What questions should I ask a GPR mapping company before hiring them?
Before you sign a contract, ask any ground-penetrating-radar mapping company about their cemetery experience, GPR frequency and GPS accuracy, data deliverables, software compatibility, crew credentials, project timeline, on-site disruption, cost structure, and liability insurance. Clear answers reveal whether they can truly protect your graves and records.
Professional cemetery mapping with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is an investment in accuracy, heritage, and risk reduction. Use the questions below to vet providers— and compare their answers to Sentry Mapping’s transparent six-step process.
1. Cemetery-specific expertise: How many burial-plot mapping projects have you completed, and can you provide references? Sentry Mapping focuses exclusively on cemeteries, so every technician understands plot numbering, deed boundaries, and respectful field protocols.
2. Technology: What GPR antenna frequencies, precision GPS, drones, or GIS software do you deploy? High-frequency antennas and sub-inch GPS, paired with drone ortho-imagery, deliver the crisp underground and surface data Sentry’s digital cemetery mapping requires.
3. Accuracy and deliverables: Will you mark discovered graves on the ground, supply a printable master map, and create an interactive cemetery GIS map the public can search? Ask to see a sample link; Sentry clients receive both a printed plan and an online map with no recurring web-map fee.
4. Data integration: Can your files plug into our existing GIS or cemetery management software? Sentry Mapping includes two free years of Chronicle cemetery mapping software so staff can update records, sell plots confidently, and show visitors how to find unmarked graves on any device.
5. Project logistics and protections: How long will the cemetery survey take, what areas must remain accessible, and are you fully insured against site damage?
Choosing a GPR mapping partner isn’t just about equipment, it’s about trust, precision, and long-term value. Sentry Mapping combines advanced technology with decades of cemetery-specific experience, ensuring every survey is accurate, respectful, and seamlessly integrated into your operations. When accuracy, transparency, and heritage preservation matter most, Sentry Mapping is the partner you can count on.