recoveringbuilder Posted June 6, 2018 Author Share Posted June 6, 2018 Well that’s us 4 weeks in foundation all in , underfloor heating in , still haven’t solved the electricity problem although we have been in touch with the owners of the other five plots and believe they are looking into it so we’ll just have to wait it out, I did find out who would own the cable that WE would have to pay for and it wouldn’t be us but it would belong to whoever installed it either sp energy or private contractor! Everyone I tell can’t believe it, So waiting on the kit, when I ordered it 7 weeks ago it was a 7 week lead time, spoke to them 3 weeks ago and they were indicating 21st June, last week it was 2nd July and now today they tell me they’ve been chasing my SE for the last 10days without success for information to do with beams/joists which they had hoped would be timber but the truss firm can’t make it work so are now talking steels! Now they’re indicating mid July and our tempers are fraying! Hubby is blaming me as ‘it was my idea to do this again’ caravan life definitely doesn’t suit him, as for me I found myself in fits of laughter tonight trying to shower in a bathroom one square metre and when you drop something there’s no room to bend down to pick it up! And I thought we were so much better organised this time around- hey ho? 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recoveringbuilder Posted June 21, 2018 Author Share Posted June 21, 2018 Well things are moving on now, engineer has resurfaced and kit firm now have all the stuff they need, really surprised today when they phoned to ask me my choice of door handles! Beginning to feel real! Water connection getting sorted tomorrow, the only heart sinking moment is when we stop and think about the reality of the electricity connection which we still haven’t sorted out, still waiting to hear from the owner of the other 5 plots but we’re beginning to think we will eventually have to find the funds to pay the whole thing unless we want to use a generator, trying not to be too hasty but it’s one of those niggling things that takes all the excitement out of the project, trying to do this build without a mortgage which should be doable but would be a bit ironic if we had to take one out to get power? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 Can't you use a genny until the plot gets developed and then just pay 1/6th of the cost when it, inevitably, gets done? The owner of the other plots may be purposefully avoiding you so you do the brunt of the work, so beware of that. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 2 hours ago, Nickfromwales said: The owner of the other plots may be purposefully avoiding you so you do the brunt of the work, so beware of that. +1. It's a real shame that there can't be a payback agreement in place so that you get some money refunded if other plots use the same infrastructure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hecateh Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/87259/guideelectricitydistributionconnectionspolicy.pdf Quote A connection charge will include up to three components: The full cost of assets that: will be used solely by the connecting customer are over and above the minimum scheme, when asked for by the connecting customer. A proportion of the cost of network reinforcement where it’s required. The proportion is calculated based on the share of new capacity created that will be used by the connecting customer. Generally the connecting customer will only pay for reinforcement at the voltage level it is connecting to and one voltage level above.3 A rebate to the DNO or a previously connected customer under the Electricity (Connection Charges) Regulations 2002. This rebate will apply where the new connection uses network assets that were installed and paid for by a previous connection. (See Appendix 1 for further information.) So you should get some money back when they connect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 +1 Make sure to get that in writing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Neil Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 Strange to ask maybe, but have you considered going off grid? Obviously I don't know your plot layout or roof size or owt, but I spoke with one company about a 4kw in roof solar install at about 4.5 K plus another 6.5 for a powerwall. That's 11, double that approximately for double the generating capacity and another power wall for twice the storage.. Still 3 grand cheaper. or sack the second powerwall off and that's nearer 10... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recoveringbuilder Posted June 23, 2018 Author Share Posted June 23, 2018 Yes we’ve made enquiries about powerwall and tesla but we’re advised that owing to the size of house and all the equipment we’d need we would be as well getting the electricity connection and that came from one of the companies! Afraid we’re going to have to suck it up but we will wait as long as we reasonably can in case anything happens with the other plots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted June 24, 2018 Share Posted June 24, 2018 Does the Powerwall support a non-grid tie connection now? AFAIK, it didn't used to. I do know that the much cheaper Sofar system, using Pylontech battery modules, can run off-grid OK. Last time I checked it was around £3.3k delivered, inc VAT, for a 7.2 kWh system or £4.2k delivered, inc VAT, for a 9.6 kWh system. The only snag is that the peak output from the inverter is limited to 3 kW, IIRC. Still a great deal cheaper than a Powerwall though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recoveringbuilder Posted July 2, 2018 Author Share Posted July 2, 2018 So this is driving me crazy, can’t even look forward to the arrival of the kit next week, so yesterday I sent an email to sp energy telling them this letter forms a complaint. I had spoken to a chap up the road who lives near their transformer and he told me there had been a plan to increase capacity and in fact ducting had been put in but then the plan was shelved. I had also looked at the boasts on there website about keeping their infrastructure in good shape to accommodate future calls for more power bla blah blah . In the letter I told them I felt they had looked for the easiest solution for them with total disregard to the cost for me , I quoted some of their boasts then I finished off by saying as for the pole in my garden I have no agreement with you to accommodate this pole therefore since it is of no good to me perhaps I should make an application to have it removed. 9 o clock this morning they phoned me giving me a reference number and telling me I would be contacted by a design manager in due course, this being stage 1 in the procedure. Sure enough 10 minutes later I get another call and this time it’s from the original person I dealt with. He starts off saying he doesn’t understand what I’m not happy about—Really! 25k and he doesn’t understand? He thinks he’s going to browbeat me until I say just a minute here’s my husband, so hubby tells him in no uncertain terms why we’re not happy, asks for an overhead line- oh we don’t do that now, no of course you don’t you want to update your infrastructure at my expense,he then says well if we can’t get an affordable supply I want the pole removed, do you know what he said? Then you’d be cutting off your supply!!what supply?! It ends with my hubby asking for the complaint to be escalated to stage 2 , by this time he’s stuttering and stammering, turns out he’s not even a manager just a team leader! However it has been escalated and we await the next stage, annoyingly if we lived north of dunblane we’d be able to apply for a grant for the connection, I’ve got my fighting hat on now-bring it on! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 9 minutes ago, Christine Walker said: annoyingly if we lived north of dunblane How come grants are available only if you live north of Dunblane? And good on you for pushing the connection issue, especially if they have a pole on your land that you can't use! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recoveringbuilder Posted July 2, 2018 Author Share Posted July 2, 2018 Different electricity network and obviously realise connection charges in rural areas are way off the scale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedreamer Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 Keep fighting away, it stressful but might get results. Maybe even consider dropping your MSP an email and then cc them into the next complaint. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recoveringbuilder Posted July 2, 2018 Author Share Posted July 2, 2018 Ha ha I already emailed her about a month ago and never even got an acknowledgment, seems they only want you at election time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hecateh Posted July 2, 2018 Share Posted July 2, 2018 I feel your pain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recoveringbuilder Posted July 11, 2018 Author Share Posted July 11, 2018 It’s started! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newhome Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 The most exciting time of the build IMO. Enjoy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recoveringbuilder Posted July 11, 2018 Author Share Posted July 11, 2018 Today’s progress report; not too bad in my opinion, trusses arrive tomorrow, steels to go in, welder on Monday then we’ll see where it goes from there, bit different this build from our previous ones in that a building firm are doing a lot of the work therefore they’re organising who comes when and we just need to know what we need to get in for them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane W Posted May 30 Share Posted May 30 Many years later... it appears we may be in a similar position to the op. How did things turn out with your electricity connection and your complaint? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recoveringbuilder Posted June 11 Author Share Posted June 11 On 30/05/2024 at 13:52, Jane W said: Many years later... it appears we may be in a similar position to the op. How did things turn out with your electricity connection and your complaint? We eventually got them down to just under £5k, we asked them to remove the pole that was on our land and they weren’t long in changing the price as long as we agreed the pole could stay! funnily enough the plots that were next to us are now getting all built on and none of the owners have been asked for anything over £3k! We did the ground work and they have benefited from it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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