A Phase 1 environmental site assessment on a standard commercial property usually costs between about $1,800 and $5,000, based on the ranges consultants publish. Former industrial or fueling sites, large or multi-parcel land, rush delivery and lender scope additions push it higher. If the report finds a recognized environmental condition, a Phase II with sampling typically adds $10,000 to $30,000 and several weeks. Under EPA's All Appropriate Inquiries rule, key parts of the Phase I must be no more than 180 days old at acquisition.
How much does a Phase I environmental site assessment cost?
Most published prices for a standard commercial Phase I fall between about $1,800 and $5,000. Consultants that publish a range land in the same band: Fehr Graham puts a typical report at $2,000 to $3,500, ATL Environmental at $1,800 to $4,000, and RMA at $2,500 to $5,000 for most facilities. Larger, older or industrial sites go above that.
Read any published number as the floor for a simple site. The final quote depends on what the environmental consultant finds in the records before the site visit, and on what the lender's scope adds to the base ASTM E1527-21 work.
| Source | Published range | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Fehr Graham (2023) | $2,000 to $3,500 | Typical Phase I; extra services such as added lien searches cost more |
| ATL Environmental | $1,800 to $4,000 | Depends on building and property size and complexity; former gas stations and closed industrial sites can exceed $4,000 |
| RMA | $2,500 to $5,000 | Most facilities; price moves with complexity, travel and rush timing |
| Project Manager Template (2025) | $1,800 to $3,500 average | Small commercial $1,500 to $2,000; industrial $2,000 to $3,500; large multi-parcel land $3,500 to $6,000 or more; rush $500 to $1,000 extra |
What makes a Phase I cost more?
Six things move the quote, and most of them are visible before anyone visits the site. Past use matters most: a former gas station, dry cleaner or manufacturing plant means more records, more historical sources and a longer report than a ten-year-old office building on former farmland.
Speed is the second lever that lenders control directly. A rush fee buys a shorter turnaround, but it cannot make a state agency answer a records request faster. Planning the Phase I into the closing timeline at application usually costs less than paying to recover the time later.
- Prior use of the site and its neighborsIndustrial, fueling or dry cleaning history adds research and often leads to a recognized environmental condition.
- Size and number of parcelsMore acreage and more tax parcels mean more ground to walk and more records to pull.
- LocationRemote sites add travel time and site access coordination.
- TurnaroundStandard reports take two to four weeks; expedited delivery costs extra.
- Lender scope additionsSome lenders add items beyond the ASTM scope, such as asbestos, lead-based paint, radon or wetlands screening.
- Report users and relianceNaming the lender and its successors as users or issuing reliance letters is part of the engagement terms.
What does a Phase II cost if the Phase I finds something?
A Phase I that identifies a recognized environmental condition usually leads to a Phase II environmental site assessment, which samples soil, groundwater or soil vapor. Fehr Graham puts a typical Phase II at $10,000 to $30,000, with complex projects reaching $100,000 or more. The scope of borings, wells and lab analyses sets the price, not the size of the lot.
This is why a cheap Phase I can be expensive. A thin report that misses a historical use, or flags conditions it could have resolved with one more records request, can send a deal into sampling it did not need. The Phase II also adds weeks of drilling, lab work and review to the closing.
| Phase I ESA | Phase II ESA | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Records, history, site visit, interviews; no sampling | Samples soil, groundwater, soil vapor or materials |
| Standard | ASTM E1527-21 | ASTM E1903-19 |
| Typical published cost | $1,800 to $5,000 | $10,000 to $30,000; complex sites $100,000 or more |
| Typical time | 10 to 15 business days to 4 weeks | Several weeks, driven by drilling and lab turnaround |
How long is a Phase I good for?
For the federal All Appropriate Inquiries standard, the inquiry must be conducted or updated within one year before the acquisition date, and four components (interviews, the lien search, the government records review and the site visit) within 180 days before it. That is EPA's rule, and ASTM E1527-21 follows it. EPA recognized E1527-21 in a final rule effective February 13, 2023, and references to the older E1527-13 lapsed a year later.
Lenders apply their own viability windows on top of that, set in their environmental policy. In practice, a report that is close to six months old at closing often gets updated rather than accepted, and an update costs less than a new report. Budget for it whenever the closing date slips.
EPA, Brownfields All Appropriate Inquiries (40 CFR Part 312)
Who pays for a Phase I on a commercial loan?
The borrower almost always pays, either directly or through the lender's third-party report deposit. The lender usually engages the consultant from its approved list so the report is addressed to it, and passes the cost through at closing. A report the borrower already commissioned can sometimes be used with a reliance letter, if the lender's policy allows it and the report meets its scope.
Who engages the consultant and on what terms is a matter for the lender's environmental policy and counsel. The practical point for the closing team is ownership: the Phase I is one of the longest lead-time items on the commercial real estate due diligence checklist, so it should be ordered as soon as the deal is approved to proceed, with a named owner and a date.
Questions lenders ask
- How much is a Phase I environmental site assessment?
- Published consultant ranges for a standard commercial Phase I run from about $1,800 to $5,000. Industrial history, large or multi-parcel sites, rush timing and added lender scope push the price higher.
- How long is a Phase I good for?
- Under EPA's All Appropriate Inquiries rule, the inquiry must be done or updated within one year before acquisition, and the interviews, lien search, records review and site visit within 180 days. Lenders often set their own, stricter windows.
- How long does a Phase I take?
- Typically 10 to 15 business days and up to about four weeks, depending on records availability. Expedited reports are available at a premium.
- What is a Phase I environmental site assessment?
- A non-intrusive review of a property's environmental records, historical use and current condition, performed to ASTM E1527-21, that identifies recognized environmental conditions without sampling.
- Who pays for a Phase I on a commercial loan?
- Usually the borrower, through the lender's third-party report deposit or directly at closing, even though the lender typically engages the consultant so the report is addressed to it.
Sources and further reading
- Fehr Graham, Phase I ESA costs (March 2023)
- Fehr Graham, Phase II ESA costs (June 2023)
- ATL Environmental, do I need a Phase I ESA and what do they cost
- RMA, why some consultants hate to talk about Phase I cost up front
- Project Manager Template, Phase 1 ESA cost guide (2025)
- EPA, Brownfields All Appropriate Inquiries
- Beveridge and Diamond, EPA amends All Appropriate Inquiries standard (E1527-21)
- ASTM E1527-21, Phase I Environmental Site Assessment practice
- ASTM E1903-19, Phase II Environmental Site Assessment practice