How to write a concrete scanning brief
A good brief produces a better survey. Here is exactly what to include when commissioning a concrete scanning survey — scope, access, drawings, deliverables, and programme.
A concrete scanning survey is only as good as the brief it is scoped against. The surveyor cannot quote accurately, plan sensibly, or deliver the right output without a clear written brief — and “have a look at the slab” is not one. This post goes through a concrete scanning brief field by field, so you can treat it as a template. Each section says what to write and shows the difference between wording that helps the surveyor and wording that leaves them guessing.
Project identification and site
Start with the basics so the survey is unambiguously tied to a place and a job. Include the project name and number, the full site address including the specific building or area, and a named site contact with a phone number. State which organisation is commissioning the survey and who the report should be issued to.
Vague: “the warehouse job.” Useful: “Unit 4, Eastgate Industrial Estate, Plot Reference E4 — Block B ground-floor slab.”
Scope of works — the element and the question
This is the most important field. Two things go here: which element is being scanned, and what question the scan must answer.
Identify the element precisely — slab, wall, column, or beam — with grid references or a sketch, and give its approximate dimensions and the extent to be scanned. Then state the question. A scan is a tool, and the surveyor scopes it differently depending on what you need to know.
Vague: “scan the slab.” Useful: “Scan a 4 m by 3 m area of the ground-floor slab between grids C3 and D4 ahead of drilling 12 fixing holes for new plant; we need to know where it is safe to drill.” Or: “Map the reinforcement layout and cover in the existing column at grid B2 to inform a strengthening design for the structural engineer.” The clearer the question, the closer the deliverable will be to what you actually need.
Structural context and history
Tell the surveyor what you know about the structure, because it changes how the survey is approached. Note the structural type if known — ordinary reinforced concrete, post-tension floor, beam-and-block, masonry — and say so plainly if it is unknown. Give the approximate age, any major alterations, and any known defects or features such as embedded services, previous repairs, or suspected voids.
If there is any possibility the slab is post-tensioned, say so explicitly. A struck tendon is the most expensive avoidable mistake on a building, and the surveyor needs to know this before quoting, not on the day.
Access and constraints
Set out the practical conditions so there are no surprises on site. Cover the induction requirement and how long it takes, the permitted working hours, and whether the work is in an occupied or live environment. Note any access constraints — areas that are obstructed, surfaces that may be wet or covered, working-at-height needs, or power and lighting limitations. State whether the area will be cleared and the surface clean before the surveyor arrives, and who is responsible for that.
Vague: “access during the day.” Useful: “Site induction required, allow 45 minutes; working hours 08:00–16:30; the slab is in a live distribution warehouse, the area will be barriered off and cleared by us the evening before; surface is bare power-floated concrete.”
Drawings and reference information
List the drawings and documents you can provide, and provide them with the brief rather than promising them later. Structural drawings, reinforcement drawings, and as-built or services drawings all help the surveyor — even when they are known to be out of date, because they show what to expect and where the uncertainty lies. If no drawings exist, say so; that is itself useful information and tells the surveyor not to rely on them.
Required deliverables and formats
Be explicit about what you want delivered, because “a report” means different things to different people. State which of the following you need: an on-surface markup of every target in chalk or paint; a written report with depths, positions, photographs, and a narrative interpretation; a CAD-ready DXF or DWG plan, and if so in which coordinate system; and a calibration record and method statement. Confirm the file formats your downstream users actually work with, and who needs to receive the deliverable.
Most reputable surveyors provide a markup, a report, and photographs as standard. Naming the deliverables in the brief removes any ambiguity and gives you a defensible reference point if something is missing.
Programme and dates
State when you need the work done and when you need the report. Note any fixed constraints — a possession window, a concrete pour, a date after which the area is no longer accessible — and flag whether the survey sits on the critical path. A surveyor who knows the programme can tell you honestly whether it is achievable.
Commercial and contractual details
Finally, record the practical commercial points: who to send the quotation to, the purchase-order or contract reference, any framework or pre-qualification requirements, and any insurance or accreditation evidence the surveyor must supply. Note any site-specific requirements such as drug-and-alcohol testing or particular PPE, so the surveyor arrives prepared.
A concrete scanning brief that covers these eight sections — site, scope and question, structural context, access, drawings, deliverables, programme, and commercial details — gives the surveyor everything needed to quote precisely and deliver exactly what the project requires. It takes fifteen minutes to write properly, and it is the single best investment of time you can make in the survey.