PAS128 Utility & GPR Surveys across Central Scotland
Buried services detected with EML and GPR, drawn to PAS128 quality levels and marked out on site – by surveyors based in Glasgow and Falkirk.
Call Us For A Free Quote 0345 548 5451- Surveyors based in Glasgow & Falkirk
- PAS128 quality levels QL-D to QL-A
- EML + GPR detection, CAD drawings
PAS128 Utility & GPR Surveys in Central Scotland
Ambler Group is a specialist utility surveying company. Our Scottish surveyors are based in Glasgow and Falkirk, which puts Glasgow, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Cumbernauld and Stirling within easy daily reach, with Perth, Fife and the rest of Central Scotland close behind.
A PAS128 utility survey tells you what is in the ground, where it is, how deep it is and how confident we are in each line. That is what designers need to avoid diversions and what groundworkers need before they dig. We combine electromagnetic location with ground penetrating radar, because one without the other misses services.
Contact usPAS128 Utility & GPR Surveys – areas we cover
Dedicated local pages for each of our Central Scotland areas.
Utility & GPR survey Glasgow
PAS128 utility surveys and GPR surveys across Glasgow city and the surrounding estates, delivered by surveyors based in Glasgow.
View areaUtility & GPR survey Edinburgh
PAS128 utility surveys and GPR surveys across Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian, with an Edinburgh address and surveyors close by in Falkirk.
View areaUtility & GPR survey Falkirk & Grangemouth
PAS128 utility surveys and GPR surveys across Falkirk district and Grangemouth, from surveyors based in Falkirk itself.
View areaUtility & GPR survey Cumbernauld
PAS128 utility surveys and GPR surveys across Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and the M80 corridor, 20 minutes from our Falkirk and Glasgow surveyors.
View areaUtility & GPR survey Stirling
PAS128 utility surveys and GPR surveys across Stirling and Clackmannanshire, minutes from our Falkirk base.
View areaUtility & GPR survey Perth
PAS128 utility surveys and GPR surveys across Perth and Perth & Kinross, reached quickly from our Falkirk base via the M9 and A9.
View areaUtility & GPR survey Lanarkshire
PAS128 utility surveys and GPR surveys across North and South Lanarkshire, from our Glasgow and Falkirk bases.
View areaUtility & GPR survey West Lothian
PAS128 utility surveys and GPR surveys in Livingston, Bathgate, Broxburn and across West Lothian, from our Falkirk base.
View areaUtility & GPR survey Paisley & Renfrewshire
PAS128 utility surveys and GPR surveys across Paisley, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, from our Glasgow-based surveyors.
View areaUtility & GPR survey Fife
PAS128 utility surveys and GPR surveys across Dunfermline, Rosyth, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and south and west Fife.
View areaUtility and GPR survey services
For contractors, developers, architects, engineers, consultants and facilities teams.
Desktop utility searches
Records from Scottish Water, SGN, electricity, telecoms and fibre operators compiled before site work (Survey Type D).
Find out morePAS128 detection surveys
Services located with EML and GPR and drawn to PAS128 quality levels QL-B1 to QL-B4 (Survey Type B).
Find out moreGPR surveys
Ground penetrating radar for plastic pipes, ducts, chambers, voids and old foundations that cable locators miss.
Find out moreUtility verification (QL-A)
Services verified at chambers and exposed in trial holes at critical crossings and clash points.
Find out moreBorehole & trial pit clearance
Service clearance of borehole, trial pit, piling and post positions before drilling or digging.
Find out moreConcrete scanning (ferroscanning)
GPR scanning of slabs and walls for rebar, tendons and conduits before coring, drilling or cutting.
Find out moreWhy Central Scotland sites need a proper utility survey
Utility records in Scotland come from many asset owners – Scottish Water, SGN, SP Energy Networks or SSEN, Openreach, Virgin Media, fibre operators and private networks – and they are rarely complete. Depths are seldom recorded, abandoned services are often missing, and private site networks may not be on any plan. The National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) does not cover Scotland, so there is no single map to rely on.
HSE guidance HSG47 expects records to be used together with detection. A PAS128 survey does exactly that, and labels each service with a quality level so everyone on the project can see how much it can be relied on.
Contact usPAS128 survey types and quality levels
PAS128:2022 sets out four survey types. Each produces a quality level that is shown against every service on the drawing.
| Survey type | What it involves | Quality level |
|---|---|---|
| Type D | Desktop search of utility records | QL-D |
| Type C | Site reconnaissance – records matched to visible evidence | QL-C |
| Type B | Detection with EML and GPR, positioned by survey | QL-B1 to QL-B4 |
| Type A | Verification – services seen in chambers or excavations | QL-A |
Read our guide to PAS128 quality levels to see which level your project needs.
Utility surveys for construction projects in Central Scotland
Contractors, developers and consultants use our utility surveys at every stage of a project – from early design to clearing the exact positions of boreholes, piles and excavations.
Design and feasibility
Desktop records and a detection survey early on show where services run and how deep they are, so the design avoids costly diversions.
Before you dig
A PAS128 survey with GPR, marked out on site, gives groundworkers a reliable picture before excavation, piling or ducting starts, in line with HSE guidance HSG47.
Borehole and trial pit clearance
Positions for site investigation, piling and fence posts checked and cleared before drilling or digging.
Records and handover
Utility drawings in CAD for the design team, the health and safety file and future works on the site.
What your utility survey includes
- Desktop utility records search from the asset owners (Type D)
- Site reconnaissance matching records to covers, markers and street furniture (Type C)
- Detection with electromagnetic location (EML) and ground penetrating radar (GPR) (Type B)
- Verification at chambers and exposed services where required (Type A)
- Every service labelled with its PAS128 quality level, including QL-B1 to QL-B4
- CAD drawings (DWG/DXF) tied to OS National Grid, with depths where detected
- Services marked out on site in paint or pegs on request
- Survey report setting out the methods used and any limitations
We locate services with Radiodetection RD8200 and RD8100 cable and pipe locators with signal transmitters, and Proceq GS8000 ground penetrating radar, positioned with GNSS and total stations on OS National Grid.
How it works
- 1
Send us the site
Email a site plan or marked-up aerial showing the area, plus what you need it for and any access notes.
- 2
Fixed quote and RAMS
We confirm the survey type, quality level and days on site, and issue site-specific RAMS for your induction.
- 3
Survey on site
Our surveyors attend from our Glasgow and Falkirk bases, set out any traffic management, and survey with EML and GPR.
- 4
Drawings and mark-out
You receive the CAD drawing and report, and services can be marked on the ground for your excavation team.
PAS128 Utility & GPR Surveys in Central Scotland | Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is a PAS128 utility survey?
A: PAS128 is the British Standards Institution specification for detecting, verifying and locating underground utilities. It sets out four survey types (desktop records search, site reconnaissance, detection and verification) and labels every service on the drawing with a quality level, so designers and contractors know how reliable each line is.
Q2: What is the difference between a GPR survey and a utility survey?
A: Many people call a utility survey a GPR survey. In practice we use both electromagnetic location (EML) and ground penetrating radar (GPR) together: EML traces metallic cables and pipes, and GPR picks up plastic pipes, ducts, chambers and other features that a cable locator cannot see.
Q3: How much does a PAS128 utility survey cost?
A: Utility surveys are priced on the size of the site, the survey type and quality level needed, access and traffic management, and the drawing format. Send us a site plan or marked-up aerial and we will come back with a fixed quote, usually the same or next working day.
Q4: Do you mark out services on site?
A: Yes. As well as the CAD drawing, we can mark detected services on the ground in paint or with pegs, so your excavation team can see them before they dig.
Q5: Can you combine a utility survey with a topographical or drainage survey?
A: Yes. Booking the utility survey alongside a topographical and CCTV drainage survey means one team, one set of RAMS and one coordinated drawing, usually for less than booking them separately.
Need a service & ready to book? Call us 0345 548 5451
Email usWhy choose Ambler Group for PAS128 utility and GPR surveys in Central Scotland?
Surveyors based in Scotland
Our surveyors work from Glasgow and Falkirk, so your site in Central Scotland gets a local Scottish team who know the area – not a crew driving up from England.
Utility surveyors first
Detecting buried services is our core work, using EML and GPR together and reporting to PAS128 quality levels so you know how far to rely on each line.
Everything in one visit
PAS128 utility, GPR, topographical and CCTV drainage surveys from one team, with one set of RAMS and one coordinated set of drawings.
If you’re looking for reliable, professional PAS128 utility and GPR surveys in Central Scotland, contact us today!
Clients Reviews
“Ambler Group have been our number one go to for all of our topographical, UGS & GPR Surveys.”
Ryan, Director – Topographical, Utility and GPR
Helpful survey guides
PAS128 Quality Levels Explained: QL-D to QL-A
What QL-D, QL-C, QL-B1 to B4 and QL-A mean on a utility drawing, and which one your project needs.
Read the guide GuideWhat Does a PAS128 Utility Survey Cost?
The factors that set the price of a PAS128 or GPR utility survey, and what to send for a fast, fixed quote.
Read the guide GuideUtility Records in Scotland: STATs, VAULT and NUAR
Where utility records come from in Scotland, why NUAR does not apply, and why records alone are not enough.
Read the guideContact Us
Book a utility survey in Central Scotland
For a fast, fixed quote, send us:
- The site address or postcode
- A site plan or marked-up aerial image showing the survey area
- What the survey is for – design, planning, excavation, piling or records
- Access notes – working hours, permits, inductions
We usually come back with a fixed quote the same or next working day.
Locations:
5 South Charlotte Street,
Edinburgh EH2 4ANAmbler Group Limited
Springfield House, Springfield Road,
Horsham RH12 2RGCompany registration number: 12568344
Surveyors based in:
Glasgow and Falkirk, covering Glasgow, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Cumbernauld, Stirling, Perth and the rest of Central Scotland.