Clients can benefit from our extensive experience in service location, through improved services piloting plans and a better quality of investigation. We can provide a one stop shop, from planning service investigation, traffic management, alignment design and constructability advice through to construction. Service location prior to construction reduces the risk of variations and allows optimisation of pipeline alignments.

To locate services, we use a combination of our own locator equipment and trained staff as well as hired GPR and scanning services. After obtaining close approach permits where necessary, high risk services such as power, gas and fibre optics are exposed using hydro-excavation. Low risk services may be exposed by hand-excavation. We use Topcon GPS survey equipment and dumpy levels to measure and record the levels and position of services. This allows the design alignment to be accurately checked for service clashes.

We will attend site with the service provider locator to ensure the quality of investigation. In our experience the quality of the location services provided can be variable. Visual inspection and use of engineering judgment can be an important component in identifying unmarked services. For example, checking for chambers, gullies and culverts not shown on plans and confirming connections by CCTV if required.