Cost is, of course, a key consideration. Most Environmental and Engineering Geophysical surveys have a cost structure that is similar to that of any licensed professional: an hourly consulting fee plus equipment rental costs. In addition, there are associated costs of mobilization (since most geophysical surveys require acquisition of data in the field), instrumentation amortization, data processing and interpretation, and report writing and presentation.
Ultimately, the application of geophysics must be assessed in terms of its projected costs and benefits as indicated above. EEGS professionals are trained to advise in developing cost and benefit assessments. It makes no sense to conduct a geophysical survey if the costs are projected to exceed any possible economic gains, or to exceed the project's operational budget. In general, however, geophysical surveys are almost always substantially less expensive than traditional non-technical means of investigation such as excavation or drilling.   _{Your Comment}