Guide
Contaminated land survey cost: published prices by stage
Updated
A contaminated land survey costs what its stage costs: a Phase 1 desk study has a median published price of £750, a Phase 2 intrusive investigation starts at £1,000 to £1,800, and the council's own contaminated land search is a median £131.
By stage
| Stage | Median | Range | Firms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screening report (not a Phase 1) | £185 | £39 to £300 | 4 |
| Phase 1 desk study | £750 | £500 to £950 | 9 |
| Phase 1 with site walkover | £845 | £800 to £950 | 3 |
| Phase 2 intrusive investigation | £1,650 | £1,000 to £1,800 | 4 |
| Coal mining risk assessment | £575 | £550 to £600 | 2 |
Source: Contaminated Land Survey Fee Index: every row, with its source
What the council charges
A council's own contaminated land search, which says what it holds on the site, is a separate cost. Nine councils that publish a residential fee charge £50 to £342, a median of £131; five publish a commercial fee from £142.58 to £408; four charge by the hour at £28 to £109.50.
| Council | Residential search fee |
|---|---|
| Liverpool City Council | £50 (summary report) |
| Oadby and Wigston | £62.40 including VAT |
| Bristol City Council | £81.04 (letter) |
| Canterbury City Council | £103.69 |
| North Yorkshire Council | £131 |
| Camden Council | £146.58 |
| Newham Council | £225 |
| Slough Borough Council | £260 |
| Tower Hamlets | £342 including VAT |
Source: Council contaminated land search fees: every row, with its source
What moves the price
- Site size and how much history there is to read.
- Whether a walkover is included or billed separately.
- For Phase 2, the number of trial pits or boreholes and the laboratory suite.
- VAT: most firms quote ex VAT, a few include it.