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

RAAC Surveys Randalstown | Identification and Assessment | NDTScan

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

Overview

RAAC surveys in Randalstown are carried out by NDTScan, the UK's specialist in the identification and analysis of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. The planks were installed in Antrim and Newtownabbey 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.

Randalstown does not feature on the government lists of confirmed RAAC, which only ever counted schools, colleges and hospital sites. The construction itself was used across Antrim and Newtownabbey for three decades in council buildings, housing, community halls, offices and light industrial units. Where a flat or shallow roof dates from 1955 to 1995 and its make-up is unknown, NDTScan's advice is to identify it before the next winter rather than after it.

NDTScan surveys RAAC in Randalstown 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 Randalstown 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 Randalstown client, and the reason NDTScan reports what the concrete contains before anyone specifies what to do about it.

Services Available in Randalstown

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

RAAC in and around Randalstown

Around Randalstown the work divides into four kinds. Owners who do not know what their roof is made of and need it identified. Owners who know it is RAAC and need every plank assessed and classified in line with IStructE guidance. Estates teams who need a management plan and a reinspection regime for planks staying in service. And Antrim and Newtownabbey clients who have a survey or a remediation proposal in front of them and want NDTScan's independent view before committing money. Public bodies, housing providers, insurers and private owners all instruct on the same basis.

NDTScan also provides RAAC surveys in Metropolitan Newtownabbey, Antrim, Ballyclare and Crumlin and the rest of Antrim and Newtownabbey. The rest of the region is covered from the Northern Ireland 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 Randalstown 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.

Randalstown RAAC Services

02080
888 724

info@ ndtscan.com

Yes. RAAC identification and assessment is what NDTScan is known for, and Randalstown 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 Randalstown 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 Randalstown 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 Antrim and Newtownabbey 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 Antrim and Newtownabbey owner can act on it directly.

Our NDT Process - Simplified

How NDTScan Delivers Clarity, Confidence, and Compliance

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.

Recommendations & Support

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

Precision Scanning. Proven Results. Trusted Nationwide.

Our performance protects your assets. Our technology leads the way. Our insight helps you decide.

We deliver specialist non-destructive testing (NDT) that helps you avoid risk, cut cost, and gain absolute clarity, across infrastructure, utilities, construction, marine and more.

Why Choose NDTScan

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.

Highly Skilled Team

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

Certified, Auditable Results

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

Support When You Need It

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

Randalstown RAAC Survey FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions.

The questions Antrim and Newtownabbey clients ask most often about RAAC surveys in Randalstown, answered by the UK's RAAC specialist.
Yes. RAAC identification and assessment is what NDTScan is known for, and Randalstown 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 Randalstown 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 Randalstown 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 Antrim and Newtownabbey 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 Antrim and Newtownabbey owner can act on it directly.