The UK construction market has had a mixed year.
Earlier in 2026, Glenigan reported a 29% increase in the value of main contract awards compared with the previous three months. Project starts also increased by 22% over the same period.
At first glance, that sounds like a construction boom.
Look a little closer, though, and the picture is more complicated.
Compared with the same period a year earlier, main contract awards were still 11% lower and project starts were 17% lower.
The latest figures tell a similar story. Glenigan’s September 2026 Index found that underlying construction starts in the three months to the end of August were 2% lower than the previous three months and 20% lower year on year.
There are, however, some areas showing stronger activity.
Civil engineering starts were 23% higher than the previous three months, while infrastructure starts increased by 40% and utilities activity rose by 5%.
So what does this mean for the construction industry?
There isn’t one simple answer. Different parts of the market are moving at different speeds.
For projects that are moving forward, particularly those involving infrastructure, civil engineering and groundworks, good preparation remains essential.
And before any ground is broken, there’s one question worth answering:
What is already underneath the site?
Construction activity isn’t moving at the same pace everywhere
It’s easy to look at a figure such as 29% and assume the entire construction industry is growing at the same rate.
It isn’t.
The latest Glenigan figures show just how different the picture can be depending on the type of construction work involved.
For the three months to the end of August 2026:
UK construction starts: change by sector
Percentage change in construction starts in the three months to the end of August 2026 compared with the preceding three months.
Source: Glenigan Index, September 2026.
Before You Dig: Why Underground Utility Maps Matter
A construction site can look completely clear from the surface.
That doesn’t mean there’s nothing below it.
Electricity cables, gas mains, water pipes, sewers, telecommunications infrastructure, fibre networks and pipelines can all run beneath or around a site.
Some services may be obvious.
Others may not be.
The Health and Safety Executive’s HSG47 guidance, Avoiding danger from underground services, sets out a clear approach to working safely around buried services.
It focuses on three things:
Plan the work
Locate and identify buried services
Excavate safely
It sounds straightforward, but these steps are important because discovering an underground service halfway through excavation is not the ideal time to start investigating what’s there.
The HSE recommends obtaining plans and other relevant information about underground services when planning excavation work. That information can then be used alongside appropriate locating and identification techniques before work begins.
Source: Health and Safety Executive, HSG47.
What can go wrong when services aren’t identified?
An unexpected underground service can cause much more than a delay.
There are obvious safety concerns, particularly when excavation takes place around electricity cables and gas services.
The HSE warns that damaging underground electrical cables can result in electric shock, arcing, explosions and serious burns.
There are also practical consequences for the project.
If a service is discovered unexpectedly, work may need to stop while the service is identified and its position established.
That could mean:
- Additional investigation
- Changes to the planned excavation
- Contacting the relevant utility provider
- Delays to the programme
- Additional costs
- Increased risks for people working on site
Nobody wants to discover a service because they’ve just hit it with an excavator.
The earlier the available information is obtained and reviewed, the more opportunity there is to plan the work properly.
What Do Underground Utility Maps and Utility Searches Actually Tell You?
This is where it’s important to understand exactly what a utility search can and cannot do.
A desktop utility search brings together available information from relevant utility companies and service providers. It helps establish what recorded underground infrastructure may be present within or around a site.
At Cornerstone Projects, we carry out these searches for construction and development projects across the UK, bringing the available information together into a clear pack of plans and data.
But a utility search shouldn’t be treated as a guarantee that every underground service has been identified or that every service will be shown at its exact position or depth.
This is an important point.
The HSE states that plans provide an indication of the location, configuration and number of underground services. Further locating and identification work may still be required.
Depending on the site and the proposed work, this could include locating equipment, trial holes or other survey techniques.
The level of investigation required will depend on the circumstances of the project.
A busy urban site with a lot of existing infrastructure, for example, may need a different approach to a more open site.
So a utility search isn’t a replacement for safe excavation practices.
It is an important part of the information you need before you start.
When should you carry out a utility search?
One common misconception is that a utility search is something you only need when you’re about to start digging.
In reality, the information can be useful much earlier in the project.
Site acquisition
Considering buying or developing a site?
Understanding the underground infrastructure early can help identify potential constraints before you commit to the project.
Feasibility
At the feasibility stage, utility information can be considered alongside your proposed plans and help identify areas that may need further investigation.
Design
Existing services can affect layouts, access routes and proposed works. Having the information available during design gives your team the opportunity to take those constraints into account.
Construction
Once the project reaches the construction stage, the information can be used alongside the site team’s excavation plans and other safety measures.
Getting the search early can therefore be useful for much more than the excavation itself.
It can help you understand the site from the outset.
What should you check before excavation?
Before the first dig takes place, ask yourself:
Do we know what underground services could be present?
Have the relevant utility records been obtained?
Have those records been reviewed against the proposed works?
Could any services conflict with the planned excavation?
Is further investigation or surveying required?
Does the site team have access to the relevant information?
If you’re unsure about any of these, it’s worth finding out before work starts.
The HSE’s guidance is clear that planning is a key part of working safely around underground services.
Why Cornerstone Projects?
At Cornerstone Projects, underground utility searches are what we specialise in.
We’ve been working in this field for more than 21 years and have completed more than 105,000 searches for clients across the UK.
We currently support more than 8,500 registered businesses, providing utility information for construction, development, infrastructure and other projects where what’s beneath the ground matters.
Our standard searches can cover:
- Gas
- Electricity
- Water
- Sewer
- BT
- Oil and gas pipelines
Additional search options are available for independent utilities and cable and fibre companies.
Our searches are available across the UK and can be ordered online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Prices start from £58 + VAT, plus disbursements.
Depending on the search requirements, results are generally returned within 1 to 5 working days.
Our experience means we understand that every site is different.
A utility search isn’t simply about producing a set of plans. It’s about providing the information your project team needs to understand the potential underground constraints before work gets underway.
The market may be changing. The ground isn’t.
The latest construction figures don’t point to one straightforward UK construction boom.
They show a market that’s moving at different speeds, with stronger activity in areas such as infrastructure and civil engineering while other parts of the industry remain under pressure.
For projects that are moving forward, preparation still matters.
And when that preparation involves excavation, understanding what’s beneath the site should be part of the process from the beginning.
Before you break ground, find out what’s underneath it.
At Cornerstone Projects, we’ve spent more than two decades specialising in underground utility searches across the UK.
If you need a utility search for an upcoming project, our team can help you understand what information is available and what type of search you may need.
📞 0151 632 5142
📧 enquiries@cornerstoneprojects.co.uk
Get in touch with Cornerstone Projects to discuss your requirements or request a quotation.
Sources
Glenigan, September 2026 Construction Index
https://www.glenigan.com/glenigan-index-of-construction-starts-to-end-of-august-2026/
Glenigan, May 2026 Construction Review
https://www.glenigan.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Glenigan-Construction-Review_May_2026_40043.pdf
Health and Safety Executive, HSG47: Avoiding danger from underground services
https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg47.htm
