Installing Temp Builder supply with Uk power networks - how it went and cost

[Tony C]

Hi, we have just installed temp builder supply with DNO UK power networks for the first step of our build!

This is how it went and the cost explained.

 

1.UK power networks cost - £2257 to bring the electricity from the pavement.

 

2. DIY digging - breaking up the concrete with Hilti 1000 (bought from ebay £350, planning to sell again after the build).

Hiring the generator to power Hilti £48. Digging the trench 600mm deep.

 

3. Made box for casting the concrete base - using cheap pine floor boards from selco.

Place the pipe (supplied by DNO) for the connection (right), also the short pipe (left) so we can place the earthing rod through to the ground.

Pore the concrete mix (ready mix type, 3 bags) and waited a day to set.

Material for above £38 from selco.

 

 

 

 

4. Screwed down the GRP box bought from ebay (£320 + VAT, but we could sell this on ebay for £180, so the real cost would be £160)

UK network specify larger GRP box than this, but they confirmed that this size (W750xD450xH1250) is fine.

 

5. DNO came and installed the power cable though.

They came 3 times - day1= digging only. day2= make connection, day3= filling back and make concrete surface (including our side as well, kindly)

 

6. We got SSE to install the meter (free), and electrician to install the consumer box and a socket. (installation £250)

Toolstation - MK consumer box £58, double socket £12

Screwfix – eatrhing rod £2.50

Screwfix -  Earth Rod to Lug Clamp 3/8" £1.80

We have put large MK consumer unit as this will be moved to the house once it built.

I would not recommend SSE, as they did not turn up twice and wasted our time...!

They are now installing 2nd Gen smart meter, which is much better than 1st one, you can move supplier and smart meter would work with the new supplier.

 

 

[ProDave]

That was expensive for such a short connection distance.

 

 

[Jeremy Harris]

I was thinking the same.  We had a pole moved, and a ~200m stretch of overhead cable, crossing a stream and small lake replaced, a new underground cable laid around 50m long, a cable laid under the lane to replace an overhead supply to our neighbours house, and an existing underground cable relocated and re-terminated for £3,533.40. 

 

The 6m underground cable run from the base of the new pole, including the underground pot joint,  to our temporary supply meter box, plus the installation of the head cost £265.34, but I had the trench dug so all they had to do was lay the cable and make the connections either end.

[epsilonGreedy]

26 minutes ago, ProDave said:

That was expensive for such a short connection distance.

 

 

The premium for building in London? Mine was cheaper an involved more work.

[epsilonGreedy]

2 hours ago, Tony C said:

We have put large MK consumer unit as this will be moved to the house once it built.

 

 

I wanted to do the same but the electrician said it would not be possible in a standard size meter cabinet sized to fit within a cavity wall.

[ProDave]

10 hours ago, Tony C said:

 

We have put large MK consumer unit as this will be moved to the house once it built.

 

You do know you don't have to have the supply moved. You could do as many of us have, and leave the meter there, and just run your own cable from that box into the house.  At those prices it will probably save you a lot of money.

[Tony C]

Yes, it is expensive for the connection less than 1 m away. But not much we could do....

We thought about installing the supply where it will be going in the end, but logistic wise it was not possible. (The GPR would be on the access way, as we are building one house on the street front, one more house on the back of the site.)

 

 

[Tony C]

We are installing Water supply next as stand pipes, assuming to move to the house during the ground work stage. Are we thinking right?

[markharro]

On 18/04/2019 at 06:58, ProDave said:

You do know you don't have to have the supply moved. You could do as many of us have, and leave the meter there, and just run your own cable from that box into the house.  At those prices it will probably save you a lot of money.

We are arranging for a disconnection before we demolish our house (mid July). I have powered outbuildings and want to keep them powered and so I am talking to the DNO about a temporary supply. We want to bring 3 phase and its nearby so that should be ok. My issue is trying to plan for where to locate the temp supply. The spot nearest to where our new plant room will be looks impossible as it will be in the way of buildings works I think. The best spot further away from any groundworks etc will be right on our boundary with the pavement so a short cable run from there but what I don't understand is whether we could keep it the meter there and then run 3phase into the house privately? we would need about 7 or 8 metres of cable run approx from this point to where our consumer unit would be housed in the new house? Would this cause any problem - I think someone I spoke to from the DNO mentioned voltage drops ? thanks

[JohnMo]

This what I did.  Had supply run to close to where I wanted it prior to digging foundation trenched.  Temporarily buried cable.  Completed the trench concrete pour.  Had SSE connect to meter and screwed the whole lot on a wooden post inside the location of the hall cupboard where the meter would live.  A double socket was added by electrician.

 

White box by guy with yellow gloves.

 

Second photo shows stub walls up and box still on post but now sat on the stub wall to allow next concrete pour.

 

Bit of a faff but was ok.

 

[markharro]

Thanks thats interesting. Not sure that would work for us. We are having an insulated concrete slab poured.

[Mr Punter]

Where we are UKPN do not like internal meters and they will not accept the supply mounted on a post.  The simplest way to deal with this is often to mount a kiosk as above and run ducting to your proposed permanent location to allow you to run SWA from the kiosk.  Kiosk just contains service head, meter and switch fuse, to eventually connect the SWA but in the meantime just a site CU.  You will need an earth spike when using as a temp supply.

[joth]

A common option is to put the "temporary" meter in a green kiosk at the boundary (cheapest location for the DNO and minimises risk of cable strike) and but leave the meter there after the build as the permanent solution.

7-8m run from there into the house will be fine. You may get a slight dimming of the lights when there's a surge powering up your circular saw etc, but the steady state voltage drop is not enough to be any issue. Smart usage of all 3 phases will minimise this effect further.

 

Edit: xpost with MrPunter, we're saying the same thing

Edited May 14, 2022 by joth

[markharro]

4 hours ago, joth said:

7-8m run from there into the house will be fine. You may get a slight dimming of the lights when there's a surge powering up your circular saw etc, but the steady state voltage drop is not enough to be any issue.

Thanks thats reassuring - is it relevant though that we plan on a 11.04kw PV array and 22kw EC charger for the house as well?

[bob the builder 2]

HI All

 

Just getting ready to install a temp 3 phase supply 

 

I am planning to place the housing on a post c1.5m from the future garage wall and then move the unit (inc meter etc) onto the garage wall once built.

 

Any advice on asking the electrician to procure all the bits (box, earth rods, consumer units, plugs etc) or go ahead and do this myself and just ask the sparky to wire it up ?

 

Not sure which housing size and if i need a special consumer unit / other bits given its 3 phase 

 

Many Thanks 

[MikeSharp01]

9 hours ago, markharro said:

I am talking to the DNO about a temporary supply. We want to bring 3 phase and its nearby so that should be ok.

We decided the best way forward was a permanent supply to a distribution station on the edge of the site so as we added buildings, in our case only 2, we could just add anything we wanted to this station and we had the gas installed there to and we are having the comms coming there as well and if I was brave I would move the water meter there as well but ee do have our site stop tap there. So we have a permanent building which also has the wheelie bins and bikes and we don't need to call back the DNO. I think @ProDave did the same thing. 

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, bob the builder 2 said:

Any advice on asking the electrician to procure all the bits

Assuming the electric company will connect to your temporary board, it has to be perfect or they won't.

Then there is possibly the spare length of cable for when you transfer to permanent position.

It is all rather technical, especially the earthing (to me a non-electrician). Much as I  like to cut out the middle man I think leave this to the expert.

Earthing used to mean banging a spike into the ground, but now they may take readings.

 

[joth]

18 hours ago, markharro said:

Thanks thats reassuring - is it relevant though that we plan on a 11.04kw PV array and 22kw EC charger for the house as well?

That shouldn't be any issue, just make sure all this is understood by whoever sizes the SWA run from the kiosk to the house.

You can use a 3ph PV inverter and that avoids all the G99 approval bother too. 

 

[Mr Punter]

On 14/05/2022 at 17:35, bob the builder 2 said:

I am planning to place the housing on a post c1.5m from the future garage wall and then move the unit (inc meter etc) onto the garage wall once built.

 

UKPN get very pissy if you touch any of their stuff.  Part of the reason is that it is not fused, so if their cable shorts when you move it can cause major issues in the whole area.