Hi there,

I am doing some renovation work and I need to move the gas meter from the front room to the outside wall. It is literally on the other side of the wall, thus under 1 meter. 

Please let me know, is it doable if so what’s the process and cost?

Thanks,

Hi @djiouk and welcome to the Forum.

Yes, the relocation is doable. However it involves parts of your gas connection which are the responsibility of different parties. The final cost probably relies on:

a: how much of the pipework you also want moved to the other side of the wall

b: whether you can get one party to undertake two (or all 3) bits of the work

Your gas supply pipework is owned by the Gas Distribution Company (or Transporter) for your area. This includes the riser and the gas isolator valve with the lever.

Since I don’t know where you are geographically, I’ll illustrate this by pointing you to the relevant Online Application Forms for Wales & West Utilities. But your GDN may be another company. If you complete your Forum Profile, I’ll be able to identify which GDN covers your area, assuming that you’re not with an IGT (Independent Gas Transporter).

The meter is the responsibility of your current Energy Supplier. Since this is currently an old-style analogue meter, you can probably reduce costs by integrating this part of the work into a Smart Meter installation.

The pipework beyond the meter is your responsibility, but may only be altered by a registered Gas Safe Engineer.

You could start by asking OVO how much of the work they’d be prepared to do, based on the estimate of £124 given by @Nancy_OVO above, and the change to a Smart Meter.

Well, @harmonmonic since your Profile page says you’re in Chicago, we’re a mere 3,800 miles apart!

… oh - and you’re in an area with restricted travel due to Covid-19.

This (bot?) user has now been banned - nice flagging @Transparent! 

Have you solved the problem? How much did it cost you?

I’ve updated the ‘best answer’ of this topic, @johnnparry55 

Costs, it’s £125 for the electric meter (£325 if it’s 3-phase) and £145 for gas. Plus the DNO or NG costs. 

We’​​​ve made a guide on meter site works, and another on costs of engineer jobs.

Do we assume that the £145 cost of extending the outlet pipe (when done by OVO) does not include repositioning the earth bonding to within 600mm of the new meter position?

@johnnparry55 - the issue is not just one of “extending” the wire, but of testing that the resulting earth is adequate and within spec. I don’t believe OVO have this capability. Indeed it could transpire that there are other earth-related issues in the house, thus making the job much longer.

So the point we now need to throw back at @Tim_OVO is this:

If the existing safety earth connection is left in-situ, how is it possible for the Installer to certify the work as being within specification? 

@Transparent are you thinking of this topic, and @Roger J’s gas meter? 

Can you help me to understand this question before I go and find someone who looks like an engineer who can help advise…?

My understanding is earth bonding changes for gas meters is to be done by an electrician, after the meter has been moved…..

Sure - let’s get this clarified. It’s going to be an issue for lots of other sites in future.

We have previously had customers reporting to the Forum that their meter installation couldn’t proceed due to issues with the earth bonding.

In one case (which I can’t now find), the OVO Engineer needed to solder a section of the outflow pipe, but the existing earth-bond was too close to where heat needed to be applied. The customer offered to remove the connection and arrange for an electrician to attend later and reconnect/test it.

The Engineer rejected that offer because he couldn’t certify the installation as being compliant unless it had an earth connection which met the IET Regulations.

So has OVO changed its guidance to its Installers?

Are they now prepared to install a Smart Gas Meter where the earth connection is not within 600mm of the meter?

Is there now a Notice which is given to the customer, informing them of the non-compliance and requiring them to summon an electrician to rectify the issue? (Other Energy Suppliers do this).

And yes, @Tim_OVO I was also thinking of the post from @Roger J 

… but then forgot to place a link on his Topic to direct him here!

Are you going to add one, or merge the Topics?

I have done, above. But here it is.

No change in this as far as I’m aware. As hinted to above, and taken from this topic on meter exchanges:

Gas technical information - Electrical earth bonding

What is it?

Electrical earth bonding (or cross bonding) is required to stop you or the installer from getting an electric shock from the gas pipework. This is something that all properties should have, however older ones may not. The bonding attaches the earth cable to the outlet pipework (see bonding clamp below).
 

Why is it aborted?

We are not allowed to move or alter the earth bonding. Therefore if we need to complete alterations on the pipework, we are obstructed by the earth bonding. This usually happens either on a semi concealed exchange, or if there is lead pipework that needs to be exchanged. If this is the case these jobs can’t go ahead.

What advice if this happens?

You would need to organise for an electrician to relocate the electrical earth bonding. The earth bonding needs to be within either 600 mm of the meter outlet, or in the case of an external gas meter it can be within 600 mm of where the pipework enters the property. Once this has been done, you can contact us to re-book the job.

What should we not do?

We should not exchange/install new pipework and leave the cross bonding unattached. If this is the case, please contact us ASAP.