Why scan before drilling into concrete?

Drilling blind risks striking reinforcement, post-tension tendons or live electrical and water services. Scanning the fixing point first identifies a clear path, protecting the structure, the operative and the programme from an avoidable strike.

How many fixing points can you clear in a visit?

Where positions are set out and accessible, an engineer can clear a large number of fixings in a single visit because each point takes only a few minutes to scan and mark. We confirm likely throughput once we know the quantity and layout.

Can you mark an alternative point if mine is blocked?

Yes. If a planned position sits over a bar or service, we scan around it and mark the nearest clear location, so the team can shift the fixing slightly rather than abandon it. Final placement decisions remain with the responsible engineer.

Does scanning guarantee I will not hit anything?

Scanning greatly reduces the risk but cannot give an absolute guarantee, because very deep, very fine or heavily shielded targets may not register. We mark to the limits of the method and advise drilling cautiously and stopping if unexpected resistance is met.

Do you scan for coring as well as small fixings?

Yes. Core holes are larger, so we scan the full footprint of the proposed core and its immediate surround to confirm the barrel will clear reinforcement, tendons and services through the depth being cut.

Scan Before Drilling

Scan before drilling is the targeted check of a fixing or core position to confirm a clear path before the drill goes in. RebarScan clears drilling and coring points across Oxfordshire so contractors can fix into concrete without striking steel, tendons or services. All scanning is carried out to UKCSS-compliant standards.

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What scan before drilling is

Most concrete scanning on a busy site is not about mapping a whole slab, it is about clearing the specific points where someone is about to drill. Scan before drilling focuses the survey on those positions, checking each one for reinforcement, post-tension tendons and embedded services through the depth that will be drilled.

The engineer scans around the planned position, marks where the steel and services run, and confirms whether the point is clear. If it is obstructed, the nearest safe location is marked so the fixing can be nudged aside rather than abandoned. It is fast, practical work that keeps a drilling programme moving safely.

The same approach covers coring, where the larger barrel demands that the full footprint of the cut is checked rather than a single point.

When it is required

It is required wherever fixings, anchors or cores are being installed into structural concrete of uncertain content. Striking a reinforcement bar can weaken the element; cutting a post-tension tendon can be catastrophic and very costly; drilling into a live conduit is a serious safety incident. Under CDM the contractor must control these risks, and clearing each point by scanning is the recognised way to do it.

What is detected

Reinforcement bars and mesh at the fixing position
Post-tension cable ducts and tendons
Live and dead electrical conduit
Embedded pipework crossing the point
Clear zones and safe alternative positions

How it works

The engineer attends with the proposed fixing layout, scans each position with GPR and a cover meter, and marks the outcome directly on the surface, clear points are confirmed and obstructions are outlined. Where a point fails, a nearby clear location is marked. The team can then drill immediately to the marks. No power or water supply is needed and the work is non-destructive.

Who commissions it

Scan before drilling is commissioned by main and specialist contractors installing fixings and anchors, M&E and fit-out teams hanging services, steelwork and cladding installers, and coring contractors who need each core cleared before cutting.

Frequently asked questions

Why scan before drilling into concrete?: Drilling blind risks striking reinforcement, post-tension tendons or live electrical and water services. Scanning the fixing point first identifies a clear path, protecting the structure, the operative and the programme from an avoidable strike.
How many fixing points can you clear in a visit?: Where positions are set out and accessible, an engineer can clear a large number of fixings in a single visit because each point takes only a few minutes to scan and mark. We confirm likely throughput once we know the quantity and layout.
Can you mark an alternative point if mine is blocked?: Yes. If a planned position sits over a bar or service, we scan around it and mark the nearest clear location, so the team can shift the fixing slightly rather than abandon it. Final placement decisions remain with the responsible engineer.
Does scanning guarantee I will not hit anything?: Scanning greatly reduces the risk but cannot give an absolute guarantee, because very deep, very fine or heavily shielded targets may not register. We mark to the limits of the method and advise drilling cautiously and stopping if unexpected resistance is met.
Do you scan for coring as well as small fixings?: Yes. Core holes are larger, so we scan the full footprint of the proposed core and its immediate surround to confirm the barrel will clear reinforcement, tendons and services through the depth being cut.

Related services and coverage

Drilling or coring soon?

Send the location and the number of points, and we will get them cleared.

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