How Basis compares with a traditional cost segregation firm

Pricing, scope, and support terms can change. Review the current Customer Services Agreement before purchasing.

The Basis process separates the early decision from the paid study.

1. Start with the free property estimate. The estimate asks for basic facts such as purchase price, land value when known, placed-in-service date, rental use, building type, renovations, and general construction details.

2. Review the preliminary result and current price. The estimate gives you an early view of potential first-year tax savings before you decide whether to buy a study. It is a planning tool based on limited information, not a completed cost segregation study.

3. Purchase the study and complete the guided intake. Your answers save as you work. That matters when a question requires a purchase record, prior depreciation schedule, renovation invoice, or another document that is not close at hand.

4. Submit the completed intake for professional review. Once approved, the report documents appear in your dashboard and property hub. You can then share the complete package with your CPA or tax preparer.

Owners who are still deciding whether a property makes financial sense can begin with the cost segregation eligibility guide. It explains why technical eligibility and financial value are separate questions.

A cost segregation study identifies parts of a qualifying property that may use shorter depreciation recovery periods. IRS Publication 946 explains the broader rules for depreciable property, basis, recovery periods, methods, and placed-in-service dates.

The IRS does not prescribe one required report format. Its Cost Segregation Audit Technique Guide gives examiners and taxpayers a practical description of a well-documented study. Among other points, the guide says a study should classify assets, explain the reason for those classifications, substantiate asset costs, and reconcile allocated costs to the property's total cost.

Those are better buying criteria than page count or polished design. Before choosing a provider, find out whether the report explains what the preparer did and gives a reviewer enough information to follow the result.

Basis publishes the contents of its base report package in its service terms. The package includes the methodology, asset classifications, depreciation schedules, and supporting report material. The phrase “CPA-ready” means the package is organized for a CPA to evaluate. It does not mean that a CPA has adopted the report or approved a filing position.

Basis may fit an owner with an eligible U.S. residential rental who wants a published standard price and a remote workflow. It also suits owners who can provide accurate property records and prefer to complete intake on their own schedule.

The current residential scope may include single-family rentals, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, condominiums, townhomes, and short-term or long-term rentals. Review how to determine depreciable basis before starting if the land allocation or existing depreciation schedule is unclear.

The remote model has a real limitation. The base service does not include a physical site visit. Basis relies on the facts and documents entered or confirmed through the website. An owner who cannot establish important property facts remotely should discuss that problem before purchasing.

The base service also excludes commercial properties, apartment buildings with more than four units, mixed-use properties, raw land, properties outside the United States, and personal residences without rental use. Detached structures, accessory dwelling units, guest houses, or complex personal and rental use may require added review or fall outside the base scope.

Another engagement may be more appropriate when the property needs an in-person inspection, a custom commercial analysis, extensive reconstruction of missing records, or services outside the study itself. Basis does not include tax-return preparation, Form 3115 preparation, taxpayer-specific tax advice, or IRS representation in the base residential service.

That boundary is important. The cost segregation report supplies an analysis. The owner and tax professional decide how the report applies to the owner's return.

A useful provider comparison should answer specific questions.

• Which property types and locations does the service accept?

• Who prepares the analysis, and who reviews it before delivery?

• What construction, valuation, and tax-classification experience do those people have?

• Does the engagement include a site visit, a remote review, or both?

• Which records must the owner provide?

• How does the study handle missing construction costs or older properties?

• Does the report identify its methodology and supporting cost sources?

• Does it reconcile component allocations to the total basis analyzed?

• What documents and schedules come with the final report?

• What is the full price, including likely add-ons?

• When does the delivery period begin?

• How are factual corrections and reasonable revisions handled?

• What report support is included after delivery?

• Does support cover questions about the report, or does it also include tax filing and IRS representation?

• What must the owner send to the CPA?

Get the important answers in writing. Terms such as “audit support,” “engineering-based,” and “CPA-ready” can describe very different services unless the provider defines them.

Good records make any study easier to review. Gather the purchase closing statement, existing depreciation schedule, land-value support, placed-in-service information, renovation records, and available property plans or photographs.

Renovated properties need extra care because repair costs, improvements, and original building basis can come from different records. The renovation documentation guide explains what to collect before submitting the intake.

Do not guess when an important fact is missing. Flag the issue and ask what support the provider needs.

The right provider depends on the property, available records, required services, and the tax professional who will evaluate the finished report. A remote residential workflow can reduce scheduling and document handoffs, but convenience does not replace accurate inputs or careful review.

Start a free property estimate to compare your projected first-year benefit with the current Basis study fee before you decide.

The estimate is preliminary and informational. It is not a cost segregation study, tax opinion, depreciation schedule, or filing position. Actual results depend on the property and the owner's tax circumstances. Consult a qualified tax professional before using a study on a return.

© 2026 Basis Cost Seg. For informational purposes only and not tax or legal advice.