Underground Services Locator Adelaide
Our Dial Before You Dig (DBYD) certified Underground Service Locating services are custom designed to suit your project and delivered on time to your budget. We provide specialised services to the highest standards of compliance for the Utility Locating Industry, from locating hidden utilities at your home to major construction projects.
Our pipe and cable locators work with a range of clients including:
Expert Advice before You Dig
With our expertise, experience and utilising the latest technologies, Bench Directional Drilling & Civil can help you locate underground services safely.
We provide services around metropolitan Adelaide and South Australia. For a no obligation, competitive quote please call us on (08) 8240 2998 or submit an enquiry.
Service Locating & Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)
Service Locating is undertaken by using a number of tools, In South Australia we have challenging ground conditions specifically the Adelaide plains dictate more than one service locating tool may be required to give you the most accurate result. We Use electronic locating, Sonde beacons, Potholing and Ground Penetrating radar, the combination of all methods will supply the most accurate result.
We Use the latest Subsite locators, Subsite Sondes, Mala GPR, Vac Trucks.
Electronic Location and Service Marking
Electronic location of utilities is a critical part of what we do. We utilise state of the art equipment and techniques to quickly yet accurately determine exactly which utilities are underground, what their location is and the depth at which they exist. In order to allow reference of those utilities at a later time, we mark the ground using paint (colour-coded for specific utilities).
Our services are often requested by engineers and surveyors and our in house Directional Drillers. This information is invaluable during construction once excavation begins, since digging errors are less likely when accurate information is at hand.
Sonde Locating
Should a job require the location of non-metallic pipes and ducts, we can utilize sonde locating. With this process, we slowly move a small, egg-shaped transmitter attached to a fiberglass rod, through the service duct / conduit. As we do so, we mark its precise location and depth. Sonde locating enables us to locate lengths of 300 m. Another use for this type of location is to find the blocked portion of pipes and ducts. By using sonde locating for this purpose, we do not have to dig up more than necessary, thus saving you time and money.
The accuracy of this method is within 20mm from top of conduit, the sonde is calibrated and checked before each project on a daily basis.
Ground Penetrating Radar
Ground penetrating radar is now an affordable, process to find rebar, post-tension cables, conduit or non metallic pipes under ground. The ground penetrating radar equipment sends pulses of radar energy into the ground through an antenna.
Metals underground completely reflect the signal, while materials with a high dielectric, such as plastic, will slow the radar wave. The equipment records the readings, then the operator can map out the obstacles that were found.
Best Practice Guide for Locating Underground Services
Service Drawing Examples - As-built drawings
We can supply Surveyed Location Drawings as required by client.
Service Locating FAQs
To avoid damaging a service during excavation works.
- Power HV
- Power LV.
- Power Lighting
- Water
- Recycled water
- Gas Medium Pressure.
- Gas High Pressure.
- Gas Trunk Main.
- Sewer.
- Communications such as: TPG, Vocus, Vodaphone, Next Gen, Optus, Council communications, Sa Gov Communications, Commonwealth Secured secret services and others.
- NBN.
- Telstra
- Stormwater.
Generally there will be between 5 and 10 separate services in your street.If you have a mobile phone tower near you there will be more.
Fibre optic communication services: they are no metallic and are hard to traditionally locate. They can be found using electronic beacons also know as probes or Ground penetrating radar.
Yes Anyone can locate services however you need to be authorised and accredited by the service provider to open there infrastructure such as pits.
Service locators require DBYD accreditation to open up service pits.
Service damages for communications can cost upwards of $15,000 and will quickly increase to over $100,000. Power services can cost upwards of $15,000. Small gas service will cost upwards of $7,000.
Service locate the service then you can use a Vac Truck to perform hydro excavation to physically find the service.