Recurring question in pre-reception in my practice: “who calls Ores? who calls SWDE?”. The answer depends on the contract type — turnkey or architect-with-separate-contractors — but the trap is always the same: people wait too long. Across 612 provisional receptions supported between 2021 and 2026, I still see two owners out of ten arrive at commissioning without a final meter, which prolongs the move-in by several weeks and sometimes triggers temporary occupation charges. Here is the real responsibility split, and the calendar to follow.
Turnkey: the contractor leads, you validate
In 80% of turnkey contracts I review, the builder handles the request for temporary site connection (water and electricity), then the conversion to a final meter near the end of closed shell. Check the exact clause in the quote: some contracts bill the final connection as an extra, up to €1,800 for electricity alone and €1,200 for the SWDE connection.
Items most often billed separately:
- Final electric connection beyond 20 metres from the street
- Gas meter (often optional depending on the chosen heating mode)
- Rainwater tank connected to the indoor network
- Telecom conduit beyond the standard linear length
Read your special specifications item by item before signing: that is where the €3,000 to €5,000 surcharges hide that no one mentions in the sales office.
Architect + separate contractors: it’s you
If you manage the site with an architect but without a general builder, you open the files with Ores (or Resa depending on the municipality), SWDE and Fluvius gas if applicable. Count 8 to 12 weeks for a final electric connection after complete file submission — so to anticipate from the slab pour, not at finishing time.
The realistic calendar to hold:
- File Ores request: as soon as closed shell is done (waterproofing in place)
- SWDE request: in parallel, about 4-6 weeks lead time
- Fluvius gas request: 6-8 weeks, to anticipate if condensing boiler
- RGIE and CERGA inspection: just before the provisional reception
- Final commissioning: after signed reception minutes
I have seen sites in Mons and Tournai take 4 months of delay simply because the Ores request was filed 8 weeks too late. The indirect cost (extended rent, mortgage interest running on empty) was around €4,800.
At reception, demand the proofs
In the provisional reception minutes, systematically request the following four documents, ideally as signed originals:
- Final electric meter index with dated photo
- RGIE/AREI certificate signed by an approved body
- CERGA gas compliance certificate (if gas boiler)
- SWDE connection certificate or invoice of the first index
Without these four documents, commissioning is not enforceable, and you risk an interruption of supply post-move-in. I have a 2025 case in Liège where the owner spent 11 days without water because the initial SWDE invoice was in the contractor’s name — and the contractor had since moved.
Pitfalls to avoid
- Don’t sign the minutes without the meter EAN code (18 digits) written clearly
- Beware of contracts announcing “connections included” without specifying linear length
- Sign your supplier contract only 10 days before commissioning
- Keep the invoice for the temporary connection: it serves as proof of seniority
For official statistics on connection lead times in Wallonia, see statbel.fgov.be — construction and housing.
What next?
If your reception date is approaching and you doubt the state of progress of your connections, have your technical file validated by a third-party expert. My practice offers a Breyne Law advisory service covering this documentary check, or a free quote for a one-off expertise.