Can incoming mains run above ground under suspended floor?

[James Rolfe]

Hi all. I'm looking for some expert advice on the above. I am having an extension built and the footings are a raft slab which can be built/poured under the existing incoming mains cable (it's in a black pipe approx 50mm dia). There will be a suspended floor approximately 100mm above the slab. Can I leave the existing cable where it is and build the raft below it and floor above it? ie it it allowed to run within the extension but under the floor? I could put a more robust pipe around it for greater protection if necessary? Thanks in advance for your thoughts/advice.

 

[Midwest]

If your talking of the external electrical supply to your property, I suggest contacting your local distribution network operator.

ENA - Electricity distribution map - http://www.energynetworks.org/info/faqs/electricity-distribution-map.html

 

[James Rolfe]

Thank you for that, I have sent them an email enquiry as can't get through by phone. It would still be great to get others thoughts on this if they have any, or having any experience of something similar. Thanks again, James.

 

[Wilko]

Agree with @Midwest. While the cable may be ok there, you don't want to be working around it while it's live, in my humble opinion. The DNO will give guidance (as it's their cable) and can assist with temporary disconnect while you are working above it.

 

[mhar]

Just had exactly the same.
No you can't build over it as the DNO require access at all times is what I was told.
Having fathered a dno technician I have an unusual relationship with my local dno which did help. We uncovered the dno 50mm duct and put in an external meter cabinet directly over the point where the new wall crossed the supply. The dno disconnected the supply cable from the existing cutout, opened up the duct below the new meter cabinet position and pulled the supply cable back and connected into the new meter position. I then was left with a redundant duct connecting the new and old meter positions down which I fed an SWA which I connected via a switch fuse

 

[7029 dave]

No you can't, it is classed as built over service, same apply to main gas pipe.

 

[Octopus]

You should be talking to the supplier AND the BCO.......................

and of course the builder and spark should know this ....

 

[James Rolfe]

Thank you for your thoughts, I will await their response )

 

[James Rolfe]

Thanks mhar! I feared this might be the case and am obviously worried about the cost implications. Should've fathered a DNO technician ;o). Unfortunately the new house wall above the existing cable (where it crosses) isn't actually a wall, its sliding glass doors so no where to put it - looks like a substantial move of cable and meter might be in order, gulp!

 

[Octopus]

What has your builder or spark said

 

[James Rolfe]

What has your builder or spark said

The builder isn't on board yet, I'm currently deciding between quotes and doing as much research up front so that I can project plan and budget properly

 

[Octopus]

Best you be sitting down when you get pricing and timescales for moving it..........

 

[James Rolfe]

Best you be sitting down when you get pricing and timescales for moving it..........

Indeed!! A grand and 8 weeks is what someone said. I cried....

 

[Octopus]

Indeed!! A grand and 8 weeks is what someone said. I cried....

The realities of having extensions:

35% of the budget goes under the ground
the other 65% goes very quickly

The 20% contingency fund is spent before you consider internal finishes..........

Best you check that the gas isn't affected too AND based on our experience, make sure you know precisely where all the drains are - we "found" the estate surface water drain where we wanted our foundations to go and a man hole where a wall was due to be built!

 

[Megawatt]

Hi all. I'm looking for some expert advice on the above. I am having an extension built and the footings are a raft slab which can be built/poured under the existing incoming mains cable (it's in a black pipe approx 50mm dia). There will be a suspended floor approximately 100mm above the slab. Can I leave the existing cable where it is and build the raft below it and floor above it? ie it it allowed to run within the extension but under the floor? I could put a more robust pipe around it for greater protection if necessary? Thanks in advance for your thoughts/advice.

I don’t know if this will work but I did a job in Virginia and they had raised floors about a foot high and installed 35 control cabinets and transformers. We used tray cable wire , did not have to use conduit and that job turned out awesome

 

[Zerax]

I don’t know if this will work but I did a job in Virginia and they had raised floors about a foot high and installed 35 control cabinets and transformers. We used tray cable wire , did not have to use conduit and that job turned out awesome

I don't know the OP... but I think it's unlikely he'll want to move to Virginia... but great idea though.