Model boreholes, samples, technicians, and travel expenses. Review unit rates, contingencies, taxes, and reporting charges. Build more confident budgets for geotechnical planning and procurement.
Enter project scope, fieldwork rates, sampling volumes, lab charges, and overhead items to estimate a full soil investigation budget.
Use this sample input set to test the calculator and compare your own site investigation assumptions.
| Input Item | Example Value | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Site Area | 1,200 m² | Lets you benchmark total cost per square meter. |
| Boreholes | 6 | Defines field scope and setup repetitions. |
| Average Depth | 18 m | Directly drives drilling quantities and cost. |
| Drilling Rate | $42 per meter | Main production rate for borehole execution. |
| Samples | 24 disturbed, 6 undisturbed | Adds collection and handling expense. |
| Lab Tests | 18 tests at $35 each | Captures classification and strength testing costs. |
| Technician Labor | 5 days at $110 | Covers field supervision and logging labor. |
| Overheads | Mobilization, transport, report, permit | Rounds out practical project delivery costs. |
1) Total drilled depth
Total Drilled Depth = Number of Boreholes × Average Depth per Borehole
2) Drilling cost
Drilling Cost = Total Drilled Depth × Drilling Rate per Meter
3) Setup cost
Setup Cost = Number of Boreholes × Setup Cost per Borehole
4) Sample collection cost
Sample Collection Cost = (Disturbed Samples × Disturbed Sample Cost) + (Undisturbed Samples × Undisturbed Sample Cost)
5) Laboratory cost
Laboratory Cost = Number of Lab Tests × Lab Test Rate
6) Technician cost
Technician Cost = Technician Days × Technician Day Rate
7) Direct subtotal
Direct Subtotal = Drilling + Setup + Sample Collection + Laboratory + Technician + Mobilization + Transport + Report + Permit
8) Contingency
Contingency Cost = Direct Subtotal × Contingency Percentage
9) Tax
Tax Cost = (Direct Subtotal + Contingency Cost) × Tax Percentage
10) Grand total
Grand Total = Direct Subtotal + Contingency Cost + Tax Cost
It includes drilling, borehole setup, sample collection, lab testing, technician labor, mobilization, transport, reporting, permit charges, contingency, and tax. That makes it useful for early budgeting and scope checks.
It is better for planning and preliminary estimating. Final tender pricing should still come from local quotes, exact specifications, access conditions, safety requirements, and actual laboratory schedules.
Fieldwork and laboratory testing behave differently. Drilling scales with depth and rig productivity, while lab costs depend on sample count, test type, and reporting requirements.
Yes. Enter the total borehole count and average depth. The calculator scales drilling depth, setup events, and unit costs to produce a larger project estimate quickly.
Usually yes. Ground conditions, site access, groundwater, weather delays, and retesting can all create scope changes. A contingency percentage helps protect early budgets from uncertainty.
Use a weighted average drilling rate for a quick estimate. For better accuracy, split the work into separate depth bands and estimate each band outside the calculator.
It divides the total investigation budget by the site area. That helps compare geotechnical spend across sites, layouts, or alternative testing programs.
No. It supports budgeting, benchmarking, and internal planning. A consultant’s proposal still defines the real scope, test schedule, deliverables, assumptions, and commercial terms.
Important Note: All the Calculators listed in this site are for educational purpose only and we do not guarentee the accuracy of results. Please do consult with other sources as well.