Why Every Development Should Start with a Feasibility Study

Building Better Projects Through Partnership

Before a shovel hits the ground or a design reaches the drawing board, every successful development starts with one key step: a feasibility study. While it may sound simple in nature, this early evaluation often determines whether a project moves forward smoothly or becomes burdened with delays, redesigns, and unexpected change orders.

At Legacy Engineering, we believe in more than just analyzing a property — we believe in partnering with our clients from day one. A feasibility study is where that partnership begins. It’s where your development goals meet technical reality, and where we work together to ensure your project moves forward with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

What Is a Feasibility Study?

A feasibility study is a preliminary assessment that determines whether a site can support your intended development goals — and under what conditions. It’s a critical first step in the land development process, allowing developers and property owners to evaluate opportunities and constraints before committing significant time or capital.

Every firm approaches feasibility studies a little differently, but the objective is the same: to provide clear, actionable information that supports confident decision-making early in a project’s life cycle.

When conducted by a qualified engineering or planning firm, a feasibility study can reveal factors such as:

• Zoning and land-use regulations that may limit or expand development potential

• Utility availability (water, sewer, drainage, and access) that affects cost and timeline

• Topography and drainage constraints that influence grading and site layout

• Environmental or permitting requirements that may delay approvals

• Access and roadway requirements that determine how the site connects to public infrastructure

By addressing these considerations early, developers gain a realistic understanding of what a property can support — and what challenges may need to be addressed to make a project viable.

The Developer’s Dilemma: Why Spend Money Before You Know It’s Feasible?

It’s a fair question — and one that experienced developers ask for good reason. Every project carries risk, and it’s natural to hesitate before investing in a property that may or may not move forward.

A feasibility study isn’t about questioning your instincts — it’s about supporting them with data. Developers already understand how to evaluate markets, recognize opportunity, and envision outcomes. Our role is to help confirm whether the site itself can support that vision — technically, financially, and within regulatory boundaries — before major commitments are made.

Sometimes the study confirms exactly what you hoped to see. Other times, it reveals challenges such as drainage limitations, infrastructure upgrades, or zoning nuances that change the equation. Both outcomes are valuable.

• If the property proves feasible, you move forward with confidence and direction.

• If it doesn’t, you’ve avoided months of redesigns, permitting hurdles, and carrying costs on land that wouldn’t deliver the return you expected.

And just as importantly, a feasibility study is not a sunk cost if the project moves forward. The work completed during this phase — site analysis, layout concepts, utility research, and early coordination — is work that would have to be done anyway as part of the overall design process. By completing it intentionally and early, you’re not paying twice; you’re simply sequencing the work smarter and reducing downstream risk.

At Legacy Engineering, we view feasibility studies as a strategic filter, not an added expense — a way to sharpen decisions, eliminate surprises, and set projects up for long-term success.

Why Partner with an Engineering Firm for a Feasibility Study?

It’s one thing to assess a property’s potential on paper. It’s another to understand how it will perform in the real world. That’s where an experienced civil engineering partner adds significant value.

At Legacy Engineering, we collaborate closely with developers, planners, and local jurisdictions to evaluate infrastructure capacity, grading constraints, drainage requirements, and access conditions. We don’t just identify issues — we help frame solutions and alternatives that align with your goals.

More importantly, we help interpret the results. A feasibility study isn’t just a report; it’s a conversation. We walk through findings together, discuss trade-offs, and help determine the most efficient and realistic path forward.

Our clients often find that the feasibility study is the most valuable phase of the project — not because it guarantees success, but because it prevents costly mistakes before they occur.

What to Expect from Legacy Engineering

When you engage Legacy Engineering for a feasibility study, you’re gaining a partner — not just a consultant. Our process is collaborative, transparent, and built around your objectives.

Step 1: Understanding Your Goals

We begin by learning what matters most to you. Are you developing to sell or to occupy? Is the priority density, speed, cost efficiency, or long-term value? These answers guide how we evaluate the site and what solutions we prioritize.

Step 2: Technical and Regulatory Review

Our engineers review zoning codes, subdivision regulations, drainage criteria, and public utility standards to determine what is and isn’t feasible. We identify any required off-site improvements, utility extensions, or special approvals early in the process.

Step 3: Conceptual Layouts and Cost Opinions

We explore multiple layout options to maximize site potential while minimizing construction cost. From lot configurations to drainage solutions, each concept is evaluated with efficiency and constructability in mind. We also provide preliminary construction and design cost opinions to help ground decisions in real numbers.

Step 4: Collaboration and Next Steps

Finally, we review the findings together. Whether you move forward with design, adjust the project scope, or decide not to pursue the site, you’ll have clear, actionable information to guide your decision.

Our Partnership Philosophy

At Legacy Engineering, partnership means more than delivering drawings or reports. It means working alongside developers, architects, and builders to align design, cost, and purpose from the very beginning.

Early collaboration leads to smarter design, smoother permitting, and more predictable construction. When we understand your business goals, we can design not just for compliance, but for success.

We see every feasibility study as the foundation of a long-term relationship — one built on trust, transparency, and shared objectives.

The Bottom Line

A feasibility study isn’t an extra step — it’s the smartest way to start. It replaces uncertainty with clarity, assumptions with data, and reaction with strategy.

At Legacy Engineering, we’re proud to partner with developers and property owners across Lubbock, Amarillo, Midland/Odessa, and throughout Texas, helping them make confident, informed decisions before committing to a project.

If you’re evaluating a new site or considering your next development, let’s start the conversation early — and build something successful, together.