How long does a Phase 1 ESA take?

Standard turnaround for a Phase 1 ESA is 2-3 weeks; for an ALTA survey, 2-3 weeks for fieldwork plus 1-2 weeks for the final plat. Rush turnarounds (typically 5-7 business days or faster) are available from most providers at a 30-50% premium. Confirm timeline expectations with Terracon during the quote process.

What documents should I have ready when requesting a quote?

For an ALTA survey: a copy of the title commitment (Schedule B is needed for the surveyor to plot exception items), the legal description, prior surveys if available, and your lender's required Table A items list. For a Phase 1 ESA: the property address, parcel ID, current and historical use information, lender-required scope, and any prior environmental reports.

What if the assessment identifies an issue?

For Phase 1 ESAs, identifying a Recognized Environmental Condition (REC) typically triggers a recommendation for Phase 2 ESA sampling, which costs $5,000-$25,000+ depending on scope. For ALTA surveys, identifying an encroachment, easement issue, or boundary discrepancy typically opens negotiation with the seller or title company. The 2026 ALTA/NSPS standards' new Table A Item 20 (encroachment summary table) makes these findings clearer and easier to act on.

How do I verify a provider is licensed?

Cross-check the provider's state license number with the appropriate state regulatory body. For land surveyors, this is the state's Board of Professional Land Surveyors. For environmental consultants, most states do not require a specific Phase 1 ESA license but the consultant should have a relevant credential (P.G., P.E., or CIH) and the firm should be on lender pre-approved lists where applicable.

Terracon | Phase 1 ESA Provider

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About Terracon

Terracon is a 100% employee-owned engineering and environmental consulting firm headquartered in Olathe, Kansas, with 7,000+ employees across 180+ offices in all 50 U.S. states — one of the largest employee-owned engineering services firms in the country. The firm celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2025 (founded 1965). Gayle Packer has served as President and CEO since 2019. The firm provides environmental consulting, geotechnical engineering, materials testing, and facilities engineering as four integrated practice lines.

Terracon has built proprietary technology platforms (Stage1, Pivvot, Compass) to streamline delivery. Stage1 in particular is a desktop environmental screening product positioned for faster turnaround (around one week) — useful for early-stage deal evaluation before committing to a full Phase 1 ESA.

The firm holds a Google rating of 4.4/5 across 25 reviews, which is strong for a large national firm where rating averages tend to drift toward the mean.

Company History

Terracon was founded in 1965 by Gerald Olson as Soil Testing Services of Iowa, Inc. The firm became 100% employee-owned in 1980 and formalized its Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP) in 1996. Key milestones:

2008 — ranked #41 in ENR’s top design firms
2015 — 50th anniversary
2019 — reached $800M in revenue
2023 — grew to 6,000+ employees and $1.16B in revenue
2023 — named Most Innovative Acquirer by Morrissey Goodale
2024 — ranked #18 in ENR Top 500 Design Firms
2025 — ranked #19 in ENR Top 500 Design Firms; celebrating 60th anniversary
2026 — ranked #19 in ENR Top 500 Design Firms (maintained position); now 7,000+ employees

The employee-ownership structure is uncommon among nationally-scaled environmental firms and is sometimes cited as a reason for stable staffing on long-running projects.

Services Offered

Environmental Consulting

Phase I ESA (ASTM E1527-21, AAI-compliant)
Stage1 desktop environmental screening — ~1-week turnaround, sub-Phase 1 cost, useful for portfolio screening
Phase II ESA — soil, groundwater, and soil-vapor sampling
Remedial design and implementation — including site closure
Industrial hygiene — workplace exposure assessments
Brownfield redevelopment — federal and state program experience
Sustainability / ESG services and reporting
Perimeter ambient air monitoring
Stormwater planning and compliance (construction and post-construction)
Resiliency consulting — climate and operational risk

Adjacent Engineering Capabilities

Terracon’s environmental work is part of a four-discipline firm; the others are typically engaged on the same site under a single contract:

Geotechnical / geophysical — soil and site conditions, drilling/exploration, GPR
Construction materials testing — concrete, soil, asphalt, masonry
Facilities engineering — roof consulting, building enclosure, condition assessment

For CRE buyers, this bundling is the key differentiator: a single Terracon engagement can deliver Phase 1 ESA, geotechnical, and PCA for one site without coordinating three vendors.

Pricing: Quote required for Phase 1 ESA. Stage1 desktop screenings are typically a fraction of full Phase 1 pricing. Quoted full Phase 1s align with national mid-tier pricing.

Markets Served

Terracon’s seven sector practices:

Commercial — multifamily, office, retail, mixed-use — most relevant to typical CRE buyers
Industrial & Logistics — rapid site selection, environmental due diligence for distribution and manufacturing
Digital Infrastructure — data centers, telecom, 5G — high-growth segment
Healthcare — hospital, medical research, senior/assisted living
Federal — brownfield redevelopment, facility condition assessments
Transportation & Infrastructure — highways, bridges, airports, rail, water/wastewater
Power Generation & Transmission — solar, renewable, traditional

Service Area

Terracon operates nationwide from 180+ office locations covering all 50 states. The 180+ office count is unusual for an environmental firm — most national competitors operate from 30-60 offices, with broader regions covered by mobile teams. Terracon’s deep local presence means local staff perform fieldwork in most markets, which usually means faster scheduling and better local-regulator familiarity.

Best For

Multi-state portfolio screening — Stage1 desktop product makes early-stage screening practical at scale
Properties needing bundled Phase 1 + geotech + materials testing — single vendor, single contract
Data center and digital infrastructure deals — dedicated sector practice
Industrial and logistics development — rapid mobilization for site selection
Healthcare and senior living — sector-specific environmental considerations (asbestos, vapor intrusion, medical waste history)
Federal brownfield work — recognized federal practice
Local regulatory familiarity — 180+ offices give wide local-AHJ coverage

Request a Quote

Contact Terracon directly:

Visit: terracon.com
Request a proposal: terracon.com → “Request a Proposal”

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