Most nonresidential building basis starts here before detailed classification.
CALIFORNIA COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS
Find the depreciation already inside your property.
See your estimated Year 1 deduction, federal tax effect, study price, net benefit and ROI in about 60 seconds.
- ✓ Engineering based
- ✓ CPA ready report
- ✓ Statewide service
CaliforniaStatewide coverage
QualifiedTechnical review
PracticalFixed fee proposal
CPA ReadyClear schedules
THE OPPORTUNITY
Your building may be depreciating slower than necessary.
A cost segregation study identifies qualifying components and assigns them to appropriate recovery periods using documented engineering and tax analysis.
Apartment building basis generally begins on this recovery schedule.
Qualifying personal property and land improvements may recover much faster.
Cost segregation accelerates the timing of depreciation. It does not create new basis, guarantee tax savings or determine whether a taxpayer can currently use a deduction.
THE 5 · 7 · 15 EXPLANATION
Same property. Faster tax deductions.
The study does not invent a deduction. It separates eligible pieces of the property so some basis may be recovered sooner.
Interior and specialty assets
Qualifying finishes, cabinetry, dedicated electrical or plumbing, appliances and certain removable components.
Certain equipment
Selected furniture, fixtures and equipment where the facts and tax classification support a seven-year life.
Land improvements
Qualifying paving, sidewalks, fencing, landscaping, site lighting, drainage and other exterior improvements.
The building stays here
Structural walls, roof, general building systems and other real-property components remain on the longer schedule.
Plain English:Instead of waiting decades for every deduction, a qualifying owner may pull part of the depreciation forward and keep more cash today. This is usually a timing benefit, not tax-free money forever.
DOES MY PROPERTY FIT?
A quick 60-second screen.
Income-producing property
Multifamily, self storage, medical office, retail or another business-use building.
Meaningful building basis
Purchase price less land is often at least $500,000; larger basis usually means more potential benefit.
Recent purchase or improvements
Acquired, built, renovated—or an older property that may qualify for a look-back study.
You can use the deduction
Your CPA confirms passive-loss, at-risk, basis and placed-in-service rules for your situation.
Long-term holder? That can be a strong fit because the earlier cash-flow benefit has more time to work. Your CPA should still model depreciation recapture and the expected sale date.
OUR CALIFORNIA SPECIALTIES
Built for the properties you already own.
Focused expertise makes intake faster, estimates more consistent and reports easier for your CPA to use.
01Best starting niche
Self Storage
Drive up and mixed facilities often contain meaningful paving, fencing, lighting and security components.
- ✓Gross square feet and building count
- ✓Climate control, paving, gates and fencing
- ✓Expansions and improvement history
Our study pricingStarting at $9,999Under $1M purchase price · standard remote scope
Run my free numbers ↗02Repeatable analysis
Multifamily
Apartment properties can include unit finishes, appliances, site improvements, amenities and specialty systems.
- ✓Unit, floor-plan and building count
- ✓Elevators, amenities and central systems
- ✓Renovations and improvement history
Our study pricingStarting at $7,999Under $1M purchase price · standard remote scope
Run my free numbers ↗03High value niche
Medical Offices
Medical, dental and veterinary spaces may contain specialized electrical, plumbing, cabinetry and finishes.
- ✓Suite and procedure-room count
- ✓Specialty plumbing, electrical and medical gas
- ✓Landlord and tenant improvement records
Our study pricingStarting at $9,999Under $1M purchase price · standard remote scope
Run my free numbers ↗04Commercial focus
Strip Retail
Retail centers often combine landlord improvements with parking, landscaping, signage and tenant buildouts.
- ✓Suite, tenant and building count
- ✓Restaurant, medical and specialty buildouts
- ✓Parking, signage and site improvements
Our study pricingStarting at $7,999Under $1M purchase price · standard remote scope
Run my free numbers ↗Traditional commercial studies commonly publish prices reaching $15,000 or more. Our entry pricing is below that high end, but we do not claim to be the lowest-priced automated option. Every engagement receives a fixed proposal before paid work begins.
HOW YOUR PRICE IS SET
Basis first. Complexity second.
We price the actual engineering workload, not an arbitrary charge for every door or storage unit.
Purchase price sets the provider tier. Purchase price less land determines the depreciable basis used to estimate the tax benefit.
More units do not automatically mean a higher fee. Repeated layouts are easier than many different medical, restaurant or retail buildouts.
Additional buildings, parcels, expansions, renovations and separate tenant-improvement packages require more takeoff and classification work.
Complete plans, photos and cost records reduce reconstruction work. Missing records, a physical visit or a rush deadline can increase the fixed quote.
2 propertiesUp to 5% off
3 to 4 propertiesUp to 10% off
5 or moreCustom volume rate
Portfolio discounts depend on shared ownership, similar property types, complete records and matched engineering efficiencies. Final pricing is confirmed in writing.
FREE 60 SECOND CALCULATOR
See your estimated Year 1 tax savings.
Compare normal depreciation with an estimated cost segregation result. Then see the study price, net first year benefit and estimated return on the fee.
01
No signupGet the numbers immediately.
02
Automatic pricingFee changes with property type and price tier.
03
CPA checkpointYour CPA confirms eligibility and usability.
SHOW ME THE MONEY
What the timing could look like.
Illustrative examples use a 37% federal marginal rate and assume the shorter-life property is currently deductible. Actual results vary.
$3,000,000 property
$600,000 assumed land value
- Possible faster basis
- $480,000–$624,000
- Possible additional Year 1 federal tax effect
- $173,046–$224,960
- Traditional firms normally charge
- Up to $15,000+
$4,000,000 property
$800,000 assumed land value
- Possible faster basis
- $480,000–$640,000
- Possible additional Year 1 federal tax effect
- $171,142–$228,189
- Traditional firms normally charge
- Up to $15,000+
$5,000,000 property
$1,000,000 assumed land value
- Possible faster basis
- $640,000–$920,000
- Possible additional Year 1 federal tax effect
- $230,728–$331,672
- Traditional firms normally charge
- Up to $15,000+
$8,000,000 property
$1,600,000 assumed land value
- Possible faster basis
- $1,344,000–$1,728,000
- Possible additional Year 1 federal tax effect
- $484,529–$622,966
- Traditional firms normally charge
- Up to $15,000+
Examples show potential tax deferral from accelerating deductions, not guaranteed permanent tax savings. California generally requires a separate depreciation schedule because it does not conform to federal bonus depreciation.
SIMPLE FROM START TO FINISH
One property. Three clear steps.
Tell us about the property
Share the address, acquisition details, closing statement and available property documents.
Engineering analysis
We inventory assets, estimate or reconcile costs, document classifications and complete technical review.
Receive your CPA package
Get the final report, asset schedules, methodology, assumptions and supporting exhibits.
DOCUMENTED AND DEFENSIBLE
A real study needs more than software output.
Our workflow is built around the principal elements the IRS describes for a quality cost segregation study.
Review My Property →- ✓
Qualified technical reviewConstruction knowledge, cost estimating and tax classification experience.
- ✓
Documented methodologyClear assumptions, sources, quantities, classifications and legal rationale.
- ✓
Cost reconciliationAllocated costs reconcile back to the supported depreciable property basis.
- ✓
Property evidenceAvailable plans, photographs, records and virtual or physical inspection as appropriate.
STATEWIDE SERVICE
Commercial cost segregation throughout California.
Remote intake and property documentation let us serve owners statewide, with physical inspection arranged when the scope requires it.
STRAIGHT ANSWERS
Cost segregation questions.
What is a cost segregation study?+
It is an engineering based analysis that identifies property components that may qualify for shorter federal depreciation recovery periods instead of remaining entirely within the building's longer recovery period.
Who should consider a study?+
Owners who recently acquired, constructed or significantly improved income producing property should ask their CPA whether the deductions can be used and whether the expected benefit supports the study cost.
Are your reports reviewed by an engineer?+
Every final study is engineering based and receives qualified technical review. If a licensed professional engineer review is included in your quoted scope, the proposal will say so. We do not advertise a PE signature unless that review is actually part of the engagement.
Do you work directly with my CPA?+
Yes. We prepare a CPA ready report and can answer technical questions about the study. Your CPA remains responsible for tax advice, return positions and implementation.
Can an older property still qualify?+
Potentially. A look back study may allow a taxpayer to correct depreciation without amending every prior return, often through an accounting method change. Your CPA must determine the correct filing treatment.
Does California allow federal bonus depreciation?+
California generally does not conform to federal bonus depreciation, so owners commonly need separate federal and California depreciation schedules. Your CPA should confirm the treatment for your facts.
How much does a study cost?+
Multifamily and strip-retail studies start at $7,999. Medical-office and self-storage studies start at $9,999. Starting prices assume a purchase price below $1 million, one standard property, complete records and remote documentation. The calculator automatically adjusts the estimated fee by property type and purchase-price tier.
Does every unit or tenant increase the price?+
No. Depreciable basis sets the base tier. Unit, suite and tenant counts matter when they add unique layouts, systems or improvement packages. One hundred repeated apartment or storage units may require less work than twenty different medical or retail suites.
Do I need to hire a property photographer?+
Usually not. Owner or broker photos, appraisal and inspection photos, plans, closing documents, assessor records and a guided phone video walk-through are often enough for initial intake. If better documentation is required, we can quote a local flat-fee photo or inspection visit before work begins.
FREE PRELIMINARY PROPERTY REVIEW