If you’ve ever decided to do a home improvement project, you know that costs associated with them can get out of hand very quickly. Even if you get an estimate from a contractor in the beginning that seems to include everything associated with the project, extra expenses always seem to pop up. Some things are optional, but others need to be done, so you suck it up and just pay the added costs to keep the project moving forward.
If your contractor comes to you and says they need to bring in a concrete scanning service to evaluate your home’s concrete slab before they start cutting into it, this is something you will want to take seriously. A contractor will suggest that you have the concrete scanned because they suspect that there are items embedded in the concrete that they don’t want to hit when disturbing the slab.
Just about every concrete slab will have reinforcing elements in it, such as rebar or post-tensioned cables. These items help strengthen the concrete and keep it from cracking over time. There are a few reasons why a contractor will want to have the concrete scanned to locate rebar or post-tensioned cables before they start drilling or cutting into it. First of all, hitting rebar can damage a contractor’s tools. Second, and more importantly, damaging rebar or severing post-tensioned cables can compromise the structural integrity of the concrete slab. The damage can be very expensive (or even impossible) to repair. Finally, hitting post-tensioned cables can cause them to snap, and if they do so, they could hit someone and cause severe injury, or even death.
But reinforcing elements aren’t the only things your contractor will want to avoid. There may be other items embedded in the concrete, such as electrical or telecommunications conduits, or plumbing or sewage pipes. If you hit any of these items, not only will you have to pay to have them repaired, but your project will likely come to a standstill while the repairs are being done.
Concrete scanning is one area where you should absolutely not cut corners!
Bringing in a concrete scanning service to evaluate your concrete slab is fairly simple, and not as expensive as you might think. For companies that have this type of scanning capability, evaluating a residential concrete pad is a very straightforward project. They will be in and out of your home before you know it, and provide your contractor with all of the information he or she needs to proceed with your project safely.
The majority of companies that provide concrete scanning services use ground penetrating radar (GPR), which is a highly effective technology for accurately locating items embedded in concrete slabs. If you’re in Southern California, a great company to call for concrete scanning services is Enhanced Scanning. They have highly trained technicians and invest in some of the best equipment available.
