A cost segregation study typically costs between $497and about $5,100, depending on the property's value, whether it is residential or commercial, and whether a licensed professional reviews the file before delivery. Traditional engineering firms usually quote $5,000 to $15,000 for the same work and rarely publish the number.
We publish ours. The tables below are the live fee schedule this site charges, not a range designed to start a sales call.
The short answer: the fee is set by property value, not by the size of your refund. We do not charge a percentage of your tax savings.See the full pricing page or estimate your deduction first.
Residential property
Residential covers single-family rentals, short-term rentals, and small multifamily. Studies start at $75,000 of property value.
| Property value | Self-serve | Expert reviewed |
|---|---|---|
| $75,000 – $250,000 | $497 | $2,500 |
| $250,001 – $500,000 | $897 | $2,900 |
| $500,001 – $750,000 | $1,397 | $3,400 |
| $750,001 – $1,000,000 | $1,897 | $3,900 |
| $1,000,001 – $1,500,000 | $2,497 | $4,500 |
Commercial property
Commercial covers retail, office, industrial, hospitality, and larger multifamily. The floor is $250,000 of property value, because below that the engineering work does not pay for itself.
| Property value | Self-serve | Expert reviewed |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 – $500,000 | $1,497 | $3,500 |
| $500,001 – $750,000 | $1,997 | $4,000 |
| $750,001 – $1,000,000 | $2,497 | $4,500 |
| $1,000,001 – $1,500,000 | $3,097 | $5,100 |
Any property valued at $1,500,000 or above requires the expert reviewed tier and is scoped on a call. Prices between the bracket anchors rise gradually rather than jumping, so a $300,000 property does not pay the same fee as a $75,000 one.
What you get at each tier
| Self-serve | Expert reviewed | |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation schedules | Yes | Yes |
| Full report with cited authority | Yes | Yes |
| Form 3115 preparation when needed | Yes | Yes |
| Who enters the property data | You, guided by the wizard | You, then a professional checks it |
| Licensed professional review before delivery | No | Yes |
| Starting fee | $497 | $2,500 |
Both tiers run the same depreciation engine and produce the same report structure. The difference is who checks the inputs. If your property is straightforward and you are comfortable answering questions about it, self-serve is the same study for less. If the property is unusual, or the numbers are large enough that you want a second pair of eyes, pay for the review.
Why the industry quote is so much higher
A traditional study is a consulting engagement: an engineer visits the property, takes off quantities by hand, and a team assembles the report from scratch. That labor is most of the $5,000 to $15,000.
The parts of that work that are genuinely repeatable have been built into software here: the depreciation math runs on a fixed engine, the authority library is already written and published, and you supply the property facts and photos through a guided wizard instead of a site visit. What remains is the part that actually requires judgment. That is the entire reason the price can be lower without the deliverable being thinner. You can read how a study works and inspect a complete sample report before spending anything.
Why we do not charge a percentage of your savings
Some firms bill contingently, as a share of the tax benefit they find. It sounds risk-free and creates a bad incentive: the more aggressively the property is classified, the more the preparer earns. That is the opposite of what you want defending a return. Our fee is set by property value before any result is known, so nothing about the outcome changes what we are paid.The full reasoning is here, including the professional-conduct rules that bear on it.
Is it worth it? Run the break-even
The fee only matters relative to what the study returns. The arithmetic is simple: multiply the deduction the study accelerates into year one by your marginal tax rate, then compare that to the fee.
| Property value | Accelerated deduction | Tax saved at 32% | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $40,000 | $12,800 | $497 |
| $450,000 | $90,000 | $28,800 | $897 |
| $700,000 | $140,000 | $44,800 | $1,397 |
The deduction column assumes roughly 20% of depreciable basis reclassifies into short-life property, which is a common outcome but not a promise: the real figure depends on the building, its furnishings, and its site work. Your own number comes from the free calculator.
Note what the table does not say. A deduction is only worth your marginal rate this year if you can actually use it against income this year. For a rental that usually means either qualifying under the short-term rental rules or having other passive income. Without that, the benefit is real but deferred, and the break-even takes longer.
When a study is not worth buying
Cases where we will tell you to skip it:
- The property is below the floor. Under$75,000 residential, the deduction is usually too small to clear the fee plus your time.
- You are selling within a year or two. Acceleration is a deferral. Sell soon and much of it reverses as recapture, sometimes at a worse rate than you saved.
- You have no way to use the loss. If the loss suspends and stays suspended, you paid now for a benefit that arrives much later.
- You are in an unusually low bracket this year. The same deduction is worth less at 12% than at 37%. Timing can matter more than the fee.
Is cost segregation worth it? walks through these cases in more detail.
Common questions
How much does a cost segregation study cost?
Ours run from $497 for a smaller residential property on the self-serve tier up to about$5,100for a larger commercial property with professional review. The fee is set by property value. The wider industry typically quotes $5,000 to $15,000.
Why do other firms not publish prices?
Because a traditional study is scoped per engagement, and because a quote request starts a sales conversation. Neither is necessary when the work is standardized and the fee depends on property value.
Is a cheap cost segregation study a red flag?
The question to ask is what the deliverable contains, not what it costs. Ask whether you get itemized asset classifications, cited legal authority, photo documentation, and Form 3115 preparation, and ask to see a complete sample before you buy. Ours is public.
Does the fee depend on my tax savings?
No. The fee is set by property value before any result is known. We do not bill a percentage of the benefit.
Is the study fee deductible?
Professional fees related to your rental or business activity are generally deductible as an ordinary and necessary expense. Confirm the treatment for your situation with your own tax advisor.
What if my property is worth more than $1,500,000?
Then it requires the expert reviewed tier and we scope it on a call. Larger properties carry more classification judgment, so they are not self-serve.
Can I get a study for a property I bought years ago?
Yes, and the fee is the same. You claim the missed depreciation as a catch-up adjustment using Form 3115, with no amended returns.
Next step:Estimate your deduction in about a minute, then compare it to the fee above. No email required to see the number.
Fees shown are the current published schedule for this site and are imported from the live pricing tables, but they can change. The break-even and benefit figures are illustrative, not a projection for your property. Whether a deduction is usable in the current year depends on your own tax situation. Your study and tax positions are reviewed by a licensed tax professional. Confirm your plan with your own advisor before you file.