UTILITIES: gas

Moving the gas meter was quite expensive. There is no way round this. They have a fixed fee and you have to do this officially with all the correct paperwork. We had elected to get the meter put outside in a semi-submerged box. These are quite discrete and having the box outside meant we wouldn't lose any precious cupboard space in the utility room. We are planning for an electric oven and ceramic hob in the new kitchen so the boiler would be the only gas installation in the house. The gas could come in through the wall by the boiler and that would be that. We could then remove or disconnect all the other gas pipes around the house.

October 2009: After the demolition the gas meter was the first priority. I installed a temporary shelf to support the meter while we waited for a booking with Scotia Gas.

October 2009: They dug two access holes. One by the new meter and one at the gate so they could run the pipe back across the road to the gas main.

October 2009: The join at the gate. The pipe is electrically heated and welded together. All this was done live without turning the gas off.

October 2009: The new yellow plastic pipe is run inside the old pipe to minimize the digging. They also have the option to use a mole to run the pipe.

October 2009: The new semi-submerged gas meter on the outside of the house. This could now be painted black to merge in with render.