The 3 Most Overlooked Ways To Prevent Unexpected Costs

While it may seem that we are in the business of civil engineering… The truth is, we are in the business of saving property owners and managers money. UDS Civils works with businesses across every industry to analyze various facets of their current property and structures to identify weaknesses and faults.  While land surveying and leak detection are commonly utilized, there are a few ways that many are overlooking that could prevent or reduce costs in the future.

An Overhead View Of Hard To Reach Places

Not all properties are accessible by foot. Drone Surveying is the most accurate and precise way to gather vital information about a property — particularly properties with difficult to access areas or large land masses that need to be surveyed quickly. Drone Surveying gives property managers insight that ensure projects are completed the right way the first time. This keeps costs low and projects on schedule.

 An In-Depth Look Within The Walls

It is common to wait to see physical signs of decay in concrete structures before taking action to repair them; however, this is a dangerous and costly approach. In fact, many times there will be little to no signs of decay prior to a structure’s collapse. A Concrete Survey is the only way to gain data about the soundness of a concrete structure and can prevent costly repairs down the road. 

A Test Of Structure In High-Traffic Areas

Railways are designed to withstand lots of pressure, weight, and movement. Despite their sound design, even the best rail-tracks can have service interruptions or worse, long-term down time as a result of poor maintenance. A GPR Ballast Evaluation Survey is the best way to analyze the conditions of a rail-track and determine when and where repairs are needed.

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Selecting the right team for the job is often the difference between a successful, complete project and one filled with challenges and setbacks. When making decisions for your company, it is always beneficial to take the time to research and select the right civil engineering team for your project. Whether it is for utility detection services, pipeline leak detection, or geotechnical investigations, the right team will lead to the desired outcome and a seamless experience.

1. The Team’s Experience 

One of the first things to look for when finding the right civil engineering team for your project needs is the team’s experience. How long has the company been in business for? What experience do each of the team members have? Identifying this information will provide insight into whether the team has had enough experience to take on challenging projects and complete your project on time, with no errors.

Understanding the importance of experience in civil engineering projects, UDS Civils is highly selective in growing their team and takes pride in hiring only the best engineers across the industry. When UDS Civils works with clients on projects, their team is fully equipped and experienced to take on any challenges or unexpected incidents as they may arise.

2. The Team’s Knowledge 

There are highly knowledgeable and effective teams that have diverse expertise across many sectors of civil engineering. On the other hand, there are teams that are highly specialized and focus on a specific facet of civil engineering to build their knowledge, skills, and expertise. While both may be able to complete the task at hand, you want to identify the best team for your job — a team that can not just finish the job, but finish it on time, error-free, and with a precise attention to detail.

Before working with a new civil engineering company, find out what areas they have expertise in. Do they specialize in the areas your projects require? UDS Civils has several teams with different skills and knowledge — all specialized to meet the specific needs of your project. When you work with UDS Civils, you can have confidence knowing that the team members have in-depth knowledge needed to complete your project perfectly, on time, and handle any complications as they may arise.

3. The Team’s Depth

Within a single team, each member brings its own set of skills and knowledge. When selecting a civil engineering company for your next project, the team’s depth is as an important consideration to make. Do they have a diverse team with broad skills and experiences? Do they have a big enough team to handle a job of your size? Researching the team’s depth before deciding on a team for your project is the best way to ensure that your project will be completed as anticipated, with no unexpected incidents.

We know the right team is important for your business. You want to ensure that the investment you are making into your engineering project is in the right company and right team. Look no further than UDS Civils. Equipped with experience, knowledge, and depth, UDS Civils offers everything a company needs to complete any project ranging from pipeline inspections to land surveying.

5 Common Construction Problems You Can Prevent

When it comes to construction, there are many problems that are foreseeable and preventable with the right knowledge and guidance. Understand some of the most common construction problems, so you can connect with the right resources to ensure your company can avoid the most prevalent challenges in construction.

The Structure is Too Large or Heavy

Often, the ground that the structure is being built on is overlooked when beginning construction. Even if the surface layer is investigated, there may be more to know than at first glance. Understanding the details of the ground where the construction is taking place is vital to determining the right size of the structure and the right building materials to use. Without this information, many construction companies will construct a building that cannot be supported by the ground it is on in the long-term. A Geo-Technical investigation is the best way to understand the ground you are breaking ground on and determine the optimal structure size and weight for the area.

The Ground is Too Unstable

The best way ensure your structure will be unaffected throughout years of continuous use is by preparing for the worst, most unexpected situations. Many times, people forget to consider natural disasters when building new structures. With a Geo-Technical investigation, engineers can determine how a natural disaster would impact the proposed structure and you can account for earthquakes or other disasters before beginning construction.

There Are Hidden Obstructions

Without utility detection services, it is nearly impossible to determine if there are hidden obstructions that would impact the construction of a structure on a particular site. Utility detection is a simple, yet easy way to know if there are any utilities or Telkom Lines where you plan on breaking ground. Prevent costly mistakes down the road by taking the time and investing in utility detection before constructing your new structure.

A Broken or Cracked Pipe

Dealing with the challenges of a broken or cracked pipe are costly and time-consuming. A broken pipe can require invasive repairs, that could halt use of the facilities during repair and impact business continuity. Most broken or cracked pipes are easily preventable by identifying and repairing small leaks immediately. Leak detection services are the best way to detect a leak before it grows into a greater problem. Working with a company, like UDS Civils, that uses a non-invasive leak detection method will reduce costs and down time for your facilities.

Pipeline Blockages

Like a leak, a pipeline blockage is a small issue that when undetected can require major excavations that are extremely costly and time consuming. By working with the right team to conduct a pipeline investigation and detecting the issue early on, you can reduce the impact of a pipeline blockage. Act immediately upon suspicion to work with a skilled team of experts to prevent this common challenge property owners across the continent are facing.

With all of these common construction challenges, the problems are often foreseeable and preventable, but fast action and expertise is required. Consider working with UDS Civils to prevent costly problems on your property.

Without the proper attention, an undetected leak can cause more damage than it seems. A leak may start as a few spare drops of water, but with time, can grow into a larger issue. Discover the negative outcomes that can result from an undetected leak and avoid these outcomes by being proactive in caring for your property.

Pipe Damages

A small leak often means there are issues with the structure of the pipes. When detected early, the pipes can often be repaired or replaced with minimal disruption. If undetected, pipes can break or burst, causing greater damages and excavations required for repair. With the latest technology and skilled team, UDS Civils makes leak detection less invasive than ever before. There is no risk involved in leak detection, but you will reap the benefits of preventing a leak before it grows or avoiding long-term damages.

Expensive Bills

Undetected leaks can be costly. The first cost is the water bill. A leak that goes undetected for an extended period of time is likely to grow with time and cause higher monthly charges for water usage. Secondly, when damages result from undetected leaks, they can be quite costly to repair. Invest in preventative measures, like leak detection services, to avoid disastrous and costly situations down the road.

Property Damage

Finally, an undetected leak can damage your property in many ways. The specific outcomes vary depending on the size and location of the leak, but damages can range from flooding to warped floors and walls to mold. The longer the leak goes undetected, the greater the impacts can be. Detect leaks before they cause any damages for the greatest outcome.

UDS Civils is South Africa’s leading solutions-based civil engineering firm offering services ranging from Water Leak Detection, Land Surveying, and Utility Detection to Geotechnical Investigations, 3D Scanning, and CCTV Pipeline Inspections.

UDS can help you save water?

As droughts continue to persist in the area, having enough available water for operating a business or project has become an increasingly difficult task. In an attempt to avoid day zero, businesses are required to reduce their usage to 45 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2015. Unfortunately, water loss and leaks are some of the greatest threats to water conservation.

The best way to minimize your organization’s water consumption is by taking preventative measures to reduce the impacts of water loss or avoid the situation entirely. Consider these steps:

1. DETECT

The best way to minimize the impact of a water loss incident is detecting it before it happens. UDS Civils’ Leak Detection services notify you of foreseeable problems, as well as existing issues. Even a simple faucet leaking at one drip per second can amount to more than 3,000 gallons of water wasted in a year. Imagine this impact on a much larger scale. Whether we detect existing leaks, discover foreseeable issues, or find that your property is leak-free, investing in Leak Detection services is vital to the minimizing your organization’s water usage.

2. PREVENT

You can use the knowledge gained from detection to prevent any foreseeable issues that were discovered. Doing so will allow you to conserve water usage, as well as reduce costly problems down the road. Prevention is always more cost effective than the results of an emergency situation.

3. MANAGE

When a leak or damage is detected, UDS Civils is here to help you locate the leak and make the necessary repairs. When it comes to leak management, timeliness is key. Work with our team of experts to ensure your property is in good hands and recovers seamlessly from any issues detected.

Did you know this about Utility Detection?

Working with a professional civil engineering firm, like UDS Civils, has many benefits for properties. Extending beyond your own property, Utility Detection services and preventative services like, Water Loss Management and Water Leak Detection can have significant impacts and benefits to the entire community. When it comes to your organization’s reputation and perception in the community, every community driven effort you make counts.

Benefits of Utility Detection

Did you know that an underground utility line is damaged every 8 minutes? Without taking the time to have a professional utility detection service before digging into the ground, you risk harming yourself, your property, your team, and your community. A professional utility detection team, like UDS Civils, will ensure that you know where pipes, manholes, electrical wires, gas, sewer, telephone, cable lines, and more are located.

With this information, your organization is able to confidently break ground, knowing that it will not cause a community wide power outage or water main break. The risks of not using a utility detection service include the cost of the community impacts, such as families without access to electricity or other area businesses without proper internet and phone communication. The small investment into a utility detection service can help maintain your reputation as a positive contributor to the community.

Benefits of Water Loss Management and Water Leak Detection

Like utility detection, water loss management and water leak detection can have a significant impact beyond your organization and your property itself. Both water loss management and water leak detection are key to conserving the valuable resource of water. When organizations do not manage water loss or stop leaks early, lots of precious water is wasted, water that could have been used for drinking or bathing by families in the community.

Hiring experts in water loss management and water leak detection, like UDS Civils, will ensure that the damages of leaks or water loss will be kept to a minimum. This can prevent larger issues like pipes completely bursting or properties flooding. Pipe breaks and flooding also impact the community by making it difficult to access clean water or damaging others’ properties and livelihoods.

Community Implications

Taking the proper steps to maintain your property is part of your role, not only in managing your organization, but also as a positive contributor to your community. The members of your community value their home and the surrounding neighborhoods and businesses. Continue promoting the value of your organization and property to the community by being responsible in hiring a professional utility detection team and managing water loss and leaks. With this proactive responsibility, you will reduce the risk of negatively harming your property and the community, which could be very costly both financially and to your organization’s reputation.

Think ahead and employ professional civil engineering services to protect your organization and your community.