Concrete Slab Scanning for Industrial Warehouses in BC

Why This Scan Matters

Industrial warehouse slabs in BC are typically 6-12 inches thick, lightly to moderately reinforced, and often poured in large unjointed sections with embedded saw-cut control joints. They carry process-equipment anchors, dock-leveler bolts, in-floor conduit for power and data, sometimes hydronic snow-melt loops at loading docks, and — in newer Tilt-Up and pre-cast construction — a denser rebar grid plus PT cabling in roof-tied panels and column footings. The volume and weight of pallet racking, MHE traffic, and stored product means a single un-marked drill can punch through a power feed or PT cable and shut a warehouse down for days.

Our industrial warehouse scanning team works with logistics operators, third-party logistics providers, food and beverage processors, manufacturers, and the racking and equipment installers who serve them. We’re set up to scan large floor areas efficiently — orthogonal grids on 1-2 metre lines depending on what we’re looking for — and to deliver reports formatted exactly the way racking-engineering firms and dock-leveler manufacturers expect.

Most industrial scans we run in BC are tied to either new pallet-racking installs, dock-leveler retrofits, in-floor charger installs for electric MHE, or process-equipment expansion. The cost of our scan is invariably a small fraction of what a hit-PT-cable repair would cost on a working warehouse floor.

What We Detect Inside the Concrete

Concrete is rarely “just concrete.” Modern slabs in BC carry a tight grid of structural steel, electrical conduits, water lines, low-voltage cabling, and — in post-tensioned construction — high-tension cables that will fail catastrophically if cut. Our scans map every embedded element before any drilling, coring, or cutting begins.

Common Scenarios We Solve On This Page

Pallet racking installation — pre-anchor scan

New racking systems anchor with multiple bolts per upright. We map the floor under each rack run, flag PT/rebar/conduit zones, and provide the installer with a marked plan so anchor placement avoids embedded hazards entirely.

Dock leveler pit retrofit

New or replacement dock levelers involve cutting and pouring a pit in the slab. We scan the cut perimeter and pit footprint, identify any in-floor power or hydronic lines, and stand by during the cut.

In-floor MHE charger / battery wash installation

Battery-electric MHE fleets need in-floor power. We scan the route from sub-panel to charger pad, locate existing conduit, and identify safe cut/anchor zones.

Process-equipment anchor (palletisers, conveyors, AGV charging)

Heavy process equipment anchors deep into the slab. Hitting rebar prevents a clean anchor set; hitting conduit creates an electrical incident. We pre-scan every anchor location.

Floor-saw control-joint or repair-cut work

When existing control joints fail or new cuts are needed for tenant fit-out, we scan the cut line before saw work begins — especially critical near walls, columns, and dock edges where reinforcement density is highest.

Who Books This Type of Scan

Operations and engineering teams at 3PL, food/beverage, manufacturing, and distribution operators across BC’s industrial parks (Tilbury, Annacis, Boundary, Port Kells, Riverside, Marine Way, Annacis, Maple Meadows, Pitt Meadows) book us routinely.

Racking and material-handling installers bring us in as their pre-work scan partner, particularly for big-box and high-bay installs where post-tension or unexpected sub-base utilities create installation risk.

Dock-leveler and loading-equipment manufacturers’ service partners request scans before pit excavation and replacement work.

Industrial property owners and REIT asset managers commission slab condition surveys during acquisition due diligence and tenant turnover.

Our Concrete Scanning Process — Step by Step

1. Pre-scan briefing

Before we step on site we want your drawings, photos, the exact intent (“I need to core eight 4″ holes through this 8″ suspended slab”), and any constraints — live wiring, occupied tenant space, sensitive equipment below. A 5-minute call almost always saves a costly surprise.

2. Site walk & grid layout

On arrival the technician confirms safe access, marks a working grid (typical 1×1 m or 1×1 ft), and photographs baseline conditions. If the slab is dirty or coated we sweep and may light-sand to ensure good antenna contact.

3. GPR scanning passes

We run an orthogonal grid with our 1600/2000 MHz concrete antenna — one set of lines in the X-direction, one in the Y. The real-time image is reviewed on screen; hits are paint-marked on the slab directly as the survey progresses.

4. Verification & cross-check

For high-stakes work (PT slabs, deep cores, occupied buildings below) we cross-verify with a secondary method — electromagnetic locator, half-cell, or impact-echo — to remove false positives and pin down depths.

5. Marking, photos & report

Every embedded element gets a colour-coded mark on the slab (red = PT, blue = rebar, green = conduit, yellow = water/hydronic). Before we leave you receive on-site photos and, on the next 1-2 business days, a stamped PDF report with annotated drawings.

6. Standby for drilling/coring

For complex jobs we stay on site while your contractor drills the first 1-2 holes, so any unexpected reading can be addressed in real time. Once we’re confident, we hand off and you continue safely.

Equipment We Bring on a Concrete Scan

Every instrument is calibrated and traceable. Calibration certificates can be supplied with the report on request — useful for tenders, insurance claims, and government work.

What Does a Concrete Slab Scan Cost in BC?

Concrete scanning is priced by the technician’s time and the scope of marking required. As a guide for budgeting:

• Small single-area scan (one room, 1-2 cores) — typically a half-day rate, suitable for residential or single-suite work.
• Medium scope (full floor plate, multiple drill zones) — full-day rate; includes orthogonal grid, marking, and PDF report.
• Multi-floor or PT slab survey — quoted by floor area; PT slabs require additional verification time.
• Stand-by during drilling — hourly add-on; recommended for any post-tension or occupied-suite work below.
• After-hours / weekend work — premium quoted upfront; common for retail and hospital scans where daytime access isn’t possible.

Every quote is itemised and emailed before we mobilise. There are no junk fees, no minimum subscriptions, and no surprise add-ons. Get an honest number at (604) 269-5325.

BC Building Code & Worksite-Safety Context

WorkSafeBC and the BC Building Code don’t mandate a concrete scan by name — but they do mandate that you not cut, drill, or core into a structural slab without first verifying what’s inside. Scanning is the standard of care, and any competent general contractor or strata council will expect to see scan documentation before drilling proceeds.

For post-tensioned slabs the bar is higher still: cutting a PT cable is treated as a near-miss safety incident even when no one is injured. Most municipalities (City of Vancouver, City of Burnaby, City of Surrey, District of West Vancouver, City of Victoria) will ask to see a scan report as part of any tenant-improvement permit involving slab penetrations.

Our reports include the technician’s name, scan date, equipment used, slab area covered, and a marked drawing. That documentation is enough for almost every permit, insurance, and warranty conversation in BC.

Service Areas Across British Columbia

We mobilise to Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond, Coquitlam, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Delta, Langley, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, White Rock, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Mission, Squamish, Whistler, Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna, Kamloops, Prince George, and most BC communities in between. For a full list see our service areas hub.

Outside the Lower Mainland we typically batch concrete-scan work with other inspections to keep mobilisation fair. Call (604) 269-5325 with your address and timeline and we’ll quote travel honestly.

Why BC Property Owners Choose AnyLeak for Concrete Scanning

• Since 1999 — over two decades of BC concrete work, from heritage West-End buildings to modern high-rises in Yaletown and Burnaby.
• One responsible technician per job — no junior left alone with your slab. Senior leads run every PT and high-risk scan personally.
• Written, stamped reports — every scan ends with annotated drawings, photos, and notes your contractor, architect, or insurer can act on.
• Insurance-friendly documentation — adjusters across BC accept our reports as expert evidence for water-loss, structural, and pre-renovation claims.
• BC-wide coverage — Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Sea-to-Sky, Vancouver Island, Okanagan, Kootenays, and Northern BC. Travel charges are quoted upfront, never hidden.
• Standby during drilling — for high-risk cores we stay on site through the first holes so any anomaly can be re-scanned on the spot.

Frequently Asked Questions