Astronomical electricity supply quote

[Paul Munro]

Hi,

Currently at timber frame stage of a self build in Argyll. I asked Scottish Power Networks for a quote to supply a grid connection and they have come back with what I would consider to be a totally astronomical quote of £17k. My next door neighbour built on the adjacent plot around 5 years ago and he paid £3.5k (and states that the cabling duct is about 20 feet from my plot entrance. When I queried this with SPEN they came back and said that there is no capacity on this to splice into and that I have to have a supply from further up the road (around 70 metres away) hence the high price. They have stated that a large proportion of this cost is the digging up of the road but it is a single track road with trenches either side of it so I am at a loss as to why this should be so high. Has anyone got any advice as to how I can appeal this? Also SPEN have stated that I can use an different contractor for this part of the work (which drops their price to £1.6k) but that they must be an approved contractor...... Again any advice as to how I would go about this and whether it would be worth doing would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[saveasteading]

Local knowledge is essential 

Avoid digging the road.

 

Who owns the land off the road.? Probably Lord something, but the estate factor may be approachable.

A local groundworker may know the dodges, as well as being able to lay it.

It is  just a cable. They have to do the 2 ends. You do 70m in one length at the right depth etc.

 

Read the small print again. An approved contractor must do it, or is preferred?