How much does it cost?

How much a project costs depends on the size of the project and the project characteristics.  Cost is broken down into field work, lab work, and engineering services for most geotechnical engineering evaluations.

The cost of the field work depends on:

	The type of project
	Number and depth of borings (the number and depth of borings depends on the size of the project, the anticipated loading, and the expected soil conditions present at the site)
	The project location and site characteristics (i.e. terrain and accessibility)

The cost of the lab work depends on the nature of the project and the type of soils encountered in the boring(s).  The geotechnical engineer may need to verify a soil's properties through laboratory testing.  Basic laboratory testing provides the engineer with the necessary information to make sound recommendations, and it can also assist in the classification of soils.  We typically include a laboratory testing allowance in our proposed project cost for anticipated laboratory testing. 

The proposed cost of engineering services is based on the estimated time an engineer will need to render a geotechnical engineering report.  This includes time spent for the site reconnaissance, field work setup and coordination (including locating borings and clearing utilities), soil classification, mathematical calculations, engineering analysis, discussions with the design team, report authorship and organization, and review of reports by a registered professional engineer.  Bigger projects require more engineering time, and projects with complicated soil conditions also require more engineering time.  If complicated soils are encountered during our exploration, the client will be notified of the additional required services before proceeding.

Because each project is unique, the exact cost of each project varies as well.  We would be glad to discuss project cost with you over the phone once we know some basic project details.