Utility site report and budget
Know your utility costs before you buy, design or build
We pull the asset plans for every utility around your site and write a plain-English report: where each service can connect, what could make it expensive, estimated connection costs and how to bring them down. It is the first step we take on every site.
Utility costs can make or break a site
Two plots that look the same on a plan can have very different connection costs. A water main on the far side of the road means a road crossing, traffic management and sometimes a full road closure with months of notice. An electricity cable with no spare capacity can mean reinforcement. A sewer in a neighbour's garden can be the cheapest route or the hardest.
Most people only find this out when the quotes arrive, often after they have bought the land or fixed the layout. Our site report tells you at the start, while you can still change the design, the plot positions or the price you pay.
It is useful at any early stage: before you buy land, while you are designing, for a planning application or a funding appraisal, or when you are about to apply for connections.
Who uses it
- Developers appraising a site before purchase
- Self-builders checking a plot
- Architects and planning consultants
- Lenders and funders who need a cost allowance
- Anyone about to apply for new connections
What is in the report
One report covering every utility, with the network plans attached so you can see what we see.
Asset plans for every utility
Record plans from the electricity network, the gas network, the water company for water and sewers, and cable and telecoms operators where available.
Where each service can connect
The nearest suitable main or cable for each utility, which side of the road it is on and the likely route to your plots.
Estimated connection costs
A budget figure for each utility, based on the site, the number of plots and typical operator charges in that area.
Risks and constraints
Road crossings and closures, diversions of apparatus crossing the site, capacity and reinforcement, medium-pressure gas, build-over issues and long runs.
Ways to save
Practical options to cut costs, such as a nearside connection, individual services instead of a new main, or re-using an existing supply for building water.
What to apply for and when
The applications the site will need, the information each operator will ask for and anything with a long lead time.
We start with every utility's plans
Each report is built on the record plans for your site. This illustration shows the kind of detail they give us.
- Electricity cables
- Gas mains
- Water mains
- Public sewers
- Telecoms
- Your site
Illustration only, with made-up streets. Real packs contain each operator's own plans, at their scale and in their own symbols, showing the pipes and cables recorded around your site.
What site reports have found
A few findings from recent reports on real sites. Locations are kept general, and every figure was an estimate at report stage.
£92,000 or £26,000 for water
The nearest main was about 70 m away. A mains extension was estimated at around £92,000, against around £26,000 for six individual service pipes laid along the access road.
A 13-week road closure
The water main was across a busy road. The council required a full road closure, which needed 13 weeks' notice before the connection could be made. Knowing early kept the programme on track.
Heat pumps change the load
A nearby low-voltage cable could supply both homes, but with heat pumps and EV chargers on both, reinforcement at the developer's cost became a real possibility. The load was settled before applying.
One connection, 16 meters
A single 90 mm large-diameter connection, split to individual meters in a shared ground-floor space, was estimated at about £10,700, with the firefighting supply flagged as a separate question.
Re-use what is already there
An existing water connection on a former commercial site could serve building water and then one plot, and individual pipes were expected to cost less than the new main the water company might propose.
Three-phase for a heat pump
An air source heat pump needed a single-phase to three-phase upgrade. A long rural cable run meant reinforcement was likely, plus a larger meter box, all worth knowing before ordering the heat pump.
From postcode to report
Send us the site and what you plan to build. We do the rest.
What we need from you
A location plan and a site layout, the number and type of homes or units, and how they will be heated. A rough layout is fine at this stage.
- 1
You send the site details
Through our quote form, with any plans you have.
- 2
We order the plans
We obtain the record plans from each network operator and water company for the site and its surroundings.
- 3
We assess each utility
Connection points, routes, capacity, hazards and the likely cost for every service the site needs.
- 4
You get the report
A written report with the plans attached, plus our fixed fee for managing the applications if you want us to carry on.
What it costs
Every report starts with buying the record plans for your site from each network operator and water company. So the report is paid for up front: the cost of the plans for your site plus a small charge. We confirm the total before we order anything.
Our quote for managing the applications themselves is free and comes with the report. If you go ahead, the report is the first stage of that work, so nothing is wasted.
An estimate, not a quote
Report figures are budget estimates. The binding prices come from the network operators and water companies once formal applications are made, and they can change with the final layout, loads, road works and any reinforcement. Record plans show the approximate position of apparatus as recorded by each operator. If you only want the plans themselves, you can order a utility plans pack, and to find services on the ground there is our utility mapping survey.
Site report questions
What is a utility site report?
A desktop report that uses the record plans of every utility around a site to show where each service can connect, the likely route, any risks and an estimated connection cost for each utility.
When should I get one?
As early as possible: before buying land, while designing the layout or before a planning or funding application. It is most valuable while the layout and the purchase price can still change.
Are the costs in the report guaranteed?
No. They are budget estimates based on the plans and typical charges. The binding prices come from the operators once formal applications are made with the final layout and loads.
Do I need plans to order a report?
A location plan and a rough site layout are enough. The more we know about the number of homes, heating and parking, the more accurate the estimates.
Does the report include the utility plans?
Yes. The record plans we use for each utility are attached to the report, so you and your designers can see them.
How much does a site report cost?
You pay the cost of the record plans for your site plus a small charge, confirmed before we order. Plan costs vary by site and operator, and some water companies charge their own fee.
Can you then make the applications?
Yes. The report is the first stage of our application service, and our quote for managing the applications comes with it free of charge.
Can I just buy the utility plans?
Yes. If you only want the record plans for water, sewers, electricity, gas and telecoms around your site, you can order a utility plans pack on its own and upgrade to a full report later.
Does the report cover broadband?
Yes. We check the telecoms networks near the site and flag what the Building Regulations require for gigabit broadband in new homes, so it can be planned with the other utilities.
Find out what your site will really cost to connect
Send us the location plan and what you want to build. We will confirm the price of the report before we order anything.