Seismic surveying services offer a way to see underground. These services involve creating a seismic wave and then evaluating the reflected or refracted impulses that come back to seismic detectors. Using this method, surveyors are able to tell whether caverns or minerals and other substances exist underground. Usually, professionals use controlled dynamite explosions, an electric vibrator or a falling weight (known as a thumper) to generate the seismic wave. They then use a seismogram to record the timing and strength of the ground waves, which allows the surveyors to determine what, if anything exists underground.

There are many reasons why construction and real estate professionals rely on seismic surveys. These surveys can be used to determine whether oil, gas, minerals or other valuables exist on an investment property. Seismic surveys are also often used as part of due diligence to avoid dangers during the building process. If you are considering hiring a survey service, consider:

1. Trying land seismic surveying services to evaluate the true value of a land area.

2. Using seismic surveying services to determine the best areas for building in the pre-construction phase.

3. Employing seismic evaluation survey services to determine the safety of buildings in earthquake areas.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Hire seismic surveying services to evaluate the value of investment property.

Real estate and construction professionals who invest in land obviously want to get the best value from that land. While construction may seem like a good value for the money, if a property has gas or oil under the surface, exploiting that may be the better investment. A seismic survey service can help you evaluate the best option by letting you understand what is underneath the real estate purchased.

I recommend: Geokinetics is a Texas-based company offering seismic surveying services to the oil and gas exploration industries, as well as other sectors. ION services the oil and gas industries with survey design solutions that include 2D, 3D and 4D surveys as well as survey design and project management planning. Both companies can help you understand whether there are any natural resources on your land.

Choose mapping and survey companies for pre-construction seismic surveying services

A pre-blast or pre-construction survey can uncover cracks and other hidden dangers before building begins. This survey can help you avoid a lawsuit caused by a construction mishap and can help you find problems that would affect the structural integrity of the building you are creating.

I recommend: Seismic Surveys offers pre-construction surveys and evaluations. Hager-Richter Geoscience offers seismic surveys specifically to the construction industry. The company uses two high-quality Geometrics Geode 24-channel digital instantaneous floating point seismographs for surveys.

Use seismic surveying services for seismic evaluations

Seismic evaluations consider a property's structure to evaluate the structural soundness of building improvements and the overall soundness of a building. They can be useful in protecting your company from a lawsuit in the event of a seismic event. This sort of survey can also help determine whether a property you are considering purchasing is vulnerable to seismic damage.

I recommend: Building Evaluations offer seismic evaluations for existing buildings, additions and sites. Jeff Coronado Structural Engineering Consultants (JCSE) has been involved with many prominent seismic evaluation projects in the California area.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If a property is near water, you may need to use marine seismic surveying services in order to evaluate any potential underground resources or problems. This type of seismic surveying service uses seismic cables and boats in order to check for problems and possible resources under water system floors.