Desktop Utility Surveys & Reports

PAS 128 Compliant Utility Desktop Survey Services for Excavation Planning 

Planning groundworks or excavations? A Desktop Utility Survey is the first step to safely and efficiently identify underground utilities. At Technics, we provide accurate, cost-effective desktop utility reports for construction, development, and infrastructure projects across the UK. 

What is a Desktop Utility Report?

A desktop utility survey (also known as a utility desktop survey or PAS 128 Survey Type D) gathers existing utility records to enable an initial analysis of the underground services as part of or before planning any works on site.  

Produced in partnership with emapsite and Groundsure, our Desktop Utility Report helps you plan excavation safely by identifying buried infrastructure, such as gas, electricity, water, and telecoms using statutory provider data.  

The Desktop Utility Report forms the basis of several stages in the construction process. The report is used as a starting point in record validation via visual inspection, precise utility location detection using EML and GPR, and utility location verification through intrusive inspection (trial holes or vacuum excavation). 

Why Do I Need a Desktop Utility Report? 

Failing to conduct a proper utility desktop survey can result in: 

• Potential accidents 

• Legal claims and liabilities 

• Project delays and expensive rescheduling  

• Non-compliance with industry regulations 

Technics Desktop Utility Report therefore forms an essential element of any ground-based project. Our reports help you: 

• Ensure compliance with BSI PAS-128 Standard, Survey Type D, Quality Level – D 

• Meet HSE, CDM, NRSWA 1991, and HSG47 safety standards 

• Reduce project risks and avoid costly errors 

• Minimise delays by supporting effective early-stage planning 

• Assure that sufficient plan detail is available on-site 

• Provide quick access to utility company data 

• Remove the need to register for utility company data services 

Technics Utility Desktop Survey Options

We collate all statutory plans from utility service providers within the agreed site area. Technics Group supply a report in an easy-to-read format, with a clear site plan, contents page and utility service provider plans organised by utility type. To find out more, download our Example Desktop Survey Essential Report or our Example Desktop Survey Premium Report.

For sites with a radius of less than 250 metres, the following options are available:

For sites above this size, quotations are available on a project-by-project basis.

Our digitisation service (GLASS) is available for all sites, whereby supplier plans are traced onto OS Base Mapping within AutoCAD. We offer three different deliverable options for our digitisation service: Basic, Intermediate or Advanced and each can be tailored to meet your requirements by adding or removing vital/unnecessary attributes or data. Please visit our digitisation service (GLASS) page to find out more.

Suppliers Included in Our Utility Desktop Survey 

Our Desktop Utility Report sources responses from an average of 90 suppliers, out of our total list of over 130, to ensure that you receive details on every supplier within your site area.

The suppliers contacted operate in the areas of:

• Gas supply
• Water and sewerage supply
• Electricity supply
• Oil and fuel supply
• Telecommunications and cabling
• Transportation and infrastructure, including:
  • Network Rail
  • Crossrail
  • London Underground
  • Transport for London
  • Tram networks

Our list of utility suppliers is constantly reviewed to ensure that we provide you with the most up to date information possible.

If a full, comprehensive search of all suppliers is not required, the Technics Group Essentials Report is the ideal solution. The Essentials Report includes responses for each region’s main supplier of Gas, Electricity, Water, Sewer and BT Openreach. This is an ideal way to gain the basic information on a site without incurring the cost of a Premium Report.

What Formats Do Our Utility Reports Come In? 

The following formats are available for a Technics Group Utility Report:

• PDF Format: A professional, easy to read PDF report, including a clear site plan, contents page and utility service provider plans organised by utility type.
• Digital Format: A digitised drawing provided in DWG/DXF/SHP formats, whereby each utility is traced onto OS Base Mapping to provide a fully interactive product. This provides a clearer view of utilities, displaying them all in one place.

Why use Technics?

With over 30 years of consulting and surveying expertise, Technics delivers industry-leading utility desktop survey services across the UK. Our in-house specialists use the latest GIS, CAD and digital tools to help you plan with confidence and minimise any potential risk. 

With Technics, you won’t just receive a report. Our expert engineers are on hand to offer you the advice you need to progress to the next stage of planning for any excavation works. When you choose Technics, we can confidently say you are talking to real experts. 

• Expert advice from utility survey engineers 

• Fast turnaround options available 

• Trusted by contractors, developers, and consultants nationwide 

• Integrated services: from desktop reports to vacuum excavation and PAS 128 QL-B surveys 

Whether you need a same-day Essentials Utility Report, a fully digitised Premium Utility Desktop Survey, or even a vacuum excavation service, Technics is here to help.  

If you would like more information regarding Utility Reports or a quotation for your site, please call Stephen Sawyer on 01483 230080 or email utility.reports@technicsgroup.com.