Overview
For concrete scanning in Tilehurst, NDTScan offers something most scanning contractors do not: a named specialist who does the site work and the interpretation. Neil Smuts leads every Berkshire survey from NDTScan's Oxford base, and the report you receive is his reading of the data, not a set of marks left on a slab.
Tilehurst sits within Reading Borough and West Berkshire, and the work here follows the pattern of the wider county: Thames Valley commercial estates, dense Victorian and interwar housing and the heavy concrete of the 1960s and 1970s office and hospital building boom. That mix of ages and construction types is why Tilehurst work has to start with a survey that is planned for the element in question, not a generic pass with one antenna.
The on-site capture is only the first step. NDTScan's value is in the post-processing: analysing reflections, cross-checking traces against each other, resolving ambiguous returns and producing a fully interpreted result. In Tilehurst, as everywhere else, the data is worked up in the office before a single conclusion is drawn, and the report says plainly what was found, what was not found and how confident the reading is.
Where Tilehurst clients are heading towards concrete repair, NDTScan's position is firm: the element must be scanned and the data interpreted by a reputable specialist before any repair is designed. Anything else risks treating the symptom and leaving the cause in place. The findings feed straight into the repair specification.
Scan before you repair. That is the standing advice for every Tilehurst client, and the reason NDTScan reports what the concrete contains before anyone specifies what to do about it.
Services Available in Tilehurst
- GPR Concrete Scanning Pre-drill and pre-coring surveys, rebar and mesh mapping, post-tensioned tendon detection, void and honeycombing detection, slab thickness and cover estimation and RAAC identification. Method and antenna selected for the Tilehurst element in question, with the full interpreted record supplied.
- Ultrasonic Testing of Concrete Ultrasonic pulse velocity testing for uniformity and quality assessment, pulse echo for thickness and delamination where only one face is accessible, and the combined SONREB method for compressive strength estimation. Used across Berkshire where GPR alone cannot answer the question.
- Concrete Compressive Strength Assessment Rebound hammer surveys, UPV combined method and managed core extraction with laboratory testing to BS EN 13791. Independent reporting suitable for engineering acceptance, building control and dispute work on Tilehurst structures.
Typical Tilehurst Projects
In and around Tilehurst, NDTScan is most often asked for pre-drill and pre-coring surveys, post-tension detection in suspended slabs, RAAC identification in education and community buildings, rebar and cover mapping to support engineering assessments, and interpreted investigation of existing concrete before any repair is designed.
NDTScan also covers Reading, Calcot and Purley on Thames and the rest of Reading Borough and West Berkshire. Every one of these areas is reached from the Oxford base without a subcontractor in the chain.
About NDTScan
NDTScan is a specialist non-destructive testing company based in Oxford and led by Neil Smuts. Its core disciplines are GPR concrete scanning, ultrasonic testing and in-situ compressive strength assessment, brought together in its concrete scanning and structural condition survey service. NDTScan is a Level 4 UKCSS Operator, the first in the UK to achieve that certification. Tilehurst and the whole of Berkshire are within the company's everyday working area, and all work is reported to a standard suitable for engineering acceptance. RAAC identification is covered on the RAAC surveys page, and steel on the ultrasonic thickness and corrosion mapping page.
Tilehurst NDT Services
- GPR Pre-Drill Scanning Pre-drill and pre-coring surveys, PT slab mapping, rebar location and void detection across Tilehurst housing, commercial and public buildings.
- Post-Tensioned Slab Investigation Tendon detection and full slab documentation for Berkshire commercial, education and healthcare structures before any fixing, cutting or coring.
- RAAC Identification GPR based RAAC plank identification for schools, halls, housing and public buildings across Reading Borough and West Berkshire, reported in line with IStructE guidance.
- Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Testing UPV surveys using the Proceq Pundit PL-200 to BS EN 12504. Uniformity, delamination and strength estimation for Tilehurst structures.
- Compressive Strength Assessment Rebound hammer, SONREB and managed core extraction to BS EN 13791, reported for engineering acceptance and building control in Tilehurst.
- Short-Notice Tilehurst Coverage Oxford-based team covering Tilehurst and the rest of Reading Borough and West Berkshire. Immediate mobilisation available, with every survey interpreted and reported in full.
Our Services
- Concrete & Structural Integrity
- Drone-Based Aerial Surveying
- Vehicle-Mounted Inspection
- Handheld & Portable Inspection
- Underwater Surveying & Inspection
- Digital Twin & 3D Modelling
- Advanced Data Analytics & Reporting
Sectors We Support
- Aerospace & Aviation
- Education & Public Sector
- Archaeology & Heritage
- Smart Cities & Urban Planning
- Waste & Recycling
- Defence & Security
- Emergency Response
- Construction & Real Estate
- Mining & Minerals
- Agriculture & Environment
- Maritime & Underwater
- Rail & Transportation
- Oil & Gas
- Civil Engineering
- Utilities & Energy
Equipment & Technologies
- IML
- GSSI
- Sylva
- Leica
- Voyis
- Testo
- Hilti
- Cygnus
- Proceq
- MALA GPR
- SlipAlert
- Flyability
- Protimeter
- Matterport
- Saab Seaeye
- Deep Trekker
- IDS GeoRadar
- FLIR Systems
- Sonatest Ltd
- Wagner Meters
- Mistras Group
- Munro Stanley
- Blue Robotics
- DJI Enterprise
- Teledyne Marine
- Quantum Systems
- Argus Electronic
- Fakopp Enterprise
- Eddyfi Technologies
- Olympus Corporation
- FARO
- NavVis
- Trimble
Why Choose NDTScan
Tilehurst Concrete Scanning FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions.
Common questions about GPR concrete scanning, ultrasonic testing and compressive strength assessment in Tilehurst and across Berkshire. NDTScan works from its Oxford base with fully interpreted reporting.
Is Tilehurst within NDTScan's normal working area?
It is. NDTScan works from Oxford across Berkshire and the two neighbouring counties, and Tilehurst sits comfortably inside that patch. Every survey is carried out and interpreted by Neil Smuts, so the specialist on site in Tilehurst is the one who writes the report.
What will a concrete scan tell me about a Tilehurst building?
What the data indicates is inside the concrete and how far each reading can be trusted. A survey indicates the position and estimated depth of reinforcement, post-tensioned tendons, embedded services and voids, and estimates slab thickness and cover. For a Tilehurst building that is the difference between a decision made on evidence and one made on the drawings, and between a repair designed for the structure that exists and one designed for the structure someone assumed.
Can you identify RAAC in Tilehurst buildings?
Yes. NDTScan uses GPR to distinguish reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete planks from conventional reinforced concrete, and reports the findings in a form that supports the building owner's duties under IStructE guidance. RAAC identification is a regular instruction across Berkshire schools, halls, housing and healthcare stock, and Tilehurst is no exception.
Is a scan really necessary before concrete repairs in Tilehurst?
Yes. A repair specified without a proper scan and an expert interpretation is a repair to a guess, and it risks repeating the fault that caused the damage. The survey establishes what the Tilehurst element actually contains and how it is behaving, so the engineer designs for the structure that exists. The scan is the cheapest part of getting the repair right.
What do I receive after a concrete scan in Tilehurst?
A fully interpreted report, not a photograph of marks on a slab. The data is post-processed in the office, cross-checked and written up with clear statements of what was found, what was not found and the confidence attached to each. It is written for the engineer or contractor who has to act on it in Tilehurst, and it stands up to design, dispute and audit scrutiny.
Concrete scanning guides
The questions behind most enquiries
How to identify RAAC
What RAAC looks like, where it was used, and what a visual check cannot tell you.
Read the guideScanning before drilling or coring
What happens on the day, what the marks mean, and what the contractor receives.
Read the guidePost-tension detection
How tendons are investigated in a post-tensioned slab, and when the engineer decides.
Read the guideRebar scanning
Bar position, spacing and estimated cover, and what a scan cannot tell you.
Read the guideFerroscan surveys
What the Hilti system does well, and where radar takes over.
Read the guideConcrete x-ray
Why radiography is rarely practical on site, and what replaces it.
Read the guideWhat clients and partners say
In their words
I have worked with Neil on a number of projects and have found him to be extremely knowledgeable in the fields of concrete scanning and structural repair. His approach to the task is very structured and professional, and communication throughout the project is always open and honest. I will be working with Neil again in the future, and I would happily recommend him.
I had the pleasure of working with Neil on a complex project involving structural remediation, where his expertise was key to our success. Neil was professional, knowledgeable, and solution-focused throughout. He worked seamlessly with the client team and brought the right attitude to every challenge.
Neil is an expert in his field, with a high level understanding of concrete scanning techniques, concrete repairs, and the technology that suits. He shows a keen interest in innovation and is open to learning new methodologies. I would highly recommend Neil to those seeking his services.