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Concrete coring is the process of drilling clean, perfectly round holes through concrete with diamond-tipped core bits. If you need openings for plumbing, electrical conduits, HVAC ducts, or anchors in a Vancouver home or commercial building, coring is the fastest, cleanest way to get them — without cracking or weakening the surrounding concrete. At scanXpert, we core holes from 12 mm to 600 mm in diameter in floors, walls, and ceilings across Greater Vancouver, and every job starts with a GPR concrete scan so we never drill blind. Call (236) 868-2111 for a free coring quote — we are available 24/7.
What Is Concrete Coring?
Concrete coring — also called core drilling — uses a hollow, diamond-embedded steel bit that grinds a circular plug out of concrete, brick, or stone. Unlike a hammer drill, which pounds its way through and can fracture the surrounding material, a core drill cuts smoothly, leaving a clean hole with smooth walls and no micro-cracking around the edge. The removed cylinder of concrete is called the core, and it can even be kept for laboratory strength testing.
Coring works on slabs, foundation walls, suspended floors, columns, and beams. It can cut through rebar when the layout requires it — although we always map reinforcement with ground-penetrating radar first, so every cut through steel is a deliberate decision, never an accident.
When Do You Need Concrete Coring in Vancouver?
Most coring jobs across Greater Vancouver fall into a few common scenarios:
- Plumbing rough-ins: holes through basement slabs and foundation walls for drains, water lines, and sump pump discharge.
- Electrical and data: penetrations for conduits, cable trays, and panel feeds in commercial buildings and strata properties.
- HVAC: openings for ductwork, exhaust fans, and make-up air units in parkades and mechanical rooms.
- Anchoring and dowelling: precise holes for structural anchors, rebar planting, and equipment mounts.
- Testing and analysis: extracting core samples to verify the strength and quality of existing concrete.
Concrete Coring vs. Concrete Cutting: Which Does Your Project Need?
Coring and cutting are complementary services — scanXpert provides both — but they solve different problems. Choose coring when you need round holes: pipe and conduit penetrations, anchor holes, and core samples. Choose concrete cutting when you need straight lines or rectangular openings: doorways, window openings, control joints, trench cuts for new drains, or full slab removal.
On many Vancouver renovation projects the two go together — for example, a wall saw cuts the rectangular opening for a new doorway while a core drill makes the round penetrations for the plumbing serving the new bathroom. Tell us what you are building and we will match the right method to each opening.
Our Concrete Coring Process: Scan, Core, Clean
1. Scan first. Before the drill ever touches concrete, we run ground-penetrating radar over the area to map rebar, post-tension cables, and embedded conduits. This step is non-negotiable on our jobs — especially in Vancouver’s towers and parkades, where post-tensioned slabs are common. Our concrete scanning service marks every finding directly on the concrete, so the drill operator works from a precise map.
2. Core with water control. Diamond coring is a wet process: water cools the bit and suppresses silica dust at the source. We contain that water with collection rings, slurry vacuums, and protective sheeting, so finished and occupied spaces stay clean and dry.
3. Clean up and confirm. We remove the cores and slurry, wipe down the work area, and walk every hole location with you before we leave the site.
Methods, Sizes, and Depths
Our standard diamond core bits cut holes from 12 mm to 600 mm in diameter, and with extensions we drill deeper than a metre. For openings larger than a single core — elevator shafts, stairwells, large duct penetrations — we use stitch coring: a series of overlapping cores that outline any shape, which is then broken out cleanly. In tight or occupied spaces we use rig-mounted drills anchored directly to the concrete for low-vibration, precision drilling, and vacuum recovery systems keep the work area virtually dust-free.
Why Scanning Before Coring Is Non-Negotiable
Drilling blind into structural concrete is a gamble no project should take. Hitting rebar means broken bits and a weakened slab. Severing a post-tension cable can release explosive force and compromise the structure. Striking a live conduit or water line shuts the job down and creates serious safety hazards. A quick GPR scan costs a fraction of a single mistake and takes minutes per area — and because the same scanXpert crew scans and cores, there is no handoff gap between the scan and the drilling.
After Coring: Don’t Forget Fire Stopping
Once pipes, cables, and ducts run through your new openings, the annular space around each penetration must be sealed to maintain the fire rating of the wall or floor — a BC Building Code requirement. scanXpert’s fire stopping service seals every penetration with listed firestop materials and documents each installation for your inspection records. One contractor that cores the holes and seals them afterwards means no gaps in responsibility.
How to Prepare for a Coring Visit
A little preparation makes the visit faster. Clear furniture and stored items at least a metre from each drilling location, confirm we will have access to a standard water supply and power outlet, and let us know about any known in-slab heating, plumbing, or electrical runs. If you have structural drawings, share them in advance — we will still scan, but drawings help us plan the grid. For strata and commercial sites, arranging elevator booking and after-hours access ahead of time avoids delays.
Concrete Coring Service Area: Greater Vancouver and All of BC
Based in West Vancouver, scanXpert provides concrete coring throughout Greater Vancouver — Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond, Coquitlam, North Vancouver, Langley, Delta, and surrounding communities — and anywhere in British Columbia for larger commercial and industrial projects. We operate 24/7, so emergency and after-hours coring can be scheduled around your project, not ours.
Get a Free Concrete Coring Quote in Vancouver
Tell us the diameter, depth, and number of holes you need — or send us your drawings — and we will confirm the right setup and a firm price. Call scanXpert at (236) 868-2111 or request a quote through our contact page. Free estimates, no hidden fees, and most residential jobs completed same-day or next-day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does concrete coring cost in Vancouver?
Coring is typically priced per hole, based on the diameter, depth, concrete thickness, rebar content, and site access. A single small residential core costs far less than a large-diameter or deep commercial core, and the GPR scan is quoted with the job. The most accurate price comes from a quick site visit or a review of your drawings — call (236) 868-2111 for a free, no-obligation estimate.
Can you core through rebar?
Yes. Diamond core bits cut through reinforcing steel when the layout requires it. That said, we always scan first with ground-penetrating radar to map rebar and post-tension cables, so every cut through steel is a deliberate decision — never an accident.
How do you control dust and water during coring?
Diamond coring is a wet process: water cools the bit and suppresses silica dust at the source. We contain that water with collection rings, slurry vacuums, and protective sheeting. In finished or occupied spaces we take extra precautions to protect floors, equipment, and furnishings, and every job follows WorkSafeBC silica exposure requirements.
Do I need a concrete scan before coring a residential slab?
If the concrete is structural — a basement slab, a foundation wall, or a suspended slab — yes. A fast GPR scan maps rebar, conduits, and voids before drilling, turning the most expensive renovation mistake into a non-issue. Most residential scans take less than an hour on site.
How fast can you complete concrete coring work?
Most residential and light commercial coring jobs are completed same-day or next-day, often within a few hours on site. Larger projects with dozens of cores are scheduled in phases around your trades. We offer 24/7 emergency coring across Greater Vancouver — call (236) 868-2111 and we will give you a firm timeline with your free quote.
