It is a difficult task to choose the right contractors with the proper experience, certifications and reliability for a project. There are some basic guidelines that are used to weigh the pros and cons of different contractors. You need to be especially careful when selecting contractors to carry out operations regarding the structure of the building such as concrete core drilling.
You can start by searching for concrete core drilling contractors online but this is only the first step. But there’s more research to be done to get an idea about their services and reliability. You can find more info here about the scope of the work undertaken by the company by checking the website of the company. You need to look at the safety record of the contractor as well. They need to have safety procedures in place that are followed consistently and a low record of injuries at the site. This shows the contractor’s regard for the employees under the company. In most projects, this safety record will be requested from the contractor by the engineer and the building owner. Most of the time, you may not see the safety rating of the contractor on the website so you can contact them and get the relevant information. There are safety certifications they should obtain.
Concrete core drilling is a very specific job so they should use the right technology for the job. Only the required area should be drilled when drilling a wall, floor or ceiling. So there should be a good level of precision when it comes to machinery as well as the skill of those who operate it. Once the drilling has been done and the necessary pipe lines, electricity lines etc. have been drawn through it, the rest of the open space of the hole needs to be filled and patched up. And you need to look at preserving the integrity and strength of the concrete as well. So there should be professionals on the contractor’s team who will be able to tell where least impact to the concrete structure will be subjected when deciding on the drilling location. If there is a concern, they should convey that to the site engineer immediately so that they can come to a unanimous decision.
The machinery of the contractor should be up to date as well. The quality of the drill will determine the ease of cleaning after the process and the level of invasiveness of the procedure. Core drilling is a more effective way of creating a hole when compared to hammer drilling which will lead to a lot of mess in the aftermath to clean. Also, it can be less safe than core drilling and more time consuming. When you are drilling in a structure that already has electrical lines, HVAC ducting and plumbing lines running through it, this can be a dangerous operation. If by any chance, a live circuit is hit, the driller can get electrocuted. So the contractor should be able to work with the engineer of the project so they can pinpoint safe areas to drilling through to avoid existing utility lines. But most importantly, the contractor should have radar scanning services to confirm 100% that they are drilling in the right place with no risk to the workers.