How Long Does a Full Utility Survey Typically Take – and When Should It Be Scheduled?
If you’re planning excavation, drainage, piling, or groundworks, you’ve likely wondered how long a full utility survey takes, and equally when it should be booked. Utility surveys are a vital part of modern UK construction planning and help avoid costly clashes, redesign, and service strikes — which remain a major safety risk in excavation work according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Exposing buried utility chambers during a PAS 128 survey to confirm service routes, improve design coordination, and reduce excavation risk on highways projects.
What Counts as a Full Utility Survey?
A “full” utility survey in the UK is normally carried out to PAS 128 standards, which outline recognised techniques and quality levels for detecting buried utilities.
Most full surveys include:
Desktop utility records from statutory undertakers
On-site detection using GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) and EML (Electromagnetic Location)
Survey control tied to a known grid
CAD drawings showing detected services with confidence levels
A clear utility report for designers and site teams
This matters because PAS 128 gives PMs and designers clarity on what was found, how it was found, and how reliable the information is, which directly affects design and construction sequencing.
How Long Does the Site Work Take?
This varies depending on survey area, access, traffic management, and ground conditions, but here’s a realistic baseline from highways and civils projects:
Small plot or junction works: 1 day
Medium estate or civils schemes: 2 days
Large or complex infrastructure corridors: 3–5+ days
Time can increase if:
Traffic management or lane closures are required
Slab, heavy reinforcement, or thick tarmac reduces GPR penetration
Utilities are congested (common in towns/highways)
The survey requires night working or TTRO coordination
On highways, traffic management must follow the Safety at Street Works and Road Works Code of Practice.
How Long Does Processing & CAD Take?
After on-site detection, data still needs to be processed, interpreted, and drawn. Typical times:
Processing & CAD: 3–5 working days
QA, review & issue: 1–2 working days
So from mobilisation to final drawings, the typical full lead time is 7–10 working days, depending on urgency and complexity.
It should ideally happen in RIBA Stage 2–4, not when the machine is already on site. The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) highlights early risk identification as a core element of good construction management.
Leaving it late usually causes:
Unplanned redesign
Service strikes (injury + claims)
Programme delays
Stand-down costs
Additional temporary works
If a PM asks “Can we just start digging while we wait?”, the answer is almost always no.
When Should a Utility Survey Be Scheduled?
This is the key part most programmes get wrong.
A utility survey should be completed before:
Final design coordination
Drainage & civils design sign-off
Groundworks pricing
Piling layouts
Excavation start
Setting out for services or foundations
It should ideally happen in RIBA Stage 2–4, not when the machine is already on site. The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) highlights early risk identification as a core element of good construction management.
Leaving it late usually causes:
Unplanned redesign
Service strikes (injury + claims)
Programme delays
Stand-down costs
Additional temporary works
If a PM asks “Can we just start digging while we wait?”, the answer is almost always no.
Does a Utility Survey Delay the Programme?
Only if it’s booked late.
When scheduled correctly, it protects the programme by removing unknowns before design and procurement. It also reduces temporary works redesign, which is a frequent pain point for civils contractors.
Most full utility surveys don’t take long — 1–3 days on site plus a week for drawings. But they unlock clarity for everyone: Project managers, designers, QSs, and site engineers. If your works involve excavation, scheduling a utility survey early is one of the simplest ways to avoid delays, redesign, and service strikes.
👉 Visit www.aknengineering.co.uk or call us on ☎️ 01279 276030 to discuss your next project.