Locating and surveying
Site and route clearance surveys in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg
The most expensive find on a construction site is the one the excavator makes. A clearance survey turns the sequence around: before earthworks, drilling or piling start, we drive the site or route systematically and make visible what the as-built plan does not know – utilities, foundations, voids. Marked in the field, delivered into your planning. Reach us on +49 (0) 173 6842932 or at office@cft-de.de.
What we do on site
We stake out the survey area together and drive it in a grid; conspicuous areas are re-measured more tightly until the finding stands. The precondition is a walkable, drivable surface. Finds are marked and surveyed in; whatever cannot be attributed unambiguously is stated as such in the report – we do not guess.
Key facts at a glance
| Methods | Ground-penetrating radar (GPR), Grid scan and focused investigation, Foundation and vault detection, Electromagnetic cable location, Traceable pipe sondes, Surveying with GPS and total station |
|---|---|
| Application range | Construction sites and development areas, utility routes, industrial and hall floors, traffic areas, historic building ground |
| Duration | One day to several days, depending on the scope |
| Result format | Marking in the field, .shp, .gpkg, .dwg, .dxf, .pdf |
| Service area | Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg from our Erding base – CFT Group Deutschland GmbH, Lange Zeile 27, D-85435 Erding |
For you as a business
A surveyed site changes the job in three ways: earthworks can move fast where nothing lies; where something lies, it is explored deliberately instead of torn up; and the discussion with utilities and clients rests on a report instead of hearsay. For piling, bored piles and sheet walls, the clearance survey is the difference between schedule and standstill – one struck medium-voltage cable costs more than any survey.
How the job runs
- You name area, project and schedule pressure; we agree grid and scope.
- The area is driven in a grid with ground-penetrating radar; electromagnetic cable location and sondes supplement wherever signals can be applied.
- Conspicuous areas are re-measured more tightly until the finding is unambiguous or can be named as a suspect zone.
- Finds are marked at the surface and surveyed in with GPS or total station.
- You receive marking, report and the data in your formats – all the way to a GIS dataset.
Equipment and methods
Ground-penetrating radar reads density contrasts in the ground and thereby finds what carries no signal: plastic pipes, clayware, foundations, vaults. Metallic and live lines are confirmed by electromagnetic cable location; traceable sondes go into accessible pipes. How deep the radar reaches is decided by the ground – far in sandy strata, an early stop in heavy loam. That, too, is stated honestly in the report.
How we work in the field.
A real job: the staked-out field on the riverbank, driven pass by pass with the ground penetrating radar – and georeferenced via GPS.
What you receive
The marking in the field, a report with findings and suspect zones, and the surveyed results as .shp, .gpkg, .dwg, .dxf and .pdf – directly usable in planning, tendering and GIS.
Costs and effort
We charge by area and grid density from Erding. A rough forecast works on the phone: area size, surface and project are enough for an honest estimate of what the survey costs – and what it saves.
Frequently asked questions
Does the clearance survey guarantee an empty site?
No – it shows what is measurable and names what remains unclear. A serious report distinguishes finding, suspicion and zones that cannot be assessed. Exactly this honesty is what makes it reliable.
Is the utilities’ as-built plan not enough?
It is the start, not the answer: plans know neither legacy installations nor abandoned lines nor what was never recorded. The clearance survey checks the plan against the ground.
Does the survey work on every surface?
It needs a walkable, drivable area. Asphalt, concrete, gravel and short growth work well; rubble heaps, dense vegetation and deep mud limit the grid – in that case we say beforehand what can be reached.
Describe the findings.
The more precisely you describe the findings, the more directly we can go to work. Plans, readings and photos help us settle the method in advance.
What happens next
- We read your message and match the case to a method.
- We come back to you – usually with a question that shortens the appointment.
- We confirm the appointment and what it costs before anyone sets off.
Rather talk?
+49 (0) 173 6842932
Describe your case.
Fastest by telephone – then we settle straight away which method fits and what you should prepare.
Or write to office@cft-de.de.