Bringing in Services to a Self-build Site

1. Sort Them Out Quickly!

Arranging for the supply of services to a new site is one of the first things you must do, as the work is best co-ordinated with the groundworks — and tradespeople will require an instant supply of electricity and water to start building. Contact the suppliers to make them aware that a house is to be built on your plot. If you’re in any doubt as to the proximity of existing supplies – especially in more isolated locations – get quotes before you even buy the plot, lest be faced with a crippling quote to connect later on.

2. Gas and Electricity

The cost of connecting to an electricity supply will be worked out to meet your home’s individual circumstances and can vary wildly: a new property in an existing street might cost a few hundred pounds, while a home in the countryside half a mile from the nearest power line might cost tens of thousands. A reasonable cost for a plot in a wellconnected area will be anything between £300-1,200.

Every utility company has a department that deals with new connections, and you will need to fill out an application form in order to receive a quote.

Unlike electricity, it’s not always essential to connect to mains gas, although it might actually be free to connect if you live close enough to the mains. If you are too far away, you’ll need to resort to off-mains if you want it. LPG will cost from £250 for an above-ground tank.

3. The Water Supply

In England and Wales, water companies charge high fees, with infrastructure works costing around £600 and connection work starting at £500, depending on the distance from the main supply. Some even charge around £100 for a quote. If your connection requires a road to be dug up then it will cost thousands and take up to three months, due to the notice now required by councils. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, however, the work is carried out at the council’s expense, providing it’s within a reasonable distance from the main supply. If your site is very remote, consider drawing water via a bore - hole, which costs between £1,500-10,000.

4. Get on the Telephone

Connecting a new BT line attracts a standard charge of £122.50, and signs you up to a year-long contract at £11.25 a month. But it’s not the only option. If you’re looking to take Sky TV, then you can get a line directly from them. They charge £25 if you sign up for a 12- month package (from £18.50 a month, including telephone and broadband). If you live in a cable area, Virgin’s connection starts at £30. TalkTalk charges £59.99 if you sign up for its phone/broadband package at £6.49 a month (plus £11.25 line rental).

5. Drainage Solutions

If possible, it is far better to make a mains connection, but many isolated plots are too far away from mains drainage to make it a possibility. You need to contact the local council and/or the local water or sewage company to find out if you will join the 1,000,000 UK homes not plumbed into mains drains. If the mains sewer is reasonably adjacent and not obviously uphill from your plot then all should be well. Excavations and drainage connections are, however, expensive — even short runs. A reasonable budget for a straightforward connection would be around £3,000. Otherwise, you may have to look at an off-mains solution, such as a septic tank, mini-treatment plant, a cesspool or reedbed.

Further reading:

• Where to Live Whilst Self-building
• Starting Out on Your Self-Build
• Off-mains Drainage Solutions