How much does a TSCM audit cost?
Corporate TSCM audits are typically priced by area, commonly in the range of $2–$5 per square foot (with comparable rates in the UK and Europe). Residential audits usually start from a flat fee. Here is what drives the price and how to compare quotes properly.
Typical price benchmarks
Every professional engagement is quoted individually, but industry benchmarks give you a sanity check:
- Corporate premises: roughly $2 to $5 per square foot in the US market, with comparable per-area rates in the UK and Europe. A single boardroom with adjacent offices sits at the lower end of a fixed range; a full floor or facility scales with area.
- Residential: flat-fee engagements are common, often starting around $3,000 for a typical 2,500 sq ft property, adjusted for size and complexity.
- Vehicles: usually a fixed fee per vehicle, frequently bundled with a residential audit.
- Recurring programmes: quarterly boardroom programmes and pre-meeting sweeps are quoted as a package, at a better per-visit rate than one-off audits.
These figures reflect what it costs to field trained specialists with laboratory-grade equipment. A serious TSCM kit — broadband spectrum analysers, non-linear junction detectors, thermal imagers — represents an investment well over $150,000, which is precisely why quotes far below market rate should raise questions rather than excitement.
What drives the price up or down
- Area and layout. Square footage is the baseline driver. Complex layouts, ceiling voids, raised floors, and dense cabling add inspection time.
- Electronic density. A modern office with hundreds of legitimate transmitters (Wi-Fi, IoT, AV systems) takes longer to survey and clear than a quiet residence.
- Threat profile. If the adversary is assumed to be well-resourced, the audit must cover dormant and hard-wired devices, which requires NLJD work and deeper physical inspection.
- Scheduling constraints. Out-of-hours, covert, or short-notice work affects cost.
- Geography. Travel to remote sites, or multi-site programmes across the UK, US, and Europe, is quoted transparently at scoping.
What must be included for the quote to be comparable
When comparing providers, insist that each quote covers the same scope. A defensible professional audit includes RF spectrum analysis, physical inspection, non-linear junction detection, Wi-Fi/network checks, and a written report with findings and remediation steps. If any of these are missing — especially NLJD and the report — you are comparing a basic bug sweep against a real audit, and the prices will not mean the same thing.
For the governance side of budgeting — how sweep frequency, trigger events, and programme design drive the annual number — see the TSCM Risk cost guidance.
Getting an actual number
The fastest way to an accurate figure is a short scoping conversation: rough floor area, type of premises, the concern, and any timing constraints. TSCM Partners returns indicative pricing before you commit to anything. Request a quote here.