Then while the road is open, drop in ducts (with draw strings) for the other services, black for electricity, grey for telecoms.

 

Then you can get the other services connected on the basis a duct under the road is already waiting for them.

 

This is exactly what we did.

[tomfc]

Thanks guys! I can see it's going to be a pain to get them all to work together but let's see how it goes! I'll definitely await quotes from the others and see who's cheap and if they'll work together.

 

I haven't even thought about Openreach, I know we have an overhead cable outside so I (perhaps naively?) presumed it would be pretty simple? Does one have to contact Openreach directly? The impression I get from their website is that for a single house you can just contact a broadband provider and they'll sort Openreach (and perhaps charge a connection fee of some kind)? At least that isn't under the road too!

 

We thankfully already have a sewer on our land so that at least is something I don't have to worry too much about! Three utilities is still too much though!

Edited December 18, 2020 by tomfc

[Bonner]

Not looked into Telcom myself yet as I am concentrating on building supplies. I also have a pole near the corner of my plot so assuming it will be straightforward. The neighbour who converted a barn next door said it was the easiest one to sort out, just want to make sure it can go in the same trench as water and electric on site so we don’t have to dig another.

[mjc55]

On 18/12/2020 at 17:11, ProDave said:

The secret for multiple services crossing the same road is get ONE of them to install their service, preferably water as that goes deeper.  Then while the road is open, drop in ducts (with draw strings) for the other services, black for electricity, grey for telecoms.

 

Then you can get the other services connected on the basis a duct under the road is already waiting for them.

 

This is exactly what we did.

 

Resurrecting this thread.

 

Just going through the process for quotes from Electricity (Scottish & Southern) and water (Wessex Water).

 

The road (Lane) outside our plot is relatively narrow but is definitely two way (around 6m ish) so enough room, I think, for temporary traffic lights.  We are,however, very rural and plenty of large tractors pass directly along lane.  I don't know if this will be an issue or not.  I will talk to farmer when I know more.

 

I am interested in your statement re ducting.

 

The quote from S&S specifically states that in the road that "cable to be laid in open trench, no ducting".  I'm wondering if this is a S&S condition.  It would certainly preclude laying ducting if we got water connection initially. 

 

We also have a ditch running along the front of the property, I am going to get some levels as soon as I can but it might mean that electricity supply might need to be a tad deeper.

 

The S&S quote includes a total of £4985 (of £8370 - so about 60% of costs) for crossing the road.

 

The WW quote is a total of £5840 but doesn't break down costs so don't know what percentage of this is for digging a trench etc.  They also state that the cost includes a "council road closure" at a cost of £2056. (i.e. not traffic ights).  I did meet a WW person on site earlier this year so they have seen road situation, S&S has not been on site (as far as I am aware).

 

I will try and organise for both to happen at same time to save costs, how realistic this is questionable.  The WW person that I met said that "Dorset council don't allow this" not sure that makes sense to be honest.

 

Anyone else in Dorset been through this and can relate their story?

 

Thanks as usual.

[zzPaulzz]

Hi @mjc55 I'm at this stage too but in Suffolk where the council like utilities to coordinate works to minimise road closures.  A few weeks back UK Power Networks visited my site and said they'd need a partial road closure at @£1.2k to excavate the bottom of the pole for the cable run into my site.  Anglian Water visited yesterday and told me I'd need a full road closure for three days for their works. AW said they'd coordinate with UKPN if I gave them the job number so that both jobs could be done at the same time.  My road is also 6m.