Are you preparing for a remodeling project at your home or place of business and your general contractor or structural engineer told you that you need to pay for concrete scanning services? Did you roll your eyes or throw your hands up in frustration thinking, “Oh great! Another expense to add on to my already expensive project!”?
While no one wants to add superfluous expenses to their remodeling project budget, the cost of concrete scanning services is one that can be justified. Here’s why:
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Concrete Scanning Services Can Prevent Costly Accidents
The main reason to use concrete scanning services on your construction project is because doing so can help you avoid unfortunate and costly accidents when embedded hazards are hit during concrete disturbances.
Many remodeling projects involve cutting into concrete slabs or cinderblock walls. New structural supports need to be added. Pipes or wires need to be extended, added, or rerouted. Holes need to be cut for new windows or doors. All of these things (and others like them) involve disturbing the concrete. When you are working with a responsible general contractor, he or she will want to ensure that it is safe to disturb the concrete or cinderblock in the desired locations. This requires using concrete scanning services.
Fortunately, concrete scanning services are not that expensive relative to the overall cost of a remodeling project. They can also potentially save you a ton of time and money!
Hitting something like a water, sewer, or electrical line, or damaging reinforcing bars (rebar) can cause your project to come to a standstill, putting your project behind schedule (or more behind schedule). Not only will your contractor have to spend time and money repairing the damage, he or she may also have to find a new place to cut or drill.
By being proactive and finding where the hazards are located prior to disturbing the concrete, you can likely avoid accidents. It’s a small price to pay for a smoother construction process.
How to Get the Best Results?
For most concrete scanning projects ground penetrating radar (GPR) is used. GPR scanners are able to locate all types of buried hazards with remarkable accuracy, and at a fairly affordable price. GPR is the most efficient and accurate concrete scanning technology out there!
Previously, concrete X-rays were often used when a high rate of accuracy was required, but X-rays necessitate that the space be evacuated due to the harmful radiation that is emitted. In addition, processing the X-ray results is quite involved and takes time. With GPR, results are delivered quickly, with the GPR technician typically able to interpret and deliver them onsite.
A GPR concrete scan can tell you where rebar is located, as well as any utility lines or other embedded hazards, so your project can move forward safely!
