Connecting utilities to our new build plot - Cost of a new electrical connection.

[JamesG]

We’ve just had a quote for a new electricity supply to our building plot. It’s 60m from the road where the electricity main is and the cost is coming in at £20k. (Not including digging the trench). Any ideas how we can reduce this cost?

[ProDave]

Post the full quote and we might be able to advise.  Any pictures of the site etc?

[Roger440]

17 minutes ago, JamesG said:

We’ve just had a quote for a new electricity supply to our building plot. It’s 60m from the road where the electricity main is and the cost is coming in at £20k. (Not including digging the trench). Any ideas how we can reduce this cost?

That's quite good compared to mine. Wanted not much less for 50 feet.

 

As Dave said, more details required.

[Kelvin]

Is it an actual quote or an estimate? Are they including closing the road, if so is there another way the trenching and cable could be run. 
 

I’ve posted my experience a few times. Our original estimate was £26500 this was a desktop estimate. The pole was 2m from our boundary in the neighbour’s field and 15m from where the house was going to be built. However the specific details in the estimate didn’t match the reality on the ground. I let the first estimate lapse and re-submitted with all of the accurate information they’d got wrong. The next estimate was £5500. I then said I’d do all of the labour all they had to do was pull the cable and connect it. The final quote was just over £1000. They did the work and emailed me to say that they didn’t use all the stuff they planned (still no idea what all the extra was) and completed the work in half the time so gave me a £600 refund. Obviously every DNO is different (mine is SSEN) and every situation is different but the moral is to question everything and make sure they have accurate information and are basing their quote on it. 

[nod]

As with all building related quotes Get several Quotes often vary wildly for the same amount of work 

[saveasteading]

Road partial closure, if that applies, is the worst case for cost. Full closure is much cheaper. 

That sounds like a safe estimate. I too have often had fruitful discussions , usually requiring homework....with which BH can help: as previous messages... tell us more.

 

Best not disclose who the quotation is from. If it is a quotation rather than estimate then they have to be on the safe side, because they get so many requests, but will then usually engage with more info.