DIY Cost Seg Review (2026)
Pricing, methodology, audit support, and where this platform fits.
Editorial note: Cost Segregation Reviews is operated by Cost Seg Smart, which appears as one option among many on this site, including in this review. Public-facing data only — pricing, methodology, and credentials reflect what DIY Cost Seg publishes on its own site. Reviewed September 2026.
DIY Cost Seg is a questionnaire-driven software platform: the customer enters property details and receives an instant online report classifying components into MACRS 5-, 7-, 15-, and 27.5/39-year property, the same classification structure set by Rev. Proc. 87-56. It does not describe its process as engineering-based; the site attributes its output to "nearly two decades' worth of research and experience" rather than a physical inspection or a licensed engineer's review. Pricing runs $495-$1,795 for residential (1-4 units) and $1,295-$3,695 for commercial (5+ units, banks, restaurants, and similar property), with $49 report corrections. Cost Seg Smart prices residential under $300,000 at $495 — the bottom of DIY Cost Seg's own residential range — as an engineer-reviewed report rather than a self-serve questionnaire output.
- Pricing
- $495-$1,795 residential; $1,295-$3,695 commercial
- Turnaround
- Instant; corrections within 2 business days
- Methodology
- Questionnaire-driven software, not stated as engineering-based
- Site visit
- Not published; no visit requirement mentioned
- Audit support
- Optional paid Audit Assistance add-on; no direct IRS representation
- Guarantee
- Not published
- Property types
- Residential 1-4 units; commercial 5+ units, banks, restaurants, etc.
- Founded
- Not published (site claims 20+ years, 15,000+ studies since 2001)
Category: Software / DIY — best for a budget-conscious owner comfortable self-reporting property details
Pricing detail
Residential (1-4 units): $495-$1,795, depending on the property. Commercial: $1,295-$3,695. Report corrections cost $49. The site does not publish which factors move a residential quote from $495 to $1,795 within that range.
Pricing reflects what DIY Cost Seg publishes as of September 2026. See our guide to cheap cost segregation options for how this compares with other sub-$1,000 tools.
What you get
An instant online report delivered after the customer completes the platform's questionnaire. If a correction is needed, the site offers a $49 report-correction service with a 2-business-day turnaround. There is no described intermediate review step, physical inspection, or engineer sign-off before the report is issued.
Methodology basis
DIY Cost Seg does not claim an engineering-based methodology. The site attributes its component classifications to "nearly two decades' worth of research and experience" built into the software, rather than a per-property physical inspection. Classification still follows MACRS categories under Rev. Proc. 87-56, the same framework every provider on this site uses, but the underlying process here is software-driven rather than a licensed engineer's site-specific analysis.
Property-type fit
Residential coverage runs single-family through 4-plex. Commercial coverage (5+ units, banks, restaurants, and similar property types) is priced separately and higher. Short-term rentals are not called out as a distinct category the way they are on several other providers reviewed on this site.
Audit support terms
Audit Assistance is an optional add-on service: the firm provides documentation and methodology support to the client's own CPA, EA, or attorney. The site explicitly states it cannot represent the client before the IRS directly — the client's own tax professional handles that role. No money-back or outcome guarantee is published.
Pros
- Instant delivery — no multi-week wait for a report.
- Published $49 flat correction fee if the report needs a fix.
- Separate, clearly priced residential and commercial ranges.
Cons
- Not described as engineering-based; no physical inspection or licensed-engineer review mentioned.
- Audit representation before the IRS is explicitly excluded — the add-on supports the client's own CPA/EA/attorney instead.
- No published guarantee, and the site does not explain what moves price within its residential or commercial ranges.
Verdict — who this is for
DIY Cost Seg fits an investor who wants the lowest-friction path to a report and is comfortable handing it to their own CPA for review before filing — it is explicit that it does not stand in for that CPA at audit time. It is not a fit for someone who wants a provider that will represent them if the IRS has questions, or who wants a stated engineering methodology behind the numbers. See software versus an engineered study for what a CPA typically needs to see attached to a return.
FAQ
How much does DIY Cost Seg cost?
Residential (1-4 units): $495-$1,795. Commercial (5+ units, banks, restaurants, etc.): $1,295-$3,695. Report corrections cost $49.
Does DIY Cost Seg use an engineer?
The site does not describe its methodology as engineering-based. It describes reports as built on "nearly two decades' worth of research and experience," delivered through a software questionnaire rather than a physical inspection or engineer sign-off.
Does DIY Cost Seg provide audit representation?
No. Its optional Audit Assistance add-on provides documentation and methodology support to the client's own CPA, EA, or attorney; the site explicitly states it cannot represent the client before the IRS directly.
DIY Cost Seg is the editor's reference point for the lowest-friction, fully self-serve report. For other situations:
Sources
Accessed 2026-09-06.
Pricing and operational details reflect public information as of 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 or using a software tool.