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RAAC surveys in Birstall. The UK's reference point for RAAC.

RAAC Surveys Birstall | Identification and Assessment | NDTScan

RAAC identification, condition assessment and reporting to IStructE guidance across Birstall, Leicestershire and the surrounding area. NDTScan attends from its Oxford base, anywhere in the UK.
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Cracked aerated concrete plank removed from a roof, NDTScan RAAC survey

Overview

RAAC surveys in Birstall are carried out by NDTScan, the UK's specialist in the identification and analysis of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. The planks were installed in Leicestershire buildings for nearly forty years, mainly in flat and shallow-pitched roofs, and they are now well beyond the design life their manufacturers assumed. Identifying them is the first step; understanding their condition is the one that matters.

The Department for Education's list of education settings with confirmed RAAC, published in February 2024, includes one setting in Leicestershire, among them St Joseph's Catholic Voluntary Academy. NDTScan cites the published lists as evidence that RAAC is in the Leicestershire building stock, and for no other reason. Education and health estates were counted because government asked for them to be counted. The equivalent stock in Birstall's council, housing, leisure, retail and commercial buildings has not been, and that is where most uninspected RAAC now sits.

NDTScan surveys RAAC in Birstall in two stages that are usually completed on the same visit. First, identification: GPR and the plank's own signature, its width, its transverse reinforcement and its bearing detail, establish plank by plank whether the element is RAAC at all. Second, condition: each confirmed plank is inspected for cracking, deflection, bearing length, water ingress, corrosion and past repair, and the results are classified in line with IStructE guidance. The report says what was found, what was not found and how confident each reading is.

NDTScan's advice to Birstall owners is consistent: survey before you decide. A RAAC roof that has been identified and assessed plank by plank can be managed, propped, strengthened or replaced on evidence. One that has only been glanced at will be closed, propped or replaced on fear, and that is where budgets go. The survey is the smallest cost in the chain.

Scan before you repair. That is the standing advice for every Birstall client, and the reason NDTScan reports what the concrete contains before anyone specifies what to do about it.

Services Available in Birstall

  • RAAC Identification Survey GPR based, plank by plank identification of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in roofs, floors and walls across Birstall. Confirms what the element is made of without opening it up, and records plank widths, reinforcement and bearing details as evidence.
  • RAAC Condition Assessment Plank level inspection of confirmed RAAC for cracking, deflection, bearing length, water ingress, corrosion and previous repairs, classified in line with IStructE guidance. Reported so a Leicestershire engineer or estates team can act on it directly.
  • RAAC Management and Reinspection Monitoring regimes, reinspection intervals and management plans for RAAC that is being kept in service, plus expert input where a Birstall owner needs an independent second opinion on a survey or a remediation proposal.

RAAC in and around Birstall

Typical Birstall instructions: RAAC identification in schools, halls, clinics and council buildings built between 1955 and 1995; plank by plank condition assessment of confirmed RAAC roofs and floors; risk classification in line with IStructE guidance to support decisions on closure, propping or continued use; reinspection and monitoring of managed RAAC; and independent review of surveys and remediation proposals for Leicestershire owners and their insurers. NDTScan covers Birstall from Oxford in the same way it covers the rest of England.

NDTScan also provides RAAC surveys in Leicester, Loughborough, Hinckley, Wigston, Melton Mowbray and Market Harborough and the rest of Leicestershire. The rest of the region is covered from the East Midlands RAAC surveys page, and the service itself is described on the RAAC surveys page.

About NDTScan

NDTScan is a specialist non-destructive testing company based in Oxford and led by Neil Smuts, author of The RAAC Book. It is the UK's specialist in the identification and analysis of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, and a Level 4 UKCSS Operator, the first in the UK to achieve that certification. RAAC surveys in Birstall sit alongside the company's concrete scanning and structural condition survey work, and every report is written to a standard suitable for engineering acceptance, insurers and dispute work.

Birstall RAAC Services

  • RAAC Identification GPR based, plank by plank identification of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in Birstall roofs, floors and walls, without opening the structure.
  • Condition Assessment Cracking, deflection, bearing, water ingress, corrosion and previous repairs recorded for every confirmed plank in Birstall buildings.
  • IStructE Classification Findings classified in line with IStructE guidance so Leicestershire owners and engineers can decide on closure, propping, management or replacement.
  • Schools and Colleges Identification and assessment for education estates across Leicestershire, planned around term dates and occupied buildings.
  • NHS, Council and Housing Estates Hospitals, clinics, council buildings, leisure centres and housing stock in and around Birstall, with reporting that supports estate-wide decisions.
  • Nationwide from Oxford NDTScan attends Birstall and the whole of England from its Oxford base, whenever the work demands it, with every survey interpreted and reported in full.
Sales Support?

02080
888 724

Technical Support?

info@ ndtscan.com

Yes. RAAC identification and assessment is what NDTScan is known for, and Birstall is inside its everyday UK coverage. The company attends from Oxford, surveys the building plank by plank and reports in a form the owner's engineer can act on.
That is the normal situation. Most RAAC in the UK was installed without the word appearing on a drawing, and many buildings have lost their drawings altogether. NDTScan identifies the construction directly, plank by plank, using ground penetrating radar and the plank's physical signature, so the Birstall owner does not have to rely on records that were never kept.
Each confirmed plank is inspected for cracking, deflection, bearing length, water ingress and staining, corrosion of the reinforcement, previous repairs and any signs of overloading or cutting. The findings are classified in line with IStructE guidance so the Birstall owner can see which planks need immediate action, which need monitoring and which are sound.
Anything with a flat or shallow-pitched roof built between the late 1950s and the mid 1990s: schools, colleges, hospitals, clinics, council offices, leisure centres, community halls, housing blocks, retail units and industrial sheds. Across Leicestershire the education and NHS estates have been counted; the rest of the stock has not, and that is where most uninspected RAAC now sits.
Plank by plank, not as a general opinion. Each element is identified, its condition recorded and classified in line with IStructE guidance, and every significant defect is photographed and located on a plan. The report says what was found, what was not found and how confident each reading is, so the Leicestershire owner can act on it directly.
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Initial Scope Consultation

We start by understanding your asset, its environment, and your inspection goals. Whether it's structural integrity, corrosion mapping or defect detection, our team tailors a solution that fits.

Advanced NDT Scanning

Using industry-leading equipment, including Trimble, Leica, DJI drones, and GPR systems, we perform detailed non-intrusive testing with minimal disruption.

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You receive comprehensive, plain-English reports backed by high-resolution imagery, 3D models, and annotated scan maps. Data is delivered fast, often within the same week.

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Beyond inspection, we guide your next steps, from remedial works to structural interventions or re-inspections. We’re partners, not just service providers.

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Our scanning systems are smart, secure, and fully compliant with UKAS, ISO 9712, and sector safety protocols. We bring the right tech to every job, no compromise.

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Every NDTScan technician is certified, trained, and experienced in real-world environments, from rail tunnels to marine piles. You're in expert hands.

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We deliver UKAS-traceable reporting and standards-led inspection workflows, ideal for clients under CDM, Utilities, and Infrastructure compliance frameworks.

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From urgent site visits to post-scan guidance, our team is on hand to support you, because clarity shouldn't wait until Monday.

Birstall RAAC Survey FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions.

Common questions about RAAC identification, condition assessment and reporting in Birstall and across Leicestershire, answered by NDTScan.
Yes. RAAC identification and assessment is what NDTScan is known for, and Birstall is inside its everyday UK coverage. The company attends from Oxford, surveys the building plank by plank and reports in a form the owner's engineer can act on.
That is the normal situation. Most RAAC in the UK was installed without the word appearing on a drawing, and many buildings have lost their drawings altogether. NDTScan identifies the construction directly, plank by plank, using ground penetrating radar and the plank's physical signature, so the Birstall owner does not have to rely on records that were never kept.
Each confirmed plank is inspected for cracking, deflection, bearing length, water ingress and staining, corrosion of the reinforcement, previous repairs and any signs of overloading or cutting. The findings are classified in line with IStructE guidance so the Birstall owner can see which planks need immediate action, which need monitoring and which are sound.
Anything with a flat or shallow-pitched roof built between the late 1950s and the mid 1990s: schools, colleges, hospitals, clinics, council offices, leisure centres, community halls, housing blocks, retail units and industrial sheds. Across Leicestershire the education and NHS estates have been counted; the rest of the stock has not, and that is where most uninspected RAAC now sits.
Plank by plank, not as a general opinion. Each element is identified, its condition recorded and classified in line with IStructE guidance, and every significant defect is photographed and located on a plan. The report says what was found, what was not found and how confident each reading is, so the Leicestershire owner can act on it directly.