Underground Utility Survey

Non-invasive detection and mapping of buried services — water, sewer, electrical, telecoms and gas — before you dig.

Know what's below before the excavator arrives

Hitting a live cable, a water main or a fibre-optic duct is expensive, dangerous and entirely avoidable. We locate and map buried utilities using ground-penetrating radar (GPR), electromagnetic locators and records correlation — so your design team knows what's there and your contractor knows where not to dig.

The output is a CAD or GIS drawing showing the horizontal and, where detectable, vertical position of buried services. We work alongside topographical and engineering surveys so the utilities layer drops straight into the same design environment.

Ground-penetrating radar survey for buried utilities

What you receive

A utilities plan your engineers trust — not a guess overlaid on a map.

Utility survey plans

CAD drawings and GIS layers showing detected utility runs — type, approximate depth, horizontal alignment — in your project coordinate system.

Detection method and confidence notes

Each utility run is tagged with the detection method used and the confidence level. Where records conflict with field evidence, both are shown.

Records correlation

Existing utility records from service providers are collected, reviewed and compared to field detections. Gaps and discrepancies are highlighted.

Integration with topo and engineering surveys

Utilities are surveyed in the same control framework as the topographical or engineering survey, so layers align without adjustment.

How a utility survey runs

Desk study first, detection second, integration third. Skipping the desk study is how pipes get missed.

01
Desk study and records request
We request utility records from service providers and review any existing site plans. Known and suspected services are mapped before fieldwork.
02
Field detection
GPR, electromagnetic locators and signal generators are used to detect, trace and mark buried services. Surface features (manholes, valve covers, junction boxes) are surveyed as reference.
03
Survey and mapping
Detected utility positions are surveyed with GNSS or total station and drawn into the project CAD or GIS environment.
04
Reporting and handover
Utility plans, confidence ratings and the desk-study findings are delivered as a single pack — ready for the design team or the contractor.

Where it's essential

Any site where excavation, piling or trenching is planned near existing services.

Construction and development sites

Pre-dig clearance, foundation design and service diversion planning for new buildings and developments.

Road and infrastructure projects

Utility mapping for road widening, rehabilitation, drainage installation and utility corridor design.

Utility network management

Updating utility network records, locating undocumented services and supporting asset management programmes.

Cheaper than hitting a pipe

A utility strike can cost tens of thousands in repair, delay and liability. A utility survey costs a fraction of that and takes a fraction of the time. The maths is simple.

Underground utility survey — common questions

Answers for project managers, engineers and contractors planning excavation work.

What can GPR actually detect?

GPR sends radio pulses into the ground and records the reflections. It detects metallic and non-metallic pipes, cables, ducts, voids, concrete structures and changes in ground composition. Detection depth and resolution depend on soil type, moisture and surface conditions. In typical Kenyan soils we see useful returns to about 2–3 metres. Electromagnetic locators complement GPR for metallic services and live cables.

Do you guarantee you'll find everything?

No utility detection method guarantees 100% coverage. We use multiple methods (GPR, EM, records) and tag every detection with a confidence level. We're transparent about what we found, what we're confident about and where uncertainty remains. The desk study and records correlation are as important as the field detection.

Can this replace trial holes?

Non-invasive detection reduces the number of trial holes needed but doesn't always eliminate them. Where a critical utility crossing needs exact depth confirmation, we recommend a targeted trial hole to verify the GPR indication. Detection first, then dig only where you need to.

How does this fit with a topographical survey?

We often run utility detection alongside a topographical or engineering survey. Both use the same control network and coordinate system, so the utilities layer drops straight into the topo drawing without adjustment. Bundling them saves mobilisation cost and ensures the datasets align.