Tree root mapping: see where the roots run before the works start.
Works are planned next to a protected or valuable tree: a trench, a foundation, a new pavement. The tree expert needs to know where the coarse roots run, without digging them up to find out.
What we find
Typical depth and the antenna we bring. The ground decides the rest; we say so before quoting.
Tree root zones
Coarse roots and soil anomalies around protected trees, without digging.
Deep or large targets start with a feasibility test: a short test section decides whether a full survey makes sense.
What you receive
- A root map on a grid around the tree, with depth
- Radargrams with the root reflections marked
- A short report for the tree expert or the planning file
The limits, for this kind of survey
Fine roots
Roots below about 2 cm are below the resolution of the radar.
Depth depends on the soil
Coarse roots are usually found to about 1 m; wet clay can bring the useful depth well below that.
Wet clay and saline soil
They absorb the signal and blur the root reflections.
Projects of this kind, anonymised
Client names, addresses and locations withheld.
| Site | Task | Antenna · data | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal green space | Root zone and soil anomalies around a protected old hornbeam, for a tree-expert file | 400 MHz grid | Commissioned |
Status: Surveyed — carried out by us on site. Commissioned — ordered by the client, survey still to be carried out.
Budget
Usually a single target: from €1,200 excl. VAT (€1,452 incl. 21% VAT) for one tree root zone.
Every quote lists field time, processing, reporting and travel separately.
Request a quote
Tell us the site and the target. An engineer replies within one working day, with a fixed price or a question.
* required
Frequently asked
Do you need to dig?
No. The radar works from the surface, on a grid around the tree.
Which roots can you see?
Coarse roots from about 2 cm, typically to about 1 m depth depending on the soil. Fine roots are not visible.
Is the result usable in a tree-expert file?
Yes. The map and the short report are written so a tree expert can use them in the assessment.
Other survey services
All survey services →
Utility and buried-structure detection
Pipes, cables, tanks, old foundations, voids and galleries, located before you dig.
Road and pavement survey
Layer thickness, debonding, voids and subsidence under roads and paved areas.
Concrete and structures
Rebar, slab thickness, voids and moisture in slabs, car parks, basements, bridge decks and tunnel linings.
Archaeology and heritage
Old foundations, wall lines, graves and buried structures, before excavation or restoration.