Charge to move meter box and Consumer unit

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Ghandhi

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Hi all

Our builders advised us to move our electric meter box which has been done (30 minutes work for National grid = £1000).

The builders have now quoted us £1350+VAT for "Relocation of electric mains cable and supply new fuse board" on top of what they had already quoted for electric works.

I'm annoyed about this extra charge because I wasn't expecting it, but I'm also confused about it. I thought I'd already paid National grid for mains cable relocation?

Can anyone help clarify?

Thanks
 
How far has it moved? Have you asked the spark doing the work what is involved?
 
Ghandhi said:
I'm annoyed about this extra charge because I wasn't expecting it, but I'm also confused about it. I thought I'd already paid National grid for mains cable relocation?
Click to expand...
It is three separate parts....

1. National Grid are responsible for everything to do with the supply of electricity to your property up to and including the mains supply head and its fuse.
2. The meter is the responsibility of whoever you pay for electricity (Octopus, british Gas, etc)
3. Everything after the meter is yours (ie the electrician that you employ.)

So you've paid for 1, maybe 2 also? The rest is yet to be done and paid for.....
 
It is dependant upon what was contracted, what then needed doing, if extra chargeable work needed doing and was done should pref have been estimated and agreed or in line with the work rate they`ve already contracted for other works they did you or in line with similar works by other firms (in other words proportionate and reasonable).

I n effect, you need to ask yourself, considering all things, was it reasonable or not?
 
If you had moved the supply head on your own volition I would say the £1350+VAT charge was fair, but you say
Ghandhi said:
Our builders advised us to move our electric meter box
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So it would seem this was some thing the builders knew would happen, so should have been included in the original estimate. However "advised" seems to indicate not at the time of estimate agreed, with most one would get two estimates one moving meter, one not moving meter, but so easy for the mistake to be made.

I remember one job, I rarely do domestic, but job was going to take a few days, and all through the job the lady of the house would ask could you do this, or could you do that, and answer always yes and it was done. So the bill was far higher than the estimate, and the guy asked why, so was told your wife asked for these extras, that is why the higher bill.

The point was she had no idea she was being charged for these extras, boss said she should have realised we could not do all the extra work for nothing, but she had no idea what she said was costing money. I had same with builder doing work for me, he would say I can do so and so if you want, and I would ask how much, and often it was a silly amount extra, had I not asked, it would have been easy to run up a huge bill.

It does not take much to say is this included in the price, but it is some thing we forget to do.

One important thing, did builder know before he started that the meter head would be moved?
 
Ghandhi said:
Hi all

Our builders advised us to move our electric meter box which has been done (30 minutes work for National grid = £1000).

The builders have now quoted us £1350+VAT for "Relocation of electric mains cable and supply new fuse board" on top of what they had already quoted for electric works.

I'm annoyed about this extra charge because I wasn't expecting it, but I'm also confused about it. I thought I'd already paid National grid for mains cable relocation?

Can anyone help clarify?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Have you asked the builder? What did they say?
 
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