Has a gas engineer, smart meter installer, or surveyor told you that your gas meter earth bonding is missing or not up to current standards? Don't worry.

Read on to learn:

• The average earth meter gas bonding cost in the UK

• What's involved

• Why hiring a qualified electrician matters

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How much does earth bonding a gas meter cost?

Earth bonding a gas meter might not be the most exciting home improvement you take on, but it's a legal requirement to protect you from electric shock if a fault occurs in your home.

Earth bonding a gas meter typically costs between £65 and £230, with the UK average sitting around £147 for a straightforward job.

All that said, costs vary depending on where you are in the UK, how accessible your meter is, and how many pipes need bonding.

For an exact quote, you're best off contacting an electrician directly.

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What affects the cost of earth bonding?

Several things can push the price up or down:

• Accessibility – If your gas meter is inside a cupboard, behind cladding, or awkward to reach, expect the job to take longer and cost more. External meters in open meter boxes are straightforward

• Cable routing – Running the earth bonding cable through walls or floors, rather than surface-mounting it, adds time and occasionally means a decorator needs to make good afterwards

• Number of pipes to bond – Most homes just need the incoming gas supply pipe bonded. If water supply pipes also need attention, the cost increases

• Location in the UK – Labour rates are higher in London and the South East due to demand

• Whether a rewire is needed – If the existing cross bonding is significantly out of standard, the electrician may recommend a full or partial rewire. This is considerably more expensive, so get a precise quote before work begins

Additional costs to budget for

An electrician usually handles the bonding itself, but depending on how the cable is run, you may need other tradespeople, such as:

• A decorator – If the cable is run behind plaster or cladding, a painter/decorator will be needed to make good the surface

• A plumber – If water supply pipes also need bonding alongside the gas meter, a plumber may be brought in. Ask your electrician up front whether this is needed

Having other electrical work done at the same time, such as an electrical safety inspection? Ask whether the bonding can be included in the same visit to save on call-out costs.

What does earth bonding involve?

Earth bonding is an important electrical safety job that connects your home's metal gas and water pipes to the main earthing system.

During the installation, a qualified electrician will:

• Install bonding cables – Connect thick green and yellow earth cables between the incoming gas and water pipes and the main earthing terminal at your consumer unit

• Secure the connections – Fit approved bonding clamps close to where the pipes enter your home

• Route cables safely – Run bonding cables neatly, which may involve lifting floorboards or drilling through walls if needed

• Test the installation – Check the bonding meets current BS 7671 Wiring Regulations before signing off the work

• Issue a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate – For proof of compliance

The job is usually completed by a qualified electrician, although a plumber may also be needed if pipework needs altering.

Most earth bonding jobs take three to seven hours, depending on how accessible the pipework and consumer unit are.

However, for exact timescales, you're always best off speaking to an electrician directly.

Benefits of getting earth bonding done

Earth bonding removes the risk of your gas or water supply pipes becoming live conductors in the event of an electrical fault. Without it:

• Metallic objects connected to those pipes, such as radiators, taps, and appliances, could deliver a serious electric shock on contact

• You may not be able to pass an electrical safety inspection (EICR), which is now required for landlords and recommended for home sales

• Your home insurance could be affected if an electrical fault is linked to missing protective bonding

But most important of all, it's the law. More on that next...

Is earth bonding a legal requirement?

Earth bonding at the gas meter is a legal requirement under the current UK wiring regulations (BS 7671, 18th Edition). All metallic gas supply pipes entering a property must be connected to the protective equipotential bonding system.

However, there are two situations where bonding can be omitted:

• The incoming metal pipe has an insulating section at the point of entry into the building.

• Every final circuit in the property is protected by a 30mA RCD.

However, each property is different, and only a qualified electrician can confirm whether bonding is needed for your specific installation.

How to find a qualified electrician local to you

Use our quick and easy request a quote feature and we'll get experienced local electricians to contact you directly. To get accurate quotes, be as detailed as you can:

• Where your gas meter is located and how accessible it is

• Whether any water supply pipes also need bonding

• Whether the cable will need to be hidden behind walls or can be surface-mounted

• When the last electrical inspection (EICR) was carried out, if you know

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How much does earth bonding a gas meter cost? checklist

Before hiring an electrician for earth bonding, bear in mind:

• Earth bonding is legally required for metallic gas and water supply pipes under BS 7671

• Only a qualified electrician registered to NICEIC or NAPIT must carry out the work

• The job typically costs £65–£230 and takes three to seven hours

• You'll receive a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate on completion

• If cable routing involves walls or floors, budget for a decorator to make good

• Ask whether bonding water supply pipes can be included in the same visit

Earth bonding gas meter FAQs

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