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Accurate pipe & cable locating for safe and compliant excavation.
MCS Surveyors provides professional pipe and cable locating services across Sydney. Whether you are planning excavation for construction, landscaping, or infrastructure works, knowing what lies beneath the surface is critical to protecting people, property, and essential services.
Our experienced team uses advanced locating technology to identify and mark underground utilities including water pipes, gas mains, electrical cables, and telecommunications lines. By locating these assets accurately before any ground is broken, we help clients avoid delays, safety risks, and costly repair bills.
Excavation always carries the risk of damaging unseen infrastructure. Australia’s utility networks supply vital services such as drinking water, gas, electricity, sewer systems, and telecommunications. Accidentally striking a buried pipe or cable during excavation can result in serious safety incidents, large repair costs, and significant project delays.
Engaging a professional pipe and cable locating team ensures that your worksite is assessed using reliable methods and that any buried utilities are clearly identified before excavation begins. This is especially important when working in built-up areas, near roads, on development sites, or within residential boundaries.
Pipe and cable locating is the process of detecting, identifying, and marking the presence of underground utilities using non-invasive methods. These may include:
Different utility types and conditions may require different detection approaches. Our trained technicians understand which tools to use and how to interpret complex data, ensuring each service is located as accurately as possible.
Once located, services are marked clearly on site and can also be mapped or integrated into construction documentation if required.
Our pipe and cable locating services are used to identify and mark:
Our team can also advise on further potholing or non-destructive digging requirements if deeper confirmation is needed.
Contact UsIdentifying underground utilities starts with a careful and methodical approach. The typical process includes:
Before engaging a locating technician, all projects should begin with a Dial Before You Dig (DBYD) request. This free national service provides utility maps and plans from relevant asset owners. These documents indicate where services might be located and often come with additional instructions from each asset owner.
DBYD plans are typically received within 48 hours and form the foundation for safe planning. However, these plans do not provide exact physical locations of assets and must be verified on site.
Our trained specialists use electromagnetic locators, GPR, and other advanced tools to physically scan your site. We confirm the presence, location, depth, and alignment of underground utilities. Any services found are marked clearly on the ground using paint or pegs.
Where required, we provide a digital sketch or mapping of located services. We also offer recommendations on minimum approach distances, safe excavation practices, and any asset owner conditions you must comply with.
Our goal is to ensure you have full visibility of what lies beneath the surface so you can plan excavation works safely and with confidence.
Even a seemingly flat block of land may have minor elevation changes that affect water runoff, excavation costs, and structural design. A topographic survey ensures no critical information is missed.
Yes. Even standard suburban blocks often contain a number of underground services. These can include:
Rural properties may also have buried Telstra infrastructure or high-pressure pipelines within their boundary lines.
Even if you believe your property has no utilities, it is essential to request DBYD plans and verify locations through a qualified technician before starting any digging or trenching works.
Each asset owner has different minimum clearance or exclusion zones. These depend on the type of asset, its condition, and the proposed excavation method.
For example:
All asset owner conditions are included with your DBYD plans and must be reviewed carefully. If you are unsure, our team can help interpret the requirements and recommend safe control measures.
At MCS Surveyors, we combine modern locating equipment with decades of field experience. Our goal is to provide clients with accurate, site-specific data that reduces risk, improves compliance, and keeps projects on track.
Here is what sets us apart:
We work with builders, civil contractors, landscapers, developers, and homeowners to ensure underground services are properly identified before excavation begins.
If you are planning excavation or construction works, do not take chances with what is below the surface. Protect your team, your timeline, and your budget by engaging MCS Surveyors for professional utility locating.
Contact us today to arrange your pipe and cable locating service or request a tailored quote.
Our 30 years of combined experience in this industry has allowed us to consistently provide the best survey services to our clients for their residential, commercial, civil, and industrial properties in Sydney & Wollongong. Get in touch today for free preliminary advice and quote.
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