At Utility Detection, we help construction teams, engineers, and developers across the UK avoid costly and dangerous mistakes by locating underground services before work begins.

Our utility detection services identify the presence and position of gas pipes, electric cables, telecoms, water mains, and more, allowing you to dig with confidence, avoid strikes, and stay compliant with industry regulations. Whether you’re planning a major development or a local excavation, we deliver clarity below ground.

What Is Utility Detection And Why Is It Important?

Utility detection is the process of identifying and locating underground utilities such as electricity cables, gas lines, water pipes, and fibre optic networks. In Hampshire, it’s a critical step in any project involving excavation, groundworks, or site clearance.

Without detection, contractors risk hitting live services, causing injuries, service outages, environmental harm, and project delays. Detection helps manage that risk and ensures compliance with health and safety and CDM regulations.

What Types Of Utilities Can Be Detected Underground?

In Hampshire, underground utility detection can identify:

• Electric power lines
• Gas mains
• Water supply lines
• Foul water drains
• Surface water drains
• Telecommunications cables
• Broadband cables
• Fibre optic infrastructure

When Should Utility Detection Be Carried Out In A Project?

Utility detection should always take place before any ground-breaking activity, including trenching, piling, borehole drilling, or soft-strip demolition. Ideally, it should be part of the pre-construction or enabling works phase so designs and risk assessments can reflect accurate utility information.

In Hampshire, reactive or emergency surveys can also be performed in live construction settings, though they may require traffic management or access adjustments.

How Much Does Utility Detection Cost?

Costs for utility detection in Hampshire range from £400 to £2,000, depending on the site size, depth of scan, number of utility types being traced, and the technology required.

More advanced scanning, such as 3D GPR mapping or PAS 128-compliant outputs, may increase the cost. Prices also vary by region, access limitations, and whether you need rapid turnaround reporting or additional data formats like CAD or GIS files.

Contact Utility Detection to get customised prices for utility detection services on your construction area.

What Technologies Are Used In Utility Detection?

In Hampshire, utility detection requires Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), which uses radar waves to identify utility structures beneath the surface, and Electromagnetic Location (EML), which traces conductive materials like electric cables and metal pipes.

These tools are often integrated with GPS or GNSS for precise mapping and verification. In complex sites, we may deploy multi-frequency radar arrays or mobile mapping systems for enhanced detection capability.

What’s The Difference Between Utility Detection And Utility Surveying?

While utility detection focuses on the real-time location of buried services, utility surveying goes further by producing verified maps and reports.

Detection is often a live on-site activity in Hampshire to guide safe excavation, while surveying produces compliance documents for design, planning, or health and safety audits.

How Accurate Is Utility Detection And What Affects Accuracy?

Accuracy of utility detection in Hampshire depends on soil type, surface conditions, depth of the utility, and the presence of obstacles or interference like rebar or street furniture.

In good conditions, detection can be accurate to within 5–10 centimetres, but deeper utilities or congested service corridors may reduce precision.

Who Needs Utility Detection Services?

In Hampshire, utility detection services are essential for:

• Construction contractors – To avoid damaging buried services during excavation.
• Civil engineering firms – For accurate site planning and service coordination.
• Infrastructure developers – To identify existing underground utilities before works begin.
• Local government and authorities – For managing public works and utility maintenance.
• Telecommunications companies – To locate ducts, cables, and conduits.
• Utility service providers – For asset management and safe upgrade works.
• Land and building surveyors – To inform topographical and site surveys.
• Planning and development consultants – For feasibility and risk assessment.
• Brownfield site projects – To identify legacy infrastructure before redevelopment.
• Highway and urban redevelopment teams – To prevent service strikes in busy environments.

What Standards Govern Utility Detection And Reporting?

In the UK, utility detection is guided by PAS 128, which sets best practices and quality levels (from QL-D to QL-A) for underground mapping. Other regions follow AS5488 (Australia) or local authority frameworks.

Contact Utility Detection in Hampshire to get compliant, safe and methodical utility detection services.

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