Ground penetrating radar
We see what you can't.
GPR scanning maps what's hiding in your concrete — rebar, post-tension cables, conduit, voids — so every cut and core is planned, not guessed. It's the first step on every NoCo job.
We map the rebar, post-tension cables and conduit in your slab before any cut.
What it is
GPR Scanning.
Before any blade or bit touches your slab, we scan it. Ground penetrating radar maps rebar, post-tension cables, conduit and other embedded materials in real time — so we cut with confidence and never hit what we can't see. It's the first step on every NoCo job.
What it's for
- Rebar location
- Post-tension cables
- Conduit & utilities
- Void detection
The detail
How a scan day works.
- You tell us what you're cutting and where.
- We scan the area in a grid and mark findings directly on the concrete.
- We review the layout with you, adjust the cut plan if a target is in the way, and only then bring in the saw or drill. Most scans are completed the same visit as the cut.
What GPR scanning is
Ground penetrating radar sends a high-frequency pulse into the concrete and reads the reflections that come back from anything denser or different than the slab itself. Steel reinforcing, post-tension cable, electrical conduit, plastic pipe and air voids each return a distinct signature. We push the antenna across the surface in a grid, watch the profile in real time, and mark the slab with the exact location and approximate depth of every target before anyone starts a saw or a drill.
Why we scan first
Cutting into an unmarked slab is a gamble. Hit a post-tension cable and you can release stored energy with enough force to injure a crew and compromise the structure. Hit a conduit and you can take a building's power or data down. Hit rebar you didn't plan for and the cut slows, the blade wears, and the schedule slips. A scan takes a fraction of the time a repair does, and it turns every downstream cut into a known quantity.
What we find
- Rebar and wire mesh — spacing, depth and orientation
- Post-tension cables — the highest-risk target, mapped and flagged
- Conduit and utilities — electrical, data and plumbing embedded in the pour
- Voids and delamination — hollows under slabs and behind walls
- Slab thickness — so cores and cuts go to the right depth
Where it's used
Before core drilling for plumbing, electrical and HVAC penetrations. Before wall sawing new door, window and duct openings. Before flat sawing trenches and removals in occupied buildings. Before anchor installation in elevated slabs and parking structures. Anywhere a hit is expensive.
Limits, honestly
GPR is a detection tool, not X-ray vision. Depth accuracy varies with the concrete's moisture and density, and very small or very deep objects can be missed. We tell you what we're confident in and what we're not, and we cut accordingly.
Common questions
Answers before you call.
- Do you scan every job?
- Yes. Scanning is part of how we cut, not an add-on.
- Can you scan without cutting?
- Yes — contractors hire us to scan ahead of their own anchors, cores or demolition.
- How do you mark the results?
- Directly on the slab or wall, with a legend, and we walk you through it before we cut.
Other services
Ready to see what's under the surface?
Tell us what you're working on and we'll put together a clear, upfront quote — no surprises.