A quick pre-work checklist for contractors in BC: how to avoid rebar, post-tension cables, and utilities before coring, sawing, or drilling concrete.
Coring, sawing, and drilling into concrete looks routine, until the blade hits something unexpected. Rebar, post-tension cables, and conduits are often hidden inside the slab, and utilities can sit just below it. Hitting any of them can mean injury, damaged structures, service outages, and costly delays.
Here are five things to check before the first cut.
1. Know what’s inside the concrete
Concrete slabs, beams, columns, and walls often contain rebar, post-tension cables, and electrical conduits. You can’t see any of them from the surface. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) lets a technician scan the concrete without damaging it and mark the exact position of embedded targets before any drilling, sawing, or coring begins.
2. Don’t rely on drawings alone
Drawings and as-built plans are a good starting point, but they may be incomplete, outdated, or different from what was actually built. A scan shows what is really in the structure today, so your cut location is based on the real conditions, not assumptions.
3. Look beyond the slab for utilities
What’s below or around the work area matters too. Gas, water, telecommunications, electrical, and drainage lines can all sit close to where you plan to cut or dig. Locating and mapping these lines first, along with statutory record searches where needed, helps you avoid striking a live service.
4. Mark it clearly and share it with the crew
A scan only protects people if everyone knows the results. Make sure the markings are clear and visible, and brief everyone doing the work on what was found and what to avoid. The person holding the saw should never have to guess.
5. Re-scan if the plan changes
If the cut location moves, even slightly, scan the new area before you start. A few extra minutes of scanning costs far less than a strike, a repair, or a shutdown.
The bottom line
Scanning before you cut is one of the simplest ways to protect your people, your structure, and your schedule. At Sigma GPR Services Inc., we provide concrete scanning and utility locating across British Columbia, so you can cut, core, and excavate with confidence.
Planning a cut, core, or dig in BC? Get in touch before you start.
+1 (778) 302-0868
[email protected]
sigmagpr.com
