GeoScreen — an automated geotechnical desk study platform — is live in two tiers:
- Tier 0 — Ground Risk Snapshot: £75 + VAT
- Tier 1 — Preliminary Ground Risk Screening Report: £150 + VAT
The question we’re getting is obvious: what’s the difference?
The short answer is simple: the data is identical — only the output changes.
What doesn’t change
Both Tier 0 (T0) and Tier 1 (T1) run the same underlying process:
- The same 20+ data sources
- The same 11 geohazard categories, plus a Source Protection Zone check
- The same RAG rating engine
- The same 18 annotated map figures
- The same QA checks before delivery
Every dataset, every API call, and every rating is identical.
T0 is not a simplified version of T1. It is T1 without the narrative layer.
If you start with T0 and later move to T1 for the same site, the RAG ratings won’t change — only the level of explanation.
Tier 0 — Ground Risk Snapshot (£75 + VAT)
T0 is built for speed, clarity, and portfolio-scale screening. It gives you the outputs you need to make an informed decision — without paying for detail you may not need yet.
You get:
- Cover page with site details and overall RAG rating
- Geohazard summary table — all 11 hazards rated Low / Medium / High / Very High, with confidence
- A concise key takeaway (2–3 sentences) highlighting principal risk drivers and any material constraints
- Registered permitted facilities and fuel stations within 1km
- All 18 annotated map figures (Appendices A–R): geology, superficial deposits, flood risk, surface water flood, mining, radon, heritage, ecology, source protection zones, LiDAR terrain, permitted facilities, historical mapping (three epochs), historical and current map features, buried structures, and defended flood risk
- Methodology and limitations
Where T0 fits:
- Screening multiple sites before shortlisting
- Rapid feasibility checks prior to instructing further work
- Experienced users who can interpret RAG ratings and figures directly
It’s designed to be read and understood in minutes, not reviewed as a formal report.
Tier 1 — Preliminary Ground Risk Screening Report (£150 + VAT)
T1 is the full structured product. It uses the same data, ratings, and figures as T0 — but adds a complete, structured narrative across the report.
You get everything in T0, plus:
- Full executive summary with key risks, next steps, and cross-references
- Site setting, planning context, and site history
- Historical and current features table, underground and buried structures table, and recorded mine shafts table
- Geology, hydrogeology, and flood risk interpretation
- Individual narrative for each of the 11 geohazard categories, including data sources, risk drivers, and recommended next steps where appropriate
- Qualitative foundation assessment
- Borehole table (BGS SOBI records within 500m, where available)
- Conceptual Site Model (CSM): sources, pathways, receptors
- Conclusions and recommendations
- Section 12 limitations and disclaimer
T1 is designed to be shared — with clients, planning consultants, lenders, or project teams.
It is a Preliminary Ground Risk Screening Report, prepared with reference to the principles of BS 5930:2015+A1:2020, with a full audit trail and canonical version control.
The real difference
The distinction isn’t in the engineering. It’s in the delivery format.
T0 gives you the answer.
T1 explains the answer.
Both are based on the same underlying assessment. The only question is how much of that assessment needs to be written out.
How to choose
Choose T0 if:
- You’re screening multiple sites at feasibility stage
- You need fast, consistent comparisons across a portfolio
- You want the RAG ratings and figures before committing further
- You’re comfortable interpreting outputs without narrative
Choose T1 if:
- You need a document you can formally share
- The site presents High or Very High risks
- You want context behind the ratings
- You’re preparing for planning or early-stage reporting
- You want a structured foundation for further investigation
If you’re unsure, T0 is a sensible starting point. The RAG table and key takeaway will quickly tell you whether a site justifies deeper review.
What’s been added since
When this post first went out, LiDAR terrain modelling and Environment Agency permitting data were still on the roadmap. Both are now in every report, at both tiers — along with Wales coverage, buried structure screening, and a historical map gazetteer used to position former industrial features accurately. There’s a fuller round-up in everything that’s changed since GeoScreen launched.
Anything added to one tier is added to the other. The data never differs between them.
Both are live
Both tiers are available now at GeoScreen.
- England and Wales
- Reports delivered by email
- T0 typically generated in under a minute, T1 in around 90 seconds
£75 + VAT (T0) · £150 + VAT (T1)
Same data. Same figures. Same RAG ratings. The only difference is how much narrative you need.
Tristan Morgan
BSc(Hons) EurGeol CGeol FGS AMICE
UK Registered Ground Engineering Specialist
Director, Magnum GSI Ltd
