Engineering 5 min readUpdated Jul 2026
Utility detection before excavation, CAT4 scanning on every Hinchliffe project
The 30 minutes of scanning that prevents a very bad afternoon.
Every driveway excavation on a domestic property is potentially cutting through live services, gas main, incoming water, electric supply, BT copper, fibre. Hitting any of them is dangerous, expensive and completely avoidable.
What CAT4 scanning does
A CAT4 (Cable Avoidance Tool, 4th generation) combined with a signal generator locates live power cables, radio-detectable services and buried metallic pipework. Combined with statutory service plans and on-site trial holes where required, it gives us a working map of what is under the surface before the digger arrives.
Our excavation start-up sequence
- Statutory service plans requested and reviewed
- CAT4 sweep of the full excavation area, marked in spray paint
- Trial holes by hand around any detected service
- Reduced-dig approach in the first 300 mm to protect shallow services
- Full pre-excavation photo record filed against the project