Concrete Condition Surveys

The independent assessment your structure needs before any repair is specified

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Service overview

A concrete condition survey is the independent assessment that tells you what is wrong with a structure, why it is failing, and what it will cost to put right. Delivered properly, it removes guesswork from the decision. Delivered poorly, it costs the client twice: once for the flawed survey, and again when the specified repair fails to address the actual problem.

CRS delivers concrete condition surveys across the full range of UK building and infrastructure assets. Residential blocks and high-rise. Commercial buildings and industrial facilities. Multi-storey car parks. Bridges and highway structures. Water and wastewater assets. Heritage and listed buildings. Each survey is scoped to the structure, the client’s objectives and the level of detail the follow-on decision requires.

The survey is delivered by trained inspectors with concrete repair delivery experience, using the appropriate access method for the structure. IRATA Level 3 rope access for high-rise and restricted-access buildings. Mobile elevating work platforms and mast climbers for larger elevations. Traditional access where scaffold is already in place or where the scope requires it. Access method is agreed at the outset to minimise cost and disruption.

Every survey combines visual inspection with targeted testing appropriate to the structure and its suspected condition. Half-cell potential mapping to identify corrosion activity. Cover meter surveys to establish reinforcement depth. Carbonation testing to assess concrete pH at reinforcement level. Chloride sampling where ingress is suspected. Delamination surveys where debonding is possible. Core sampling for laboratory analysis where required. Testing is scoped to the survey, not applied by default.

The output is a written report with defect mapping, photographs, test results, root cause analysis and prioritised repair recommendations. Costed budget ranges are provided where the client needs them for planning purposes. The report is designed to be actionable, either as the basis for a specification and tender, or as internal documentation supporting asset management decisions.

CRS is not a survey-only consultancy. Where the client wants to appoint us for the follow-on works, we deliver the specification and repair from the same team. Where the client wants to competitively tender the works, our survey and specification are written to be tendered against openly. The procurement decision stays with the client.

What this service covers

Visual Inspection & Defect Mapping

Systematic visual survey of the structure or elements, recording spalling, cracking, staining, movement and other visible defects on annotated drawings or digital models.

Half-Cell Potential Mapping

Electrochemical mapping of reinforcement corrosion activity across accessible surfaces, delivered to BS 1881 or ASTM C876 methodology. Identifies active corrosion zones for targeted repair.

Carbonation & Cover Testing

Cover meter surveys to establish reinforcement depth and phenolphthalein testing to measure carbonation depth. Combined analysis identifies where reinforcement is at risk of carbonation-induced corrosion.

Chloride Testing & Sampling

On-site chloride testing and laboratory chloride profiling where salt ingress is suspected, particularly on car parks, marine structures and coastal buildings.

Delamination & Sounding Surveys

Chain drag and hammer sounding to identify debonded and delaminated concrete not visible on the surface. Quantifies the extent of hidden defects.

Core Sampling & Laboratory Testing

Core extraction for compressive strength, petrographic analysis, chloride profiling and other laboratory tests. Coordinated with UKAS-accredited testing laboratories.

Why choose Concrete Repair Solutions?

Independent survey backed by delivery experience

Our surveys are informed by contracting experience. We know what fails on site, what repair specifications actually work, and what the underlying causes look like. Desk-based consultancies produce reports; ours produce actionable specifications.

Whole life of the structure

CRS surveys, specifies, repairs and maintains. Where the client wants continuity, the same team returns for the follow-on works and future inspection cycles. Where the client wants to tender the works separately, the survey is written to be tendered against.

Accredited and approved

SafeContractor accredited, with a CSCS-carded workforce and SSSTS-qualified site supervision. IRATA Level 3 rope access operatives for surveys at height. Independent external HSQE consultancy oversight of health, safety, quality and environmental management on every project.

Track record

Concrete condition surveys delivered across residential, commercial, infrastructure and public-sector assets throughout the UK. Live projects viewable in the Projects section.

Our process

1. Discuss & Scope

Initial conversation to understand the structure, the client’s concerns, the follow-on decision the survey needs to support, and any known history. Survey scope, testing and access method agreed at this stage.

2. Site Survey & Testing

On-site visual inspection, defect mapping, targeted testing and sampling as agreed at scoping. Access provided using the appropriate method for the structure.

3. Analysis & Reporting

Laboratory results integrated with site findings, root cause analysis, and preparation of the written report with prioritised recommendations and budget ranges.

4. Handover & Next Steps

Report delivered to the client with a walkthrough call where useful. Where follow-on specification, tender support or repair works are wanted, these are quoted and delivered separately from the survey.

Recent projects

Related Surveys & Services

Frequently asked questions

Cost depends on the size and complexity of the structure, the access method required, and the level of testing included. A single-block residential survey with rope access and basic testing is typically a few thousand pounds; a large multi-storey car park with extensive testing is more. We quote each survey to the specific scope after an initial conversation, so the cost reflects what is actually needed rather than a stock package.

A concrete condition survey assesses the condition of the concrete itself, focused on defects, corrosion, deterioration and repair prioritisation. A structural investigation is broader, addressing load capacity, structural adequacy, movement and often driven by a proposed change of use or a specific structural concern. The two overlap but have different focus and different deliverables. Our team will advise which is appropriate at scoping stage, or arrange both where the situation requires it.

No. The survey is delivered as a standalone service. Where clients want continuity and appoint CRS for the follow-on specification and repair, that is straightforward. Where clients want to competitively tender the works, our survey and specification are designed to be tendered against openly, using generic descriptions rather than proprietary language that would favour CRS. The procurement decision is the client’s.

Concrete spalling is the breaking or flaking of concrete from a structural surface, usually caused by corrosion of embedded reinforcement expanding and cracking the surrounding concrete. Visible spalling is one of the primary indicators identified in a condition survey, but the survey also identifies hidden delamination, active corrosion zones that have not yet spalled, and the underlying cause. Repair specified from a proper survey addresses both visible and hidden defects.

Site work typically takes between one day and one week depending on structure size and access. Laboratory testing adds one to three weeks depending on the tests specified. Written report delivery is typically within two weeks of completing site work, or longer where extensive laboratory analysis is included. Programme is agreed at scoping and confirmed once mobilised.

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