R.E. Cost Seg Review (2026)

Pricing, methodology, audit defense, and where this provider fits.

Editorial note: This review is published by Cost Seg Smart, which appears as a competitor on this site. Public-facing data only — pricing, methodology, and credentials reflect what the provider publishes, verified 17 September 2026.

Pricing detail

Published, by tier, on the provider’s services page. The Rapid Report is $950 for residential property of up to four units, under 3,500 sq. ft. per unit, with depreciable basis under $1.2M and capital improvements under $50K. Above any of those limits, the Fully Engineered Study starts at $2,320 for residential and $2,730 for commercial, and the provider publishes no maximum property value. Both are starting prices: the final engineered fee varies by square footage, property type and complexity, and a property-specific quote comes from a free proposal. Source: recostseg.com/services.

Pricing verified 17 September 2026. Quotes for specific properties may differ. The same IRS-compliant methodology applies regardless of price tier — what changes is delivery, engineering depth, audit defense scope, and turnaround. For context on typical rates, see our guide to how much a cost segregation study should cost.

Methodology and process

Both tiers are engineering-based, and both are reviewed by an engineer. The Fully Engineered Study uses detailed engineering with actual and estimated cost assignments, quantity measurements and unit costs, and the provider describes its core valuation approach as Replacement Cost New Less Depreciation. The Rapid Report uses a modeling approach backed by an engineering review rather than a full measured take-off. All US cost segregation studies — including this one — must follow the engineering-based methodology described in the IRS Cost Segregation Audit Techniques Guide and apply MACRS classification per Rev. Proc. 87-56. The framework is set by federal law; what varies across providers is execution depth, documentation, and audit defense scope.

Property-type fit

The provider serves qualifying income-producing residential and commercial property in all 50 states, and lists short-term rentals, warehouses, self-storage, hotels, apartments, restaurants, shopping centers, nursing homes, gas stations, agricultural property, offices and industrial or manufacturing facilities. The Rapid Report is residential-only; everything else routes to the Fully Engineered Study, which has no published maximum. For investors evaluating providers by property type, our category rankings list STR-focused provider rankings and MF cost-seg providers.

Audit defense

Audit support is included on both tiers at no additional charge. The published scope is written responses to questions about the study’s engineering methodology, asset classifications and conclusions. It explicitly excludes representation before the IRS or any taxing authority, expert witness testimony, tax return preparation or amendment, and defense of tax positions not contained in the study — so it is support, not representation, and not a guarantee. No guarantee is published. The provider also reports that fewer than 0.1% of its studies have been audited and that it defended those successfully; both are provider-reported figures we have not independently verified. Audit support scope varies materially across providers, ranging from explicit IRS representation to nothing beyond report delivery — see the scoring methodology for how we weigh this dimension.

Pros

• Publishes tiered pricing with stated eligibility limits, rather than quoting only on request
• Engineer review on both product tiers
• Audit support included at no extra charge, with a published scope
• Excel fixed-asset schedule delivered alongside the PDF report
• Nationwide, all 50 states, with no published maximum property value on the engineered tier

Cons

• The $950 Rapid Report is narrowly scoped: residential only, up to four units, under 3,500 sq. ft. per unit, basis under $1.2M, capital improvements under $50K
• Audit support excludes IRS representation, testimony, and return preparation or amendment
• Form 3115 preparation is a paid add-on rather than part of the study
• Published figures are starting prices, not quotes; the engineered fee varies by size, type and complexity
• Study volume, NPS and audit-rate claims are provider-reported and not independently verified

Verdict — who this is for

R.E. Cost Seg scores 7.8/10 in our individual-investor ranking. It fits residential and commercial investors who want an engineer-reviewed file and a published price before they talk to anyone: the $950 Rapid Report for residential property inside its eligibility limits, and the Fully Engineered Study, with no published ceiling, for everything above them. It is a weaker fit if you need representation rather than written support in an examination, or if you need the schedule the same day. For investors comparing alternatives, the full 27-provider sortable table is on the homepage.

FAQ

Pricing and operational details reflect the provider’s published information, verified 17 September 2026. Provider corrections welcome via the submission form. This review is not legal, tax, or financial advice — confirm cost segregation suitability with your CPA before ordering a study.