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RAAC surveys in Dudley, West Midlands. The UK's reference point for RAAC.

RAAC Surveys Dudley, West Midlands | Identification and Assessment | NDTScan

RAAC identification, condition assessment and reporting to IStructE guidance across Dudley, West Midlands and the surrounding area. NDTScan attends from its Oxford base, anywhere in the UK.
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Cracked RAAC roof planks photographed during an NDTScan survey

Overview

NDTScan carries out RAAC surveys in Dudley for schools, hospitals, councils, housing providers, universities and commercial owners. Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete was used in roofs, floors and walls from the late 1950s to the mid 1990s, and a great deal of it is still in service across West Midlands. NDTScan is the UK's specialist in identifying it, assessing it and telling an owner plainly what to do next.

The Department for Education's list of education settings with confirmed RAAC, published in February 2024, includes 2 settings in Dudley, among them St James Academy and Redhill School. The Department of Health and Social Care's list of hospital sites with confirmed RAAC includes Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston, Rowley Regis Hospital, Russells Hall and Sandwell General Hospital and others in West Midlands. NDTScan names these buildings to show that RAAC is a live issue in West Midlands, not to suggest it has worked on them. The published lists cover education and NHS estates only. The same planks sit in council offices, housing, leisure centres, theatres, shops, depots and private commercial stock around Dudley that no national list has ever counted.

NDTScan surveys RAAC in Dudley 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.

One rule applies to every RAAC survey in Dudley. No remediation, propping, strengthening or replacement should be designed until each plank has been identified and its condition recorded. Some of the most expensive RAAC decisions in the UK were taken on roofs that had never been properly surveyed. The survey is the cheapest part of getting the decision right, and NDTScan will say so to every Dudley client.

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

Services Available in Dudley

  • RAAC Identification Survey GPR based, plank by plank identification of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in roofs, floors and walls across Dudley. 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 West Midlands 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 Dudley owner needs an independent second opinion on a survey or a remediation proposal.

RAAC in and around Dudley

Instructions in and around Dudley follow the RAAC lifecycle. Identification surveys where the construction of a flat or shallow roof is uncertain. Condition assessment of planks already known to be RAAC. Risk classification to IStructE guidance to support closure, propping or continued use decisions. Management plans and reinspection for planks kept in service. Independent review where a West Midlands owner has been given a survey or a remediation quote and wants a second opinion before spending. NDTScan works for the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Office of Government Property funded bodies as well as private owners, and attends Dudley from its Oxford base.

NDTScan also provides RAAC surveys in Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Solihull, West Bromwich and Royal Sutton Coldfield and the rest of West Midlands. The rest of the region is covered from the West 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 Dudley 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.

Dudley RAAC Services

  • RAAC Identification GPR based, plank by plank identification of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in Dudley 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 Dudley buildings.
  • IStructE Classification Findings classified in line with IStructE guidance so West Midlands owners and engineers can decide on closure, propping, management or replacement.
  • Schools and Colleges Identification and assessment for education estates across West Midlands, planned around term dates and occupied buildings.
  • NHS, Council and Housing Estates Hospitals, clinics, council buildings, leisure centres and housing stock in and around Dudley, with reporting that supports estate-wide decisions.
  • Nationwide from Oxford NDTScan attends Dudley 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

It is. NDTScan travels anywhere in the UK for RAAC work, and Dudley is reached from the Oxford base like every other town in West Midlands. The survey team, the equipment and the reporting are the same wherever the building is.
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 Dudley 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 Dudley owner can see which planks need immediate action, which need monitoring and which are sound.
No. The published lists only ever covered education settings and NHS hospital sites. A building's absence from them means it was never counted, not that it was surveyed and found clear. NDTScan's advice for any West Midlands building with a flat or shallow roof from 1955 to 1995 is to have the construction identified, which is a single visit and settles the question.
A plank by plank record: what each element is made of, its condition, its classification in line with IStructE guidance and photographs of every defect that matters, with a plain statement of what was found, what was not found and how confident each reading is. It is written for the Dudley owner's engineer, estates team and insurer, and it stands up to scrutiny.
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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.

Data Reporting & Analysis

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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Changing the way industries think about inspection and assurance.

Proven, Compliant Technology

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.

Dudley RAAC Survey FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions.

The questions West Midlands clients ask most often about RAAC surveys in Dudley, answered by the UK's RAAC specialist.
It is. NDTScan travels anywhere in the UK for RAAC work, and Dudley is reached from the Oxford base like every other town in West Midlands. The survey team, the equipment and the reporting are the same wherever the building is.
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 Dudley 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 Dudley owner can see which planks need immediate action, which need monitoring and which are sound.
No. The published lists only ever covered education settings and NHS hospital sites. A building's absence from them means it was never counted, not that it was surveyed and found clear. NDTScan's advice for any West Midlands building with a flat or shallow roof from 1955 to 1995 is to have the construction identified, which is a single visit and settles the question.
A plank by plank record: what each element is made of, its condition, its classification in line with IStructE guidance and photographs of every defect that matters, with a plain statement of what was found, what was not found and how confident each reading is. It is written for the Dudley owner's engineer, estates team and insurer, and it stands up to scrutiny.