Build Your Own House

We need a run of some 140 metres from an existing powerpole to the house site on our block.

The existing pole requires a transformer to be fitted as the line is 19 kV.

I can't get a straight answer from any electricians I have called to get a quote/explanation on this. My question is - would it be cheaper to have a pole placed closer to the house (perhaps getting away with a smaller transformer) than digging and laying the full length from the existing pole?

Can anyone from recent experience give me a price per metre on the cabling/conduit, being that we'd be the donkeys digging the trench?

Hi Angelis. Short answer is no. We had very similar problems getting a straight answer on costs for power. We had a pole right outside our block and wrongly assumed we would connect to that. Turned out the grid was at capacity and we needed a whole new line and a transformer to get power to us, and they estimated it might take 6 months. We had relocated a house and my husband was doing all the work on it with a generator. Not good.

If I remember correctly, the only way we got action and an actual estimate in price was to request the work be commenced. There are a couple of very detailed forms and you have to pay a deposit to get the info. It actually all got completed within 4 months in the end, but was $15,000 not $3,000 like our electrician estimated.

You will have to go back to the electricity provider and talk to the engineer in charge of new work, it's no good talking to the call centre. I wish you luck with it all, and I also hope it's not too expensive Claire

Thanks Claire.

We did get a quote prior to putting an offer in on the block and the utility tells us the network capacity is fine and the pole is suitable for a transformer. $12k was the quote for the largest transformer after advice the little ones like to explode in extreme heat.

The existing pole is on our land, I just need to get an answer on the cost of going underground vs running a wire overhead to a pole next to the house.

I can only speak of how its done eastern Vic
Here you need to talk to the supply Authority not an Electrician

Ask for a written quote for both underground and overhead.
The may charge you for a it but thats up to you.
You may find a friendly Electrician that will do it for you
But as you have not experienced this yet Bypass them and ask the wholesaler

Hi, 180mtrs under ground was about 8K no issues with supply authority.
Consider Aluminium cable it may be a little cheaper.
Enjoy the ride!

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Thanks JNR. I got one hell of a trench to dig.