and why does it cost BT £660 to install a pole? thats another silly figure.

What infrastructure does the existing line go over (the one that was cancelled by last resident), I assume there is either existing ducts or poles for that.

Edited by Chrysalis (Fri 08-Apr-11 00:31:25)

There are no telephone poles and given the location and that properties further back down the road are overhead provided there is unlikely to be any duct.
I'd hazard a guess that there never has been a line there.

In reply to a post by Chrysalis:

and why does it cost BT £660 to install a pole? thats another silly figure.

Have you ever tried to buy a wooden pole thirty feet (or more) long and nearly a foot in diameter?

Look under "Stout"

And presumably they have to get permission to put the poles up. & Pay for installation

Indeed.

And if the photo that Ribble linked to is right, it wouldn't surprise me if there's bedrock not too far down.

Assuming the quoted £660 is a "BT average", I could see them making a loss on that one!

Even getting the poles to where you want them is going to cost a bob or two- you can't just bung them in the back of a Transit

Edited by billford (Fri 08-Apr-11 02:33:45)

Slightly off-topic... I've only just noticed a bit in that advert I linked to:

New telegraph poles are simply tree trunks that are de-barked and mildly planed. Not only is every pole different in dimensions from each other (like each tree) but also they are tapered along the length. So the diameter of a new telegraph pole can vary by several inches, or 50mm from top to bottom. In addition the very end of the pole (the original base of the tree) can broaden out even more. So, if you are looking for absolut regularity and identical poles forget it !

It's nice to see a bit of honesty in an advert

In reply to a post by billford:

And if the photo that Ribble linked to is right, it wouldn't surprise me if there's bedrock not too far down.

Reminds me of my parent's previous house. My Dad wanted a removable fence at the back so he bought some metal fence post 'holders'(*) with a 1 metre spike.

Unfortunately he'd overlooked the fact that behind the house was a large hill. The rear garden was flat but toward the end the soil was only about 20 centimetres deep. Then it became good old Welsh granite.

(*)The holders were metal. The fence was wooden

Edited by Andrue (Fri 08-Apr-11 09:21:47)

In reply to a post by Ribble:

There are no telephone poles and given the location and that properties further back down the road are overhead provided there is unlikely to be any duct.
I'd hazard a guess that there never has been a line there.

But supposedly the previous occupants did have a line according to the article. Maybe that isn't really the property?

Edited by Andrue (Fri 08-Apr-11 09:23:24)

There seem to be existing poles for the powerline, e.g. here is the one from the existing neighbouring home which is a mile or so down the road. The poles end here at the property for which BT quoted the £53000 or £16000 installation fee.

In reply to a post by Chrysalis:

and why does it cost BT £660 to install a pole? thats another silly figure.

What infrastructure does the existing line go over (the one that was cancelled by last resident), I assume there is either existing ducts or poles for that.

Why? over £300 for a standard pole which Bill has linked to plus costs to do the install, and in that case a road closure will be required - controlled by lights but at red for 2 hours whilst each pole is installed and then again when the cables are installed. having seen the pictures - £660/pole will be well under the actual cost to BT.