# Forum Home Renovation Plumbing  Moving a water meter

## trenyboy

Hi, 
I need to get my mains water meter moved as it is inline with a sliding gate I plan on installing.  Who would I need to get to carry out such work, a plumber or would I need to go through the water company? 
It wouldn't need to be moved far, probably 300mm at the most.  What sort of costs would I be looking at to get this done? 
Cheers
TC

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## wonderplumb

The plumber would usually do this, which would mean digging up the incoming water service to freeze it and move the meter. 
Depending on the state of the stop cock I usually replace this aswell as the outlet pipework to make it all look nice and new and shiny.
To give you a ball park on cost,
Without looking at the job Id allow from between two to four hours labour, depending on digging, depth etc.,
Close to $100 worth of gear (pipe, fittings, oxy, solder, teflon, flux etc )
Pipe freeze at around $130

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## Bloss

Not always so simple - this varies state by state. In Melbourne I think that Melbourne Water will need to arrange. Also varies depending on age of the meter and when it was last checked and so on. I'd be calling your water supplier first then do what they say - noting that sometimes the water utility only do the meter side - then you need your own plumber to do any pipe move on your side! Have fun.  :Smilie:

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## Make it work

Do they still use a path cock buried somewhere between the main and the meter cock? 
I used to sell plumbing fittings years ago and that was the go then, but I sold many more path cock keys than path cocks. 
If there is a path cock then you won't need the pipe to be frozen.

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## seriph1

A plumber friend of mine has done or arranged lots of these, so would be able to provide sound advice  -  PM me if you want his number. He is in Melbourne's north but his boys travel all over.

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## wonderplumb

> Do they still use a path cock buried somewhere between the main and the meter cock? 
> I used to sell plumbing fittings years ago and that was the go then, but I sold many more path cock keys than path cocks. 
> If there is a path cock then you won't need the pipe to be frozen.

   The path cock is mainly used on commercial buildings though residential buildings do have an isolation valve right on the water main, which means trying to locate the main, digging it up ( sometimes under the road or footpath or even on the other side of the road) which will (in sydney anyway) incurr a road opening fee amd after all that you find that the valve wont shut off or in some cases snaps off the main, leaving you in all sorts.
Paying for the freeze is well worth it!

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## Uncle Bob

Tell me more about this "freeze" please Wonderplumb as I've never heard of it or seen it. Does it come in a can?

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## tricky4000

I have exactly the same situation that's going to arise as TrenyBoy has,  I have to move the water main and meter because of a sliding gate that's going in.  However, my footpath is tarmac and the gutters are bluestone...I'm afriad this will incure a huge cost to me.  Please send advice my way too if you have some.
Thanks, Dan.

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## bklooger

mate a plumber is allowed to move the meter 1mt either way of the tapping into the main. easiest way to do is to freeze the pipe  and cut in a 20mm valve to turn off water should ice plug defrost then continue on. thats what i do  
cheers

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## wonderplumb

> Tell me more about this "freeze" please Wonderplumb as I've never heard of it or seen it. Does it come in a can?

   There is a few different types that the plumber can do himself,
1) CO2 into a velcro bag wrapped around the pipe, a real PITA and a bugger to get off aswell as unreliable
2) Rothenberger sell an aerosol can that apparently freezes small pipe, havent seen it work but have been told to steer clear of it
3) The best one is a nice big kit that is made by Rothenberger using clamps that are charged with CO2 and will freeze pipe from 10mm up to 75mm, these are the ducks nuts but at $1100 they're a bit exy.
Or you get the freeze bloke out with his liquid nitrogen and let him worry about it, the beauty of this is you can weld as close as 200mm to the frozen pipe. The last one I got done was $120 and money well spent IMO.

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## Uncle Bob

Interesting. When I was a Plumbers' labourer, IIRC, we used to just cut 'em and slip a mac union on with a tap opened (on the end of the mac union).

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## Tools

If it is low enough then you might be able to leave it and build a pit around it . 
Tools

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## wonderplumb

Water meters are meant to have 225mm clearance from the ground, with a few exceptions.

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## Tools

What are the exceptions? My neighbour two doors up has her meter underground in the footpath. 
Tools

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## bklooger

victoria has different requirements to nsw

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## wonderplumb

I was referring to AS3500 as a general rather than a specific state code.

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