3 Things to Look For in a Borehole Drilling Company

If you are new to the industry and are looking to hire a borehole drilling company to help you with your project, it can be difficult to know where to start. We understand, as you are often met with so many contractors that all claim to be the “best people for the job” – but this is not always the case, and it is important to separate the wheat from the chaff and find the company that suits your specific requirements the best.

We thought we would help you out, as we know this can all seem overwhelming at first so we have outlined the top three things you should look for in a professional borehole company, and explore the borehole drilling services currently available here at Teckna Group.

What should I look for in a borehole drilling company?

These are a few of the main qualities that you will need to look for in a borehole drilling company. 

1) Experience

It is important to note that borehole drilling is a specialised and technical process that needs to be done with precision. If it is done incorrectly, problems can quickly crop up with costly consequences. This is why it is a good idea to have the job done properly first time round, and to do a little research before you trust a borehole drilling company. Rather than hire the first company that you come across, take a look at a few different contractors and try to select a borehole company with proven industrial experience.

Ideally, you’ll want to identify a service provider that has experience dealing with projects of a very similar nature to yours. For example, if the service you’re looking at hasn’t yet bored as deep as you need your borehole to be, or hasn’t bored in that rock type (and it’s also a tough rock to drill through) then it could be worth it to continue with your search.

Here at Teckna Group, we boast over 35 years of experience in the industry and are a 3^rd generation family-owned business and, having worked on countless private and commercial projects, we are now regarded as one of the leading borehole companies in the country. We have experience in pretty much all borehole drilling conditions, and bring that wealth of experience to all of our projects.

2) Accreditations

When choosing a new drilling company, it is crucial to make sure they have the relevant certificates and accreditations. These not only verify the legitimacy of the business, but also confirmed their trustworthiness and their willingness to keep up-to-date with the latest industry developments.

For example, at Teckna Group we are both ISO9001:2015 registered and a corporate member of numerous, industry-related associations – such as the British Drilling Association, the National Federation of Builders, the British Safety Council, RoSPA and many more. We strive to continuously improve our knowledge and our services always adhere to the best industry practices.

Accreditation is more than just a technicality or a simple badge. It shows our deeply held commitment to improvement and consistency, commitments that we continue to practically develop as new technologies and processes become available to us.

3) Quality Control

A good borehole drilling company will make sure that they have a number of “quality control” measures in place. These are designed to check the safety and accuracy of the borehole that they have installed. These make sure that the job is completed to the highest possible standard, and are a good indication of a company who cares about their work.

Here at Teckna Group, we conduct a variety of tests throughout the borehole installation process. All of our geothermal boreholes are pressure-tested and own water boreholes are assessed for both the amount of water and drawdown available. Samples of the water will also be sent to a nearby UKAS laboratory, to be examined in line with strict government standards.

As a result, you will end up with a water source that is of an incredibly consistent quality. If you depend on consistency for any manufacturing processes or other unique requirements, then this can be a much more effective route compared to getting water straight from the mains. 

Our goal is to make sure our work is as good as it can be and these checks are in place for our peace of mind, to know that we’re doing a good job, just as much as yours so you know that you can rely on your new investment.

An easy checklist

These are some clear, concise questions to keep in mind or ask prospective borehole drilling providers.

• Check reviews

A quick and easy thing to have a look at is the provider’s reviews. Look for problematic trends, and also try to find testimonials from past clients who wanted a similar project carried out to yours. 

• Insurance

Another easy thing to assess is whether the provider has adequate insurance. Make sure that they have the right public liability policy in place to cover any damage or accidents that could occur on your property. 

• The right service

You might just want to have the borehole drilled by one company and then get someone else to do the rest of the job, but it’s a lot more convenient if you can find a single turnkey solution. Try to find a provider that can give you a complete service, arranging everything from initial geological surveys to pump installation. 

• Pricing

Do a bit of research to check what price you should expect to pay for a project of your size. Once you know the ballpark, you can ask the providers you’re considering for a quote and see if it matches your budget. 

• Communication

If you’re going to have a team bring huge pieces of equipment to your property and carry out some serious work, you want to make sure that you can communicate with them easily. If there are any issues that you spot early on when making your initial inquiries, consider going elsewhere for a simpler, less stressful experience.

• Risk management

While it’s probably not appropriate to interrogate providers on the precise methodology they use to manage risk, it is worth making a broader judgment in this area. If you suspect that the provider you’re considering runs a bit of a cowboy outfit, and there’s any evidence to suggest this in past reviews, cease your consideration and continue searching. 

Questions to ask yourself

Before initiating your search for a borehole provider, you’ll need to answer some basic questions they’ll likely ask you. These include:

• What’s your intended use? For example, is it water for a domestic potable water source, water for manufacturing processes, or to install a ground source heat pump to heat a building?

• What’s the rock or soil type beneath your property? This is something that will need to be properly assessed through a more thorough geological survey, but you might have some kind of idea already that could be helpful and provide the borehole drilling company with a bit more context. 

• Are you in an environmentally protected or sensitive area? In some cases, this might mean that there are restrictions on what kinds of drilling projects can and cannot be carried out. 

You don’t have to know the answers to these questions perfectly, but it can help smooth out the initial conversations you have with potential contractors a bit and make everything go a little bit quicker. 

Get in touch with a leading borehole drilling company

If you’re in need of a borehole drilling contractor, it’s important to do your research first and choose a company that is professional, reliable and experienced. Look for companies that have experience in similar projects to yours, and don’t take any circumspect offerings.

At Teckna Group we can assure you that we tick all the right boxes. We are incredibly proud of the borehole drilling services that we provide and we can help with both private and commercial projects. So why not call us today on 01257 421700 or send an email to enquiries@tecknagroup.co.uk and we will respond to your enquiry as soon as possible.