Overview
For concrete scanning in Upper Basildon, 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.
Upper Basildon sits within 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. Wherever the work sits in West Berkshire, the question NDTScan is answering is what the concrete actually contains, and how much of it can be trusted.
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 Upper Basildon, 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 Upper Basildon 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 Upper Basildon client, and the reason NDTScan reports what the concrete contains before anyone specifies what to do about it.
Services Available in Upper Basildon
- 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 Upper Basildon 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 Upper Basildon structures.
Typical Upper Basildon Projects
Typical Upper Basildon instructions include pre-drill scanning before mechanical and electrical installations, rebar and cover mapping for structural alterations and extensions, RAAC and non-standard construction identification in public and housing stock, slab thickness and void checks on ground floors and hardstandings, and full structural investigation where a repair is being considered.
NDTScan also covers Pangbourne, Bradfield and Goring-on-Thames and the rest of 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. Upper Basildon 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.
Upper Basildon NDT Services
- GPR Pre-Drill Scanning Pre-drill and pre-coring surveys, PT slab mapping, rebar location and void detection across Upper Basildon 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 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 Upper Basildon structures.
- Compressive Strength Assessment Rebound hammer, SONREB and managed core extraction to BS EN 13791, reported for engineering acceptance and building control in Upper Basildon.
- Short-Notice Upper Basildon Coverage Oxford-based team covering Upper Basildon and the rest of 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
Upper Basildon Concrete Scanning FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions.
What Berkshire clients ask before instructing a concrete scan in Upper Basildon, and how NDTScan answers.
Do you provide concrete scanning in Upper Basildon?
Yes. Upper Basildon is in Berkshire, which NDTScan covers from its Oxford base along with Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Neil Smuts carries out and interprets the survey personally, so the person on site in Upper Basildon is the person who writes the report.
What will a concrete scan tell me about an Upper Basildon 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 an Upper Basildon 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.
How is RAAC identified in Upper Basildon schools and public buildings?
With ground penetrating radar. RAAC planks return a distinctly different signature from conventional reinforced concrete, and NDTScan reads that signature element by element rather than sampling a corner and assuming the rest. The findings for an Upper Basildon building are reported in line with IStructE guidance, so the owner has a record that supports the decisions that follow.
Is a scan really necessary before concrete repairs in Upper Basildon?
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 Upper Basildon 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 equipment does NDTScan use on Upper Basildon concrete scanning projects?
GSSI SIR 4000 and Mala ground penetrating radar systems for the scanning itself, the Hilti PS Ferroscan for high resolution rebar mapping in tight spaces, and the Proceq Pundit PL-200 for ultrasonic pulse velocity and pulse echo work. The choice for an Upper Basildon element is made by the method the element needs, and the interpretation of the data matters more than any single instrument.
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.