Mains supply coming through door frame

[Lizztizz]

We are having our 1930s house (recently purchased) rewired. We’ve noticed that the mains supply enters the house through our front door frame. Our electrician advised contacting the power network to recite but the prices of this look huge! Is there any workaround, such as moving the cable further up above the door frame?

 

[westward10]

Pic isn't very clear I can't make it out.

 

[James]

It is hard to see.
However, the only people who can move that cable are the network operators.
Electrician is not allowed to interfere with cables before the meter.

I would have thought it would cost about £300
But I could be wrong

 

[Micktw68]

Clean the lens on your potato.

 

[James]

Clean the lens on your potato.

Thanks for the cooking advice, do I do that before I boil it?

 

[Micktw68]

Did you take the photo?
(its a photographers expression.)

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/recorded-with-a-potato

 

[buzzlightyear]

I can see clearly now the pics has gone.
Looks to me is a TT system. But with out a decent pic it could be any thing.

 

[Vortigern]

That does not look like the main incomer going through your door it looks like a cable going out by the colour of it. You need to get some light on the picture and a picture from outside would also help to give a better clue as to the situation. Can we get that from you?

 

[Lizztizz]

Sorry everyone! I agree, the photo is rubbish. It’s a screen grab from a video so awful quality. I’ll try and take a better (and updated) photo. You’ll be horrified when you see what’s under the consumer unit in the new photo- spoiler alert, mould from flood from bathroom above ??‍

We were thinking it could be up to 3k to recite as UK Power Network on their website seem to suggest reciting mains is an involved job with digging etc. Hopefully it’s not as expensive this!

 

[Strima]

The cable should not have been installed in that position originally. They should do it at their cost.

 

[James]

It should not be thousands, all they have to do is pull it out of frame, drill new hole in wall and reconnect.

What you are reading on there website is where you want a supply cable moving to a different part of the building.

I presume you are leaving the meter where it is at the moment?

 

[Lizztizz]

It should not be thousands, all they have to do is pull it out of frame, drill new hole in wall and reconnect.

What you are reading on there website is where you want a supply cable moving to a different part of the building.

I presume you are leaving the meter where it is at the moment?

We were thinking of moving it to the side of the house, but if it’s going to cost thousands then we’re very happy to leave as is. If the cable can just be moved up so it’s no longer coming through the door frame that would be great as we need to replace the door.

 

[Vortigern]

If you are changing the door then it should be relatively easy to re-site the cable. But again picture picture picture.

 

[James]

Also worth noting that overhead supply s likley to be much cheaper to reposition to other part of the same wall than underground cables.

Send the enquires to them and find out the real quoted costs before worrying about it.

 

[DPG]

Looks too thin to be the incomer.

 

[Dave OCD]

It might just be a 16mm concentric which do look quite skinny.

 

[DPG]

It might just be a 16mm concentric which do look quite skinny.

Maybe so yes. Need a better photo for sure.

 

[Lizztizz]

Maybe so yes. Need a better photo for sure.

It looks pretty thick in real life. I’ll take a new picture when I’m at the house tomorrow and get it uploaded.

 

[Dave OCD]

It looks pretty thick in real life. I’ll take a new picture when I’m at the house tomorrow and get it uploaded.

Me too.

 

[Lizztizz]

Okay! New pictures, hopefully better ?

 

[Lizztizz]

Okay! New pictures, hopefully better ?

 

[Lizztizz]

The thick white cable becomes the thick black one of the side of the house

 

[buzzlightyear]

that system is a TT coming in to the property ,from over head lines ,that will be costly.

 

[James]

that system is a TT coming in to the property ,from over head lines ,that will be costly.

Why costly? No groundwork’s required
Would have thought that it could not be much simpler!!

 

[buzzlightyear]

Why costly? No groundwork’s required
Would have thought that it could not be much simpler!

you dont think they will do it cheep , it will cost the op more then a couple of grand .

 

[buzzlightyear]

https://www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk/electricity/move

 

[James]

looks like western power customers would get that for £771

https://www.westernpower.co.uk/downloads-view-reciteme/109876

 

[buzzlightyear]

looks like western power customers would get that for £771

it depends on where the op is .

 

[Lizztizz]

that system is a TT coming in to the property ,from over head lines ,that will be costly.

Oh no

 

[Lizztizz]

When we contact the power network, should I be making the case that it’s been fitted through the doorframe and so incorrectly fitted in the fist place? Or would that be not true?

 

[David Prosser]

it depends on where the op is .

looks like western power customers would get that for £771

https://www.westernpower.co.uk/downloads-view-reciteme/109876

I was just thinking that it wouldn't be anywhere near the thousands with WPD. In fact I've all ways found them reasonable on cr@p installs like this. If it was in a WPD area I wouldn't be surprised if they tidied it up for free.

 

[David Prosser]

When we contact the power network, should I be making the case that it’s been fitted through the doorframe and so incorrectly fitted in the fist place? Or would that be not true?

Ask them to come out and look at it. It's not unreasonable for someone to want to change their door frame at some point in the future.

 

[buzzlightyear]

Ask them to come out and look at it. It's not unreasonable for someone to want to change their door frame at some point in the future.

considering is coming through a conservatory or a roof and door frame they might put it on a side elevation of the property and though the wall.

 

[telectrix]

that cable should never have been installed like that in the first place. phone DNO and insist that they move it FOC. alternatively find a wood butcher with more than 2 brain cells to cut the door frame round it carefully and then he will have a reason to use his hammer ( knocking the cable out of the way for the new door frame ). cable remains OK...... winner. cable gets damaged and sparks fly... DNO repair what you pay your standing charge for...... winner. and while they're at it, get them to convert to PME..... winner.

 

[telectrix]

i could always fly down there ( first class ), sort it out, move it. provide a certificate to say that it's always bee like that. only £1500).

 

[Lizztizz]

Just to update you all, the Power Network is saying we will have to pay to have the mains relocated. No info yet on price as we have to put an application in. However I am told that they have an approved list of electricians on the LLoyd Register who could also do the job, maybe quicker and cheaper???
They are willing up upgrade our power however for free and also remove our neighbours ‘piggybacking’ off our line.
Keeping an my fingers crossed it’s a straightforward relocation that doesn’t incur too much cost ??

 

[telectrix]

if they are willing to upgrade your supply FOC, then they will have to reroute that cable as it's not compliant.

 

[Lizztizz]

if they are willing to upgrade your supply FOC, then they will have to reroute that cable as it's not compliant.

Oh really? We have a site visit coming up they suggested we discuss it with the engineers then. Perhaps they’ll take a look at it in person and give us more of an idea of what’s possible

 

[littlespark]

Stick to your guns.

your not asking them to move the position, which is what they quoted for.... you’re asking them to fix something that wasn’t done right in the first place.

 

[Lizztizz]

Stick to your guns.

your not asking them to move the position, which is what they quoted for.... you’re asking them to fix something that wasn’t done right in the first place.

They said that they would not have installed something that is unsafe and so it’s either been done correctly or the previous owner got a cowboy to do it. I asked if the latter was the case, would they still charge us to correct it and didn’t get an answer to that, other than discuss when the engineers come out. I think there is a limit to what the person on the phone (who seems like a phone operator) can tell you or help you.

to upgrade the power, the meter tails need upgrading to 25mil which will also incur a charge! So it’s not really like we are getting that for free either.

we’re going to ask our electrician to be at the site visit when they come as we feel a little over our heads.

 

[Strima]

You'll get more joy from a site visit, they chimp on the phone just follows a script and they normally struggle to tie their own shoelaces.

 

[James]

we’re going to ask our electrician to be at the site visit when they come as we feel a little over our heads.

That is a great idea, if they try to baffle you with technical "ball sheet" sparky will put them right.