Unknown buried utilities
Unrecorded or incorrectly mapped services can increase excavation risks and disrupt construction.
At Metroscan, we provide specialist surveying services for civil engineers, engineering consultancies and infrastructure project teams across Dublin, County Kildare, Cork and nationwide Ireland.
From early site investigations and detailed design to excavation and construction, our underground utility surveys, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and topographical surveys help engineers identify site constraints, reduce project risk and make informed decisions.
Or call +353 86 193 5847
Call +353 86 193 5847 or email ci****@*******an.ie to discuss your engineering project.
Civil engineering projects depend on accurate information about existing site conditions. Incomplete utility records, unexpected underground infrastructure and inaccurate site data can create difficulties during planning, design and construction.
Common challenges include:
Unrecorded or incorrectly mapped services can increase excavation risks and disrupt construction.
Missing levels, features or infrastructure details can affect design accuracy.
Congested utility corridors can restrict proposed layouts and construction methods.
Undocumented connections or damaged drainage assets can complicate development.
Unexpected site conditions can lead to additional investigation, redesign and programme disruption.
Engineers need dependable information to support risk assessments, safe excavation planning and project specifications.
Metroscan helps address these challenges through targeted surveys that improve understanding of existing conditions before critical engineering decisions are made.

Our underground utility locating services help engineers identify and map detectable buried infrastructure before design, excavation or construction begins.
Surveys can help investigate:
The findings can support utility coordination, design development, excavation planning and risk assessment.

Our GPR surveys use non-invasive technology to investigate subsurface features and potential underground constraints.
GPR can complement other utility locating methods by helping identify buried structures, ducts, voids and other detectable anomalies where conditions allow.
Results depend on ground conditions, target depth and material characteristics, so no survey method can guarantee complete underground detection.
For more detailed data interpretation, explore our GPR post-processing services.

Our topographical surveys provide detailed information about existing ground levels, terrain and visible site features.
Survey information can support:
Combining topographical and underground utility information can provide a clearer understanding of both surface and subsurface constraints.

Our construction surveys support civil engineering teams during active project delivery.
Depending on project requirements, surveying can support setting out, site measurements, construction coordination and verification of relevant site information.

Our commercial CCTV drainage surveys help investigate accessible underground drainage networks, identify visible defects and assess pipe conditions.
These can be combined with manhole surveys to provide additional information about chambers, connections and drainage infrastructure.
Early site investigations help identify existing utilities, drainage infrastructure, ground levels and potential constraints before engineering designs are developed.
Utility mapping and topographical data help engineers coordinate proposed layouts with existing site conditions, assess potential service conflicts and develop more informed designs.
Before excavation begins, additional utility locating and GPR investigations can help clarify underground conditions and inform safe working arrangements.
During construction, survey information can support setting out, site coordination and further investigation where unexpected conditions are encountered.
Metroscan provides surveying services for a wide range of civil engineering and infrastructure applications.
Utility locating and topographical surveys can help engineering teams assess existing services, road levels and site constraints before road improvements, junction works or transport infrastructure projects.
CCTV drainage inspections, manhole surveys and utility locating can help engineers investigate existing drainage networks, connections and underground assets before design or construction.
For industrial estates, logistics facilities and commercial developments, combined utility and topographical surveys can support site planning, infrastructure coordination and construction preparation.
In established urban environments, multiple buried services and restricted working areas can complicate proposed works.
GPR and utility locating can provide additional information to support design decisions and excavation planning.
Before new infrastructure is installed or existing services are diverted, underground utility surveys can help identify potential conflicts with existing buried assets.
Civil engineering surveys may need to follow specific technical standards, project specifications and safety requirements.
Depending on the survey type and project scope, relevant references can include:
Survey methodologies, required accuracy, coordinate systems and deliverables should be agreed before work begins.
Metroscan can discuss the relevant survey requirements with engineering teams to establish an appropriate project scope.
Survey deliverables depend on the agreed scope, methodology and project specification.
Typical outputs can include:
For utility investigation projects, further information about processing and interpretation is available in our guide to GPR utility survey data deliverables.
We review the site location, engineering requirements, available drawings, survey area and required deliverables.
An appropriate survey methodology is established based on the project objectives, site conditions and relevant specifications.
Our survey teams or specialist delivery partners carry out the required investigations using suitable equipment and methods.
Collected information is reviewed and prepared into drawings, reports or other agreed outputs for the engineering team.
Metroscan supports civil engineering projects throughout Ireland, with regular survey work across:
Based in County Kildare, our team is accustomed to travelling for specialist surveying work, including larger civil engineering projects requiring extended site attendance.
Civil engineering projects commonly require underground utility surveys, topographical surveys, GPR investigations and construction surveying. Drainage and manhole surveys may also be required depending on the site and project scope.
Utility surveys help identify detectable buried infrastructure before excavation, design or construction. This information can support risk assessments, utility coordination and more informed engineering decisions.
No. GPR performance depends on ground conditions, depth, target characteristics and other factors. It is used alongside complementary investigation methods to improve understanding of subsurface conditions.
Yes. Combining both surveys can provide engineers with information about existing ground levels, visible features and detectable underground services within a coordinated site dataset.
Underground utility surveys can be scoped with reference to PAS 128:2022 where specified. The required methodology, survey quality levels and deliverables should be agreed before work begins.
Depending on the project, deliverables can include CAD drawings, utility location information, topographical data, GPR findings, drainage records and structured survey reports.
Yes. Metroscan provides nationwide surveying services and can support individual investigations as well as larger engineering and infrastructure projects requiring extended site attendance.
Useful information includes the site location, survey boundaries, existing drawings, project specifications, required survey types, deliverables and preferred programme.
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Whether you’re preparing an engineering design, investigating underground utilities, planning excavation or managing a construction project in Dublin, Kildare or the wider areas of Ireland, Metroscan can help provide the survey information needed to make informed decisions.
Send us your project details, available drawings and required deliverables, and we’ll help establish an appropriate survey scope.