From Your Local Experts
Whether you’re at the acquisition, feasibility, design, or construction stage, knowing exactly what’s underground is essential for safety, compliance, and avoiding costly delays.
Cornerstone Projects provides underground utility searches in Manchester, delivering accurate and compliant utility mapping services for construction, engineering, and development projects. Our experienced surveyors carry out PAS 128 utility surveys in Manchester, helping clients identify buried services safely, reduce risk, and avoid costly delays.
Whether you require underground utility mapping in Manchester for pre-construction planning or full utility searches for construction, we tailor our surveys to suit your project requirements.
Our team takes care of the process for you: we liaise directly with all the relevant Manchester utility providers and compile a clear, comprehensive pack of plans and data for your site. This gives you the accurate information you need to proceed with confidence.
We regularly carry out underground utility surveys across Manchester and surrounding areas including Salford, Trafford, Stockport, Oldham and Greater Manchester. Our local knowledge ensures fast mobilisation and accurate results for commercial and infrastructure projects.
With our utility searches you will enjoy:
- Free 24/7 instant quotes
- 24/7 online ordering
- UK’s most comprehensive online utilities search
- Fast response times
- Professional pdf search reports
- 30-day payments on account
- Free telephone support
- Prices from £58+vat (plus disbursements)
Pricing
Our fee for this starts at £58.00 + VAT + disbursements per utility – we will confirm the cost with you by email before proceeding. The disbursements per search are typically £30 – £270 in total depending on the site location and your search requirements – the actual costs will be confirmed to you by email as soon as we process the enquiry. Searches over a large area (typically more than 200m x 200m) are not covered by our basic charge – we will confirm costs for these with you prior to proceeding with any searches.
We offer a full online solution that will take you less than 5 minutes to request a utility search. Simply register/login and provide the following information to place an order or receive a FREE quotation. The website will allow you to draw a site boundary using Google Maps
- The website will allow you to double check you have the right location using Streetmap.
- You have the option to attach a plan showing the marked area you wish to search.
Choose the search options you wish
- Our basic search includes issuing plans as hard copies and .pdf files and this search covers gas, electric, water, sewer, BT and oil/gas pipelines.
- There are further options for a more comprehensive search including searches for IU’s (Independent Utilities) and cable/fibre companies
- We also offer a search to determine whether your site may be affected by historical mine workings. If it is, you will have the opportunity to purchase a Consultant’s report produced by the Mining Remediation Authority. Find out more about the search here.
- You can also opt for a tailor-made search.
- We also offer additional services such as utility connections quotes, disconnections/diversions quotes, capacity checks and Section 50 applications that you may wish to add to your order.
- There are various help and information pages on the website form to explain the search options available.
Choose your payment options
- Payment options are credit and debit card as well as 30 day “on account” payments.
- By completing and submitting the website form, you will be provided with an estimated price on screen and the confirmed price will be emailed to you within 30 minutes.
- If you have requested a quote only, we will wait for your approval before proceeding. On approval, we commence your search the very same working day.
PAS 128 Utility Surveys in Manchester
Accurate, trustworthy reports are critical for ensuring the health and safety of workers and the public, as well as for preventing costly delays and disruptions. At Cornerstone Projects, we provide PAS 128 compliant utility searches — the current industry standard for underground utility detection, verification and location. Developed through a collaboration between the British Standards Institution (BSI) and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), PAS 128 sets out a rigorous, consistent approach to mapping underground utilities. By complying with the PAS 128 specification, we ensure that the utility information we supply is accurate, reliable and consistent. This removes the element of uncertainty and interpretation often found in traditional utility searches and reduces the variable risk to contractors and project managers when referring to the data. PAS 128 defines four levels of survey category, each offering a different degree of detail and confidence:
- PAS 128 Survey Category Type D – Desktop utility records search
- PAS 128 Survey Category Type C – Site reconnaissance using visible utility features
- PAS 128 Survey Category Type B – Detection using geophysical techniques
- PAS 128 Survey Category Type A – Verification via safe excavation
By working to PAS 128 standards, Cornerstone Projects helps clients reduce risk, avoid unexpected underground hazards, and complete works safely and efficiently. To learn more about PAS 128 and what each survey type involves, please visit the official PAS 128 website.
What is a utility search?
A utility search is the process of locating and identifying underground services such as electricity cables, gas pipes, water mains, sewers, and telecoms. In Manchester, where redevelopment, regeneration, and construction projects are ongoing across the city and Greater Manchester region, this information is vital for safe and efficient project planning.
Why are utility searches important in Manchester?
Manchester has a complex network of underground utilities due to its long history of industrial and urban development. Utility searches help prevent accidents, costly delays, and unexpected repairs. By knowing the exact location of buried services, contractors working on projects in areas like the Northern Quarter, Salford Quays, or the city centre can avoid damaging them during excavation. This not only saves time and money but also helps keep workers and the public safe.
How much does a utility search cost in Manchester?
The cost of a utility search varies depending on the size and location of the site, as well as the number of utility providers involved. Cornerstone Projects offers competitive rates for Manchester projects, starting at just £58.00 + VAT (plus disbursements).
How long does a utility search take?
A basic search generally takes about 3-4 working days in Manchester. For more complex or larger city-centre projects, we ensure all relevant providers are included for complete accuracy.
Why Choose Us?
With years of experience working across Manchester and the wider Greater Manchester region, we’ve built strong relationships with local utility providers. This allows us to carry out underground utility searches quickly, accurately, and professionally — helping projects move forward without unnecessary delays.
We know that time is critical for developments in busy areas such as Manchester City Centre, Salford Quays, and Ancoats, which is why we provide a single point of contact for all your utility surveying needs.
All results can be presented in the format that works best for your project, including detailed 2D AutoCAD drawings. These give you a clear, combined plan of all underground services on your Manchester site, offering a complete overview before any work begins.
Our pricing for this service starts at just £58.00 + VAT (plus disbursements), and we’ll confirm the exact cost with you via email before proceeding.
For more information, download a free sample report today.
PAS 128 Compliant
We provide PAS 128 compliant searches, the industry standard for accuracy and reliability, reducing risk on your projects.
Fast & Efficient
Our streamlined online system and established relationships with utility companies ensure a fast, professional turnaround.
Single Point of Contact
Simplify your workflow. We manage all inquiries on your behalf, providing a single, expert point of contact for all your needs.
Local Stats & Insights
We have extensive experience working on projects across the UK.
- A basic search is currently taking 1-2 working days and a full cable and independent utilities search is roughly 8 working days.
- We also have 220 commercial client users on our books currently based in Manchester, some doing searches locally and others covering the whole of the UK.
- Did you know we have completed over 200 searches with a Manchester postcode in the last 12 months.
- For the past 8 years we have also covered Highways searches on the surrounding motorways to Manchester. All in all we have everything covered in Manchester!
Interesting facts about Manchester
1. Extensive Infrastructure: Manchester has one of the UK’s most complex underground networks, including water, gas, electricity, and telecom lines. Accurate utility reports are crucial for safe construction and renovation.
2. High Demand for Businesses: Over 200,000 businesses operate in Greater Manchester, creating a strong need for reliable underground utility data before any excavation or development.
3. Historical Layers: Some areas of Manchester, especially around the city centre, have infrastructure dating back over 100 years.
4. Manchester Bee: The worker bee is a symbol of Manchester, representing the city’s industrious nature and strong community spirit.
5. Construction Growth: Manchester has experienced a construction boom in recent years, including residential, commercial, and transport projects, increasing the reliance on utility mapping services.
6. Industrial Revolution Birthplace: Manchester is often considered the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, thanks to its early adoption of mechanised manufacturing processes in the 18th century.
7. First Public Library: Chetham’s Library, founded in 1653, is the oldest public library in the English-speaking world.
8. Media City in Salford: Part of Greater Manchester, is home to major broadcasters like the BBC and ITV.
9. Suffragette Movement: Manchester was a significant centre for the women’s suffrage movement. Emmeline Pankhurst founded the Women’s Social and Political Union here in 1903.
10. First Railway Station: The world’s first passenger railway station, Liverpool Road Station, opened in Manchester in 1830.
The main utility plan providers in Manchester are
