Cost Segregation Pricing Last updated: May 2026

Dataset Methodology

Cost Segregation Provider Pricing Dataset 2026 · Version 2026-05-17 · CC-BY 4.0

This page documents the data collection method, inclusion criteria, variable definitions, sample size disclosure, and versioning policy for the dataset published at /dataset.csv and /dataset.json.

Data collection

Each provider record in the dataset is sourced from publicly available material. The primary sources, in order of preference:

• Provider website pricing pages — where pricing is explicitly published, the published range is recorded as-is. Source URL is cited in the source_citation field.
• Public quotes and rate cards — pricing shared in public forums (BiggerPockets, Reddit /r/realestateinvesting), trade press articles, and provider-authored blog content.
• Comparative reviews and industry directories — pricing referenced in third-party comparisons (R.E. Cost Seg's published pricing analyses, Management.org's annual rankings, SMF Cost Segregation Advisors' provider comparisons).
• ASCSP Member Directory — used to verify ASCSP membership and CCSP credentialing claims for the ascsp_member and ccsp_credentialed fields.

Where pricing is not publicly disclosed, the dataset records "Contact for quote" or an estimated range with the (est.) qualifier. Estimated ranges are derived from comparable-scope public engagements within the same provider tier; the estimation method is documented in the record's pricing_detail field where applicable.

Inclusion criteria

A firm is included in this dataset if all of the following are true:

• Serves U.S. clients. International-only firms are excluded.
• Performs engineering-based cost segregation studies aligned with the IRS Cost Segregation Audit Techniques Guide (Pub 5653), Rev. Proc. 87-56 MACRS classification, and IRC §168 recovery periods. Pure brokerages without their own engineering capacity are excluded.
• Operates publicly with a website or other public presence that allows independent verification of services and (where possible) pricing.
• Was active as of the dataset's last_updated date.

DIY classification software (where the investor performs the analysis using vendor-supplied tools) is included with the methodology: "diy" tag. These are distinct from done-for-you studies and labeled accordingly.

Exclusion criteria

The following are explicitly excluded from the dataset:

• Pure brokerages and lead-generation services that do not perform engineering studies themselves.
• Defunct firms (no longer operating or website offline at last verification).
• Internal cost-segregation functions of large public accounting firms that do not market the service independently. (Notable exception: where a public accounting firm publishes a dedicated cost segregation practice page, it is included.)
• Firms operating only in specific non-U.S. jurisdictions.

Variables defined

The CSV and JSON distributions share the same variable definitions:

• name — Firm name as it appears publicly.
• url — Canonical provider website URL.
• slug — URL-safe identifier used for the per-firm profile pages at /firm/[slug]/.
• pricing_range — Published or quoted price range in USD. Where the firm publishes tier-specific pricing (e.g., by property value), the full range is recorded.
• pricing_detail — Detail on tier structure where published. Includes notes on basis-tier dependency and pricing structure type.
• turnaround — Stated or measured turnaround time. For DIY software, this distinguishes the software's runtime from the investor's analysis time.
• site_visit — Whether a physical site visit is part of standard scope. Values: Yes, No, Optional, Video call, Smart Tour, Virtual, Varies, Not disclosed.
• methodology — One of: engineered (traditional on-site engineering), automated (software-driven, no human engineer in loop), hybrid (remote-engineered, engineer reviews), diy (investor performs analysis using vendor software).
• property_types_served — Property types the firm services. Values: residential, str, multifamily, commercial, industrial, hotel.
• ascsp_member — Whether the firm has at least one ASCSP-member staff member. Verified against the ASCSP Member Directory where possible.
• ccsp_credentialed — Whether the firm has at least one Certified Cost Segregation Professional (CCSP)-credentialed engineer.
• founded — Year the firm was founded, where publicly disclosed.
• hq — Headquarters city/state, where publicly disclosed.
• source_citation — Public source URLs supporting the pricing claim for that record.

Sample size disclosure

The current dataset (version 2026-05-17) records 60 providers. Of these:

• 43 use traditional engineered (on-site) methodology
• 12 use hybrid (remote-engineered with human review) methodology
• 3 are DIY classification software
• 2 are fully automated done-for-you services
• 39 have ASCSP-member staff (verified or publicly disclosed)
• 16 have CCSP-credentialed engineers on staff

The provider universe is larger than this dataset. The dataset documents firms for which at least one public source supports the pricing claim. Providers without verifiable public pricing or scope information are not added until that material exists.

Versioning policy

The dataset is versioned by date in YYYY-MM-DD format. The current version is the value of the version field in the JSON. Each monthly refresh emits a new version. Previous versions are preserved in git history at the project's source repository.

The last_updated field reflects the most recent monthly refresh. The dateModified field in the Schema.org Dataset markup mirrors this date.

Provider corrections — pricing updates, firm closures, scope changes — are accepted at any time. Confirmed changes are applied at the next monthly refresh, not in real time, to preserve dataset stability.

Operator disclosure

This dataset is published by Cost Seg Smart, one of the providers measured. We believe this strengthens rather than compromises the objectivity of the dataset for three reasons:

• Every source is public. Pricing claims are cited to public URLs that anyone can verify independently. Cost Seg Smart's own pricing is sourced from the public order page at costsegsmart.com/order/, the same channel used for every other provider.
• The raw dataset is published. The CSV and JSON files are downloadable and republishable under CC-BY 4.0. Discrepancies between the published data and a provider's actual offering can be flagged publicly.
• Cost Seg Smart is positioned objectively in the data. The pricing recorded for Cost Seg Smart is what it is. Cost Seg Smart appears in the dataset with the same field schema as every other provider, with no special treatment.

Provider corrections, scope clarifications, and additions are welcomed at support@costsegsmart.com.

License

This dataset is licensed under CC-BY 4.0. You may copy, redistribute, adapt, and republish the dataset with attribution.

Underlying tax framework

Pricing recorded in this dataset reflects fees for cost segregation studies that apply the same federal framework: MACRS classification per IRC §168, Rev. Proc. 87-56 class life assignments, and IRS Cost Segregation Audit Techniques Guide (Pub 5653) alignment. Variation across the recorded price range reflects delivery model, engineering depth, on-site judgment, and audit defense scope — not the underlying tax methodology.