Desktop Utility Surveys

Gain a clearer picture of your site’s underground utilities with Lucion’s PAS 128 desktop utility surveys, the essential foundation for any survey project.

Accurate utility mapping surveys rely on a solid foundation of existing information. Desktop utility surveys, also known as PAS 128 Survey Category Type D searches, are non-intrusive investigations which provide valuable insights into your site’s subsurface infrastructure. Desktop surveys enable safer and more efficient surveying and construction projects.

At Lucion, we understand the importance of thorough desktop utility surveys in supporting your utility mapping survey efforts. Our experienced team goes above and beyond to ensure you have the most comprehensive and reliable information available and we provide:

Comprehensive record gathering: We contact all relevant utility companies and asset owners to obtain their record data, ensuring no critical information is overlooked.
Easy-to-understand reporting: Our team compiles the gathered information into clear, concise reports that highlight key details such as pipe sizes, materials, cable voltages, and abandoned utilities.
Enhanced safety and efficiency: By providing your team with a clearer picture of potential hazards and obstacles, our desktop utility surveys help minimise the risk of utility strikes, injuries, and costly delays.
PAS 128 compliance: Our desktop utility surveys adhere to PAS 128 standards, the UK specification for underground utility detection, verification, and location, ensuring the highest level of quality and reliability.

We are committed to delivering the most comprehensive and valuable desktop utility surveys to support your utility mapping and construction projects. Our combination of expertise, thorough research, and clear reporting ensures that you have the information you need to proceed with confidence.

Case Studies

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Geotechnical Consulting for National Car Parks

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Three Major Highway Surveys

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Level Six Service Avoidance Survey

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Trusted Utility Identification Services

European GPR Association

Lucion Survey Ltd is a European GPR Association Member.

Valid Until 26/09/2026

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Ground Probing Radar Licence

It is a legal requirement in the UK for Ground Penetrating Radar users to hold an Ofcom licence, the licence needs to be renewed every three years.

Lucion Surveys are licence holders 0996045/1

The Survey Association Membership

Lucion Survey Ltd is a full member of The Survey Association

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Desktop Utility Surveys FAQs

A desktop utility survey search, also known as a PAS 128 Survey Category Type D search, is a non-intrusive investigation that involves gathering existing records and information about underground utilities from relevant asset owners and utility providers. These surveys provide a preliminary understanding of a site’s subsurface infrastructure, helping to inform and support subsequent utility mapping surveys and construction projects.

Desktop utility surveys offer several key benefits:

Improved safety: By identifying potential hazards and obstacles in advance, these surveys help minimise the risk of utility strikes and injuries during surveying and construction.
Increased efficiency: With a clearer understanding of the site’s subsurface conditions, surveyors and construction teams can work more efficiently, reducing the time spent on site and minimising costly delays.
Enhanced accuracy: Desktop utility surveys provide valuable information that can be cross-referenced with the results of physical utility mapping surveys, helping to identify any discrepancies and ensure the most accurate results.

Cost savings: By reducing the risk of utility strikes and delays, desktop utility surveys can help save significant costs associated with repairs, downtime, and legal issues.

A desktop utility survey report typically includes information such as:

The location and type of known underground utilities, including gas, water, electricity, telecommunications, and drainage
The sizes and materials of pipes and cables
The voltage of electrical cables
The presence of any abandoned or decommissioned utilities
Relevant maps, plans, and diagrams provided by asset owners and utility companies

Desktop utility surveys provide a valuable starting point for physical utility mapping surveys. By identifying the known utilities and potential hazards in advance, these surveys enable surveyors to plan their work more effectively, focus their efforts on the most critical areas, and use their time on site more efficiently. Additionally, the information gathered during desktop surveys can be cross-referenced with the results of physical underground utility surveys to ensure the most accurate and comprehensive understanding of the site’s subsurface infrastructure.

PAS 128 is the UK specification for underground utility detection, verification, and location. It sets out a standardised approach for gathering, recording, and sharing information about subsurface utilities, ensuring a consistent level of quality and reliability across the industry.

Desktop utility surveys fall under Survey Category Type D in the PAS 128 framework, which involves collecting and collating existing records and information from asset owners and utility providers.

The duration of a desktop utility survey can vary depending on the size and complexity of the site, the number of utility companies involved, and the availability of records. However, at Lucion, our experienced team works efficiently to gather and compile the necessary information as quickly as possible without compromising on quality.

We understand the importance of timely results and strive to deliver your desktop utility survey report within agreed timeframes, enabling you to move forward with your utility mapping and construction projects with confidence.