Are you looking after your workers? A construction project is nothing without it’s workers, so ensuring a productive (and happy) workforce is essential for getting a project finished on time. With that being said, we’ve decided to look into a few different ways you can keep your workers in positive spirits and make sure your… Read More
Blog
5 ways to keep costs under control on a construction project
Finding yourself going over budget on every project? Overspending on a construction project is a nightmare for everyone involved, and we’d all like to do our best to avoid it. There are some things such as delays due to weather that are out of our hands, but there are a few things we can do… Read More
Continuing success for cornerstone
Cornerstone Projects registered its 2000th customer during May 2017. Now in their 13th year, they are pleased to have reached this milestone so quickly. The last 6 months has also seen the fastest growth in both new customers registering and orders placed for utility searches and additional services such as CAD drawing, Section 50’s, Capacity… Read More
The cost of utility plans (disbursements) – where’s the cheapest city in the UK?
It’s nearly 7 times the cost to pay for utility plans a basic utility search in London as it is in Yorkshire. The cheapest place to call for utility plans covering Gas, Electric, Water, Sewer and BT is Leeds, Bradford and Sheffield at only £20.00 + VAT. The cost in London is a staggering £139.94… Read More
Should I be searching for communication cables and fibre in my underground utility searches?
Fibre and cable networks are growing rapidly. This is mainly due to the demand for faster broadband and improved rural access. Cable and fibre networks now create further challenges for anyone putting together underground utility plans prior to starting any excavation. The challenge for many is two-fold… 1. Should I be including this as part… Read More
Utility disbursement costs for underground utility searches – why so varied?
Some utility companies provide plans for free and some charge up to £75 disbursement charge – the majority are somewhere in between. There is no definitive precedent for disbursement pricing for utility plans – the costs are very much a subjective decision made by the utility company. The ones offering no disbursement costs are perhaps… Read More
Listen, take note and you’ll find so much more…
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been keeping a note of every time a customer mentions something they like about our utility search service. The reason for this is that I had convinced myself that, as we offer a standardised product (a utility report should not be different regardless of who provides it), speed and… Read More
Why you should consider buying underground utility plans before starting a construction project
Anytime you want to construct a new building in an unfamiliar or new environment, you should ensure that you observe Health & Safety requirements. You have to confirm whether the land has any underground pipes, fiber optic cables, or electrical cables. For you to ensure safety and to avoid damaging these facilities, you must obtain… Read More
Cornerstone completes it’s 40,000th utility search
During September 2017, Cornerstone Projects Ltd saw it’s 40,000th underground utility search go through its books. Over the 13 years or so in business, this means the Cornerstone Projects team have ordered and checked over a 1/3 of a million individual plans from the utility companies. And this doesn’t take into account that a lot… Read More
Exciting developments to our utility search proposition coming soon…
We’re making some more utility search options available following some great feedback from our customers. These are exciting new developments that will offer some great benefits as follows:- Instant access plans Ever been in desperate need to see individual utility plans as they come in before your pack is complete? You will soon have the… Read More
Underground utility search expert, Cornerstone Projects, appointed to provide Scottish Water plans
The UK’s leading underground utility search provider, Cornerstone Projects, has been appointed by Scottish Water as an approved supplier on their commercial plant enquiries. It’s an exciting move for the nationwide company, which has been providing professional services to the UK construction industry for over 13 years. Now, appointed to provide Scottish Water plans to… Read More
Taking care when locating buried utilities
Whether you are planning a self build project, an extension or simply excavating an area where you are unsure of what is beneath the surface it is wise to check with the utility companies first. Many people make assumptions with regards to locating buried utilities that often come back to haunt them. Locating buried utilities… Read More
5 benefits of outsourcing your underground utility searches
What happens when you outsource your utility search? Simple really. You provide details of the site/route that you require a utility search for – usually also providing a plan with the search area clearly defined. You then need to choose your search requirement. Most providers offer a basic search (gas, water, sewer, electric, BT etc.)… Read More
What happens in the US with utility searches when Donald Trump builds his Mexican wall
Safer, cheaper, quicker and much easier than the UK! I’m new to the Industry and the whole process of Underground Utility Searches. I must admit my first impression is that calling for utility plans here in the UK can be slow, frustrating, expensive and exhausting. I was duly reminded that these are the exact… Read More
The challenges of construction projects in the winter
Although British Winters aren’t famous for heavy snow, this year it is very likely, alongside. frozen grounds and cold winds. These are elements that can be a nightmare for us in the construction industry. The cost implication of these can be heavily felt, even without any reported rise in the cost of building materials. … Read More
Underground pipes and cabling in the UK – infographic
The UK has an enormous amount of underground pipes and cabling that provides the country with gas, electricity, telecommunication, water and more. There are a number of Gas & Electric Distributors throughout the UK who use the underground pipes and cabling to ensure that consumers get the utilities they need. Check out the informative infographic… Read More