Basis Cost Seg charges a published base price of $1,795 per qualifying residential property. The price includes online property intake, engineer review, and a report package for you and your CPA.
Across providers, you will also find lower advertised starting prices and custom engineering proposals. The useful question is what the quoted fee buys for your property, including the work you must do yourself and the support available after delivery.
This guide explains why fees differ, what Basis includes, and which costs to confirm before ordering a residential cost segregation study.
Understand the kind of price you are looking at
A starting price, a fixed residential fee, and a custom proposal describe different offers. Knowing which one you are reading makes comparisons easier.
An advertised starting price applies to a particular tier. Confirm whether your property's value, type, and history qualify.
A fixed residential price covers a defined service. Check eligibility, included review, deliverables, and separately priced services.
A custom proposal prices an individual engagement. Review the investigation, site work, analysis, and support included in that quote.
Ask for the price that applies to your property. The provider breakdown below separates included services from potential additional charges.
Why one study can cost more than another
Property complexity changes the work
A residential rental with clear acquisition records presents a different assignment from a building with multiple additions, mixed uses, or years of poorly documented improvements.
Those differences can require more investigation and reconciliation. Tell the provider about prior depreciation, renovations, and unusual property features when requesting a quote. A price based on a simpler property may not cover that work.
Information collection affects your workload
Find out how the provider learns about the property. You may be asked for spreadsheets, a questionnaire, documents, photographs, measurements, or access for a site visit, depending on the service.
Consider the owner's time as well as the fee. Clear questions and saved answers make it easier to complete the file accurately, especially when records are spread across several sources.
Review and support need a defined scope
Software can prepare calculations and schedules, but a quote should explain who checks the property facts and analysis. It should also say what happens if your CPA needs clarification after delivery.
Look for the reviewer's role, the opportunity to correct information, and the length and limits of report support. An undefined promise of “support” is difficult to compare with a written service commitment.
What you get with Basis
$1,795 for a guided online process, engineer review, and a report built for you and your CPA. Explore the experience and deliverable before you buy. The standard study serves eligible U.S. residential rentals with up to four units, without a physical site visit.
Property questions you can see
Visual choices help you describe your rental. Save your progress, return to your answers, and handle requested corrections in your property dashboard.
A report you can understand and share
Plain-English explanations help you understand the result. Component schedules, classification references, and source notes support your CPA's review.
Experienced people check the work
Engineers review the property facts, modeled costs, classifications, and schedules before approval. They can correct assumptions and edit the analysis. Basis does not use AI for engineering analysis, classification, or recovery-period decisions.
Roel A. Vicerra, MBA, leads the methodology with more than 15 years of cost segregation experience, including a decade at KPMG. A certified cost segregation professional and long-time real estate investor, he brings both technical experience and an owner's perspective to the process.
Compare included services and possible extra fees
Compare the price, the support allowance, and the conditions that create another bill. These published offers were checked on September 11, 2026. Starting prices and eligibility differ; use the quote for your own property.
Provider | Study price | Included support | Possible extra costs |
|---|---|---|---|
$1,795 per qualifying property | Engineer review. One reasonable revision within 30 days. Three years of limited report support. | Separately priced prior-year and renovation work. Tax preparation and IRS representation excluded. | |
$899 standard residential | Five years of audit protection, with two hours included. | $300/hour for requested audit support beyond those hours. Representation excluded. | |
From $495 property tiers apply | CPA-requested format revisions. Lifetime written methodology support. | Quote required for optional weekend rush handling. Changed property facts fall outside its guarantee. | |
From $950 Rapid / $2,320 engineered residential | Written support for methodology, classifications, and study conclusions. | Quote required for rush service. Rapid eligibility limits may require the higher-priced tier. | |
$495 shown at $750,000 tax basis | Audit support, report corrections, and a catch-up calculation schedule. CostSegregation.com self-guided software. | Custom quote above $1.5 million building basis. No separate price listed for the included features. |
An optional charge is not part of every customer's bill. At RentalWriteOff, one requested audit-support hour beyond the two included hours would bring the $899 study and that extra support to $1,199. Its support terms define the five-year coverage and hourly charge.
Prior-year work needs a separate comparison
“Form 3115 included” can mean different things. Check whether the provider supplies a catch-up calculation, prepares the form, or actually files it.
Basis excludes Form 3115 preparation and Section 481(a) support from the base study. Review the separate-service scope.
RentalWriteOff advertises Form 3115 for eligible look-back studies within its $899 offer. Confirm preparation and filing responsibilities in the engagement.
Cost Seg Smart includes the catch-up schedule and workpapers; its pricing FAQ assigns preparation, signing, and filing to the owner's CPA.
CostSegregation.com includes a catch-up calculation schedule. That feature alone does not establish that form preparation or filing is included.
R.E. Cost Seg's Rapid limits include four units, less than 3,500 square feet per unit, depreciable basis under $1.2 million, and capital improvements under $50,000. Confirm eligibility before comparing its entry price. Basis's service agreement defines its support limits; included support is not unlimited accounting or representation work.
Build a total for the services you actually need
Start with the applicable study price, then add any quoted rush service, separate renovation or prior-year work, and tax-preparation fees. Keep potential later support charges separate from the amount due to order.
Some lower-priced offers remain less expensive after that comparison. Basis's $1,795 price includes its guided property workflow and engineer review; the company comparison explains how those service models differ.
Compare the report, not just the fee
A sample report helps you assess what the price delivers. Look beyond the headline allocation or page count. Your CPA needs to understand the property inputs, component treatment, schedules, and the basis for the analysis.
The IRS Cost Segregation Audit Techniques Guide discusses study quality and supporting documentation. It is examination guidance, not an approval of any provider.
Before choosing a service, get clear answers to these questions:
Does the quote cover my property type and acquisition history?
What information will I need to gather or measure?
Who checks the assumptions, classifications, and completed study?
What report files and schedules will my CPA receive?
What happens if information needs correcting or the CPA has questions?
Which services could create a separate bill?
For more detail on the online experience, see our guide to choosing a web-based cost segregation tool.
Check when the delivery clock starts
Basis's standard delivery timeline is 3–5 business days after payment, completed required intake, sufficient information, and acceptance of the file as ready for review. Missing information, follow-up questions, or unusual facts can affect timing.
Allow time for your CPA to review the completed report before the filing deadline. The step-by-step process explains how the property moves from estimate through review and delivery.
Common questions about study pricing
Is the $1,795 fee a subscription?
No. It is the published one-time base study price per qualifying property. Separately priced services and partner arrangements can differ. Review the price and scope presented for your purchase.
Does a more expensive study produce a larger deduction?
The fee does not determine the property's eligible components or your tax treatment. Compare the analysis, review, and service scope. Paying more is not a basis for assuming a larger deduction.
Is an online study automatically a DIY study?
No. Online delivery and professional review can be part of the same service. At Basis, you supply the property information through guided intake, and engineers review the analysis before approval.
How do I know whether the fee is worth paying?
Compare the additional deductions you can use with the study fee and any separate tax-work costs. Our residential cost segregation worth-it guide works through an example and explains when waiting may make sense.
See the potential benefit before paying
Run a free Basis estimate with no account or payment required to start. Then review the sample report and share the estimate with your CPA.
You can evaluate the opportunity, see the deliverable, and understand the published $1,795 base scope before deciding to order.
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