Utility Metering
The meters that measure electricity, gas and water use for billing.
Quick Answer
Utility metering is the measurement of electricity, natural gas or water delivered to a building, tenant or system, usually for billing or monitoring. In a takeoff, meters, meter sockets, current transformer enclosures and related equipment are counted EA, and the utility's own requirements decide what the contractor furnishes.
The Full Picture
A utility meter records how much of a commodity passes a point. Utilities meter at the service so they can bill, and building owners add submeters to allocate costs among tenants or to track systems. For federal buildings, DOE's metering guidance defines an advanced meter as one that records consumption hourly or more frequently, and covers electricity, natural gas, steam and water. Those rules apply to federal facilities, but the vocabulary is useful on any job.
On the documents, electric metering appears on the one-line diagram as a meter at the service or on each metered panel, with a symbol and label, and on the plans as a meter bank, utility transformer pad and service entrance route. The OSHA definition of a service as the conductors and equipment delivering energy from the serving utility marks the boundary: equipment on the utility side is generally the utility's, and the rest is the contractor's. Water and gas meters show on plumbing and site plans, often in meter vaults or rooms.
The takeoff unit is EA. Typical lines are meter sockets or meter banks by ampere rating and number of positions, current transformer cabinets for larger services, metering pedestals or switchboard metering sections, pull boxes, conduit for the meter wiring, and submeters on panels. Who furnishes what depends on the utility: some furnish the meter and the contractor furnishes the socket and the conduit, and others require specific equipment. That has to be confirmed in the utility's requirements, not assumed.
Frequent errors are assuming the utility supplies equipment it does not, missing the conduit and trench from the utility transformer, overlooking the cost or lead time of utility service work, and counting meter positions that the tenant layout changed. For multifamily jobs the count follows the number of units, plus a house meter for common areas.
Real Examples
Common Misconceptions
People assume: The utility provides and installs everything related to metering.
Actually: It depends on the utility. Many furnish the meter itself while the contractor provides the socket, enclosure and conduit, and the split is set by that utility's requirements.
People assume: Metering only means electricity.
Actually: Water, gas and steam are also metered, and the federal metering guidance covers all of those. They fall on plumbing, mechanical and site drawings, not the electrical set.
Does MeltPlan Solve This?
Partially — adjacentMeter counts, meter sockets and the conduit that serves them are taken from the plans and one-line, and MeltPlan's takeoff service covers that counting and measuring: AI pulls quantities from the plans, and US-based experienced estimators review and adjust them. Utility requirements and who furnishes each item stay with your estimator.
Get meter and service counts from your plans →Frequently Asked Questions
What is utility metering?
It is the measurement of electricity, gas or water delivered to a building, tenant or system. The utility meters at the service for billing, and owners may add submeters inside.
How are meters counted in a takeoff?
Meters, meter sockets, current transformer cabinets and submeters are counted EA, grouped by type and rating. Conduit and trench are separate lines.
What is a submeter?
A submeter measures use downstream of the utility's meter, such as a single tenant or system. It is installed by the building owner to allocate or track consumption.
Who furnishes the utility meter?
That varies by utility and service type. Check the utility's requirements to see what it furnishes and what the contractor must provide.