With approximately 75% of higher education campuses and over 50% of K-12 schools planning on starting construction projects last year, construction spend in this space is on the rise. These stats, according to the Construction Productivity Blog, show the trend increasing in the need for safe construction practices. One of the biggest concerns facing contractors when completing these school renovation projects are unknowns regarding underground private property utilities and concrete reinforcement. Due to some of these facilities being decades-old, drawings and maps aren’t always available or even accurate. Seldom are utility as-built drawings updated every time a construction renovation is completed, leaving excavation contractors exposed to utility strikes, shut downs, delays and injuries. Construction projects on school campuses are time-sensitive due to class schedules and breaks so delays must be avoided.
Higher Education campuses are in constant building mode – trying to add more value and capacity for their students. Excavating, digging, trenching, drilling and boring is a natural result of these projects. Typically, the 811 process is capable of locating the underground facilities prior to these services. GPRS is able to perform these one-call services by partnering with the school and the state sponsored 811 systems to locate the needed tickets. But, what can a general contractor to when the campus is all on private property? GPRS can provide locating services in this scenario as well. Our highly-trained Project Managers will service these campuses that are on private property – just like the public system. Call can be placed to GPRS to locate underground utilities, clear digging areas, create and update utility maps, and review locate tickets. GPRS services are not limited to locating utilities. By utilizing ground penetrating radar, GPRS PMs can scan concrete prior to saw cutting or core drilling. Whether scanning interior or exterior areas, using GPRS services helps to keep your team and job site safe.