RSB Environmental based in Houston, Texas, is one of the fastest-growing Environmental Consultants in the country.
We frequently get asked about the process and cost of Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) in Houston and across the nation. Phase 1 ESA is usually the first step in the process of environmental due diligence. It consists of a detailed report identifying any existing or potential environmental threats to a site. Many of our clients have never needed one in the past or are a novice to this domain or the Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment cost in Houston. On the contrary, there are those clients who have had a Phase 1 ESA done in the past but due to a bad experience or feeling overcharged they want to know about any “hidden” costs. A common question that comes in the process is what’s the cost of Phase 1 ESA in Houston or in the city or state where their property is located. This question comes up when we are speaking to prospects in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, throughout Texas, and nationwide!
A few situations where you’d need a phase 1 ESA: if you’re buying or refinancing a property, the business dispenses or supplies gasoline, fuel, or any other hazardous materials, if there are any suspected hazardous substances on the site due to past, current or future activities, or if the contamination is due to neighboring properties if there’s a known threat or potential exceedance, or if the issue is related to cleanup or waste it could become a subject of an enforcement action under state or Federal Laws. Side note… We keep our clients informed as far as any Phase 1 ESA expiration for the Houston area and beyond.
The Environmental professional will conduct a Phase 1 ESA to identify any existing or future environmental liabilities. The Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment cost based in Houston depends on various factors that are unique to each property. We understand how critical it is to know the cost of service beforehand in a world of financial restraints and set budgets. Ensuring that the cost of a Phase 1 Environmental Assessment is well within the budget and the process will be completed well on time is just as important to us, as they are to you. We understand how busy our clients are on a day-to-day basis and taking one task off your list is what we’re here for.
As mentioned above, the costs of Phase i ESA vary based on property location, area, and scope of work. On average, it could range from anywhere between $1,450 and $4,500. This range exists due to the presence of multiple factors. If you’re paying any less than that you’re compromising on the quality of assessment. This range is pretty much valid for all properties including residential, commercial, vacant, and smaller industries. The bigger the property the more difficult it gets to analyze each aspect and that’s why to maintain the quality of our work we’d spend more time on that project, hence increasing the cost.
There are a variety of factors that may impact the cost for a Phase i esa. With the time it takes to inspect the building and the complexity of the process, it’s tough to predict what exactly you can expect.
Some factors that may have an impact on the time needed for a Phase 1 ESA (and thereby the cost) include:
- Property size
- Location
- History
According to us, the biggest problem is that an environmental professional does not cover every detail they could for the project to evaluate the environmental liabilities and leave the doors open for possible data updates later on. Majority of the cases, the consultants do not bother to update the client even if there is a need for one after they have received data from agencies. Our motive is to assist our clients in evaluating the potential risks associated with the real estate transactions and we do everything it takes to ensure our reports clarify the environmental liabilities.
Environmental liabilities affect the value of your property and might even end up costing you more than the initial price you paid. Under State and Federal regulations, liability is imposed regardless of the fault and is also a joint and several- which means that liability can be imposed regardless of having a relative contribution to the process. That’s how Phase i ESAs help you understand what you’re getting into and also help mitigate the associated risk.
Our staff of professionals has performed several hundreds of site assessments across the nation. Based on your needs and our experience we can review the cost factors that would be associated and provide you with a firm quote for Phase i ESA. We have equally skilled staff for Phase ii ESA or site remediation if that’s what your property requires for proper due diligence.
Please feel free to contact us with any further questions regarding Phase I ESAs.
RSB Environmental 1-800-304-6517 or email at info@rsbenv.com
