Concrete Scanning Services in London
Concrete scanning tells you what is inside a slab or wall before you break into it. Using ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electromagnetic detection, we locate reinforcement, embedded services and other features non-destructively, then mark our findings directly on the surface so your team knows exactly where it is safe to core, cut or drill.
The value is simple. Striking a reinforcing bar, a live conduit or a post-tension tendon during coring can mean structural damage, electrical risk, delay and cost. Scanning first removes that risk and gives you a clear picture of the slab from one side, without the access, exclusion zones and safety controls that older X-ray methods demand.
We provide concrete scanning across London and the surrounding area for main contractors, M&E installers, structural engineers, fit-out teams and demolition contractors. We scan on site, interpret the data, mark up the surface and, where you need a record, supply annotated drawings so the information is available to the whole team.
- Method
- Ground penetrating radar (GPR) with electromagnetic detection
- Access needed
- Single face of the slab or wall
- Disruption
- Non-destructive and non-ionising, no exclusion zone
- Detects
- Rebar, conduit, post-tension cables, voids, slab thickness and cover
- Deliverables
- On-surface markup; annotated scan drawings (PDF)
- Coverage
- London and UK-wide
What we scan for
GPR and complementary methods let us locate and map:
- Reinforcement (rebar) position, spacing and cover
- Post-tension cables and tendons prior to coring or drilling
- Electrical conduits and embedded services
- Slab thickness and, where accessible from one side, structural build-up
- Voids and anomalies within the concrete
- Ferrous elements using ferro scanning and cover meter techniques for cover and bar sizing
GPR works by sending radio-frequency energy into the concrete and reading the signals that reflect back from objects and interfaces. It is non-ionising, so unlike X-ray it does not require the area to be cleared or both faces of the slab to be accessed. On its own, GPR shows where objects are rather than naming them, which is why interpretation by an experienced operator is central to a reliable result. We combine techniques where needed to distinguish reinforcement from services with confidence.
When you need it
Concrete scanning is typically called for:
- Before core drilling for pipework, ducting, drainage or cabling
- Before saw cutting, chasing or breaking out a slab or wall
- Before installing anchors or fixings into a structural element
- To confirm rebar cover and spacing for a structural assessment
- To locate services embedded in a floor before a fit-out or alteration
- To map a slab for planning penetrations across a floor plate
Deliverables
At minimum we mark our findings directly on the concrete surface, showing the position of reinforcement and detected services and identifying clear zones where you can core or cut. This on-site markup is what most coring and cutting work needs to proceed safely.
Where a permanent record is required we provide annotated scan drawings or sketches showing detected features, estimated depths and cover, and safe penetration points. For larger or repeat programmes we can set up a consistent recording format across a floor plate so information is easy to share and reuse. We confirm the deliverable you need at the scoping stage so you get the right output, not more paper than the job requires.
What affects the price
Every job is priced to its scope. The main things that move the cost are:
- The size of the area and the number of scan or penetration locations to be checked
- Access to the element and whether work is at height, in a plant room or on a live floor
- The level of interpretation required, for example separating tendons from reinforcement
- Whether you need on-surface markup only or annotated drawings as a record
- Site location and whether the work is in or out of normal hours
Send us the brief or call and we will confirm a fixed price for the work, free and with no obligation.
A survey you can plan around.
A clear, repeatable method on every job, so you know what is happening on site and what lands on your desk afterwards.
Scope
We confirm what you are trying to achieve, the element to be scanned, access, and whether you need surface markup, drawings or both.
Scan on site
We run GPR and, where useful, electromagnetic detection across the area, building a picture of reinforcement and services.
Interpret and mark up
We interpret the data and mark reinforcement, services and clear zones directly on the surface, discussing findings with your team.
Report
Where required, we issue annotated drawings recording detected features, depths and safe penetration points.
Questions we are asked about this service.
What is concrete scanning?
Concrete scanning is the non-destructive investigation of a concrete slab, wall or structure to locate what is embedded inside it, such as reinforcement, post-tension cables, conduits and services, as well as features like slab thickness and voids. It is most often done with ground penetrating radar so that contractors can core, cut or drill without striking hidden objects.
How does GPR concrete scanning work?
GPR sends short pulses of radio-frequency energy into the concrete. When that energy meets an object or a change in material, part of it reflects back to the antenna, and the pattern of those reflections is interpreted to locate embedded items and estimate their depth. Because it only needs access to one face of the slab, GPR can scan slab-on-grade and elevated decks alike.
Can concrete scanning tell the difference between rebar and a cable?
GPR shows the location of objects rather than automatically labelling them, so distinguishing reinforcement from a conduit or a post-tension tendon depends on skilled interpretation and, where needed, combining GPR with electromagnetic detection. An experienced operator uses the depth, pattern and layout of the reflections to make that judgement, which is why interpretation matters as much as the equipment.
Is concrete scanning safe to carry out in an occupied building?
Yes. GPR is non-ionising and emits very low power, so there is no radiation risk to operators, workers or building occupants and no need to clear the surrounding area. This is a key advantage over X-ray methods, which require exclusion zones and access to both sides of the element.
Do you scan before core drilling?
Yes, this is one of the most common reasons to scan. We locate and mark reinforcement, conduits and post-tension cables around each proposed core or cut position so the work can proceed without striking an embedded object, and we identify the clear zones where it is safe to penetrate.
Do you cover London and the surrounding area?
Yes. We provide concrete scanning across London and the wider region, attending site for individual core locations or larger scanning programmes across a floor plate.
One team, from point cloud to pull test.
Concrete scanning in London
Scanning slabs and walls in occupied City towers, basement projects and post-tensioned buildings across London, with night and weekend working.
See the service PTPost-tension cable detection
Locate tensioned tendons in a post-tensioned slab before you core, cut or drill.
See the service BS 8539Anchor pull testing
Prove the fixing holds before you trust it, pull-tested on site for anchors and ties to BS 8539.
See the serviceSend us the brief. We will scope it.
Tell us the site, the deadline and what you need to know. We will confirm the right survey or test, the standard it meets and exactly what you will receive.
- 1Send the brief or call.
- 2We confirm scope, method and price, free and with no obligation.
- 3Booked, surveyed, reported.