In one paragraph
Maven Cost Segregation and Cost Seg Smart both produce engineered cost segregation studies aligned with the IRS Cost Segregation Audit Techniques Guide; ours classify components under MACRS per Rev. Proc. 87-56 using industry-standard construction cost data. Maven is a tax-advisory firm whose in-house engineering and tax team completes every study, with a licensed PE on every study and a registered CPA overseeing it. Every Maven study is a detailed engineering study with an on-site inspection. Maven publishes its prices ($2,500 to $4,000 for smaller properties, $5,000 to $10,000+ for large or complex properties and portfolios) and says most studies are completed within 30 days of the site visit. Cost Seg Smart's studies are automated and done for you from satellite imagery, county assessor records, and structured property data, with internal technical review and QC, delivered the next business day in most cases, starting at $495. Maven may be the better fit when you want a licensed PE and a CPA on your file, or an on-site study of a larger or unusual property. Cost Seg Smart may be the better fit for residential, STR, small multifamily, and small commercial where speed and study cost decide the ROI.
Disclosure: Cost Seg Smart operates this comparison and is one of the firms compared here. See the methodology page for our standalone documentation.
Cost Seg Smart in brief
- Cost Seg Smart is an engineered cost segregation provider for residential, short-term-rental, multifamily and commercial property, with residential studies from $495 and commercial from $1,995.
- Cost Seg Smart delivers most residential studies the next business day, remotely, using remote observation together with industry-standard 2026 construction cost data.
- Cost Seg Smart classifies components under MACRS per Rev. Proc. 87-56 and documents every study against the 13 quality elements of the IRS Cost Segregation Audit Techniques Guide (Pub 5653), including Form 3115 §481(a) catch-up schedules for properties owned two or more years.
- Cost Seg Smart prices a sub-$300K residential study at $495 and delivers it usually by the next business day; Maven Cost Segregation says most of its studies are completed within 30 days of the site visit.
Maven Cost Segregation: overview
Maven Cost Segregation (mavencostseg.com) positions itself as a tax-advisory firm. It says every study is completed by its in-house engineering and tax team, with a licensed PE on every study and a registered CPA overseeing it. Maven sells one study format, a detailed engineering study that includes an on-site inspection of the property; its site no longer lists a condensed, no-site-visit option. It publishes its prices: $2,500 to $4,000 for smaller properties (smaller office, multifamily rentals, light industrial) and $5,000 to $10,000+ for large or complex properties and portfolios, plus Form 3115 preparation at a $995 flat rate. Most studies are completed within 30 days of the site visit, and audit defense is included. Maven describes its methodology as compliant with the IRS Audit Techniques Guide, the same framework Cost Seg Smart documents against. The differences are turnaround, the labor model, and study cost.
At a glance
| Dimension | Cost Seg Smart | Maven Cost Segregation |
|---|---|---|
| Study fee | From $495 | $2,500–$4,000 smaller properties; $5,000–$10,000+ large or complex (published) |
| Turnaround | Usually the next business day (simple residential) | Most studies within 30 days of the site visit |
| Site visit | No (remote observation) | Yes, an on-site inspection on every study |
| Who does the work | Automated pipeline + internal technical review & QC | In-house engineering and tax team; licensed PE and registered CPA on every study |
| Methodology | industry-standard construction cost data + MACRS per Rev. Proc. 87-56 | IRS ATG-compliant (per Maven; cost data source not named on its site) |
| Form 3115 lookback | Included | $995 flat-rate Form 3115 preparation |
| Best fit | Residential / STR / small MF / small commercial | Larger or unusual properties wanting an on-site study with a PE and CPA |
Maven’s price ranges, turnaround and Form 3115 fee are as published on mavencostseg.com, checked on 2026-09-25. Confirm current pricing and scope directly with Maven.
Methodology overlap (both firms)
Both firms work inside the same IRS framework:
- Component-level cost basis. Cost Seg Smart uses industry-standard construction cost data with regional multipliers, calibrated to the property's market; Maven does not name its cost data source on its site.
- MACRS classification per Rev. Proc. 87-56, the asset class lives that determine 5-, 7-, 15-, 27.5-, or 39-year recovery periods (incorporated into IRS Pub. 946 Appendix B).
- IRS Cost Segregation Audit Techniques Guide (Pub 5653), the 13-element quality framework. Maven cites the 13 principal elements on its site; Cost Seg Smart documents every study against them.
- Form 3115 §481(a) lookback support, for properties owned 2+ years without a prior study: included at Cost Seg Smart, a $995 flat-rate service at Maven.
- A reviewed deliverable: Maven puts a licensed PE on every study with CPA oversight; Cost Seg Smart adds internal technical review and QC confirming the methodology was applied correctly.
When Cost Seg Smart may be a better fit
- Residential and small-commercial properties where speed and study cost decide the ROI. On a $400K STR, a next-business-day study from $495 preserves more of the Year-1 benefit than a $2,500+ on-site engagement.
- Speed-sensitive filings. If your CPA needs the schedule for a return already in extension, a next-business-day turnaround in most cases beats a cycle of up to 30 days that starts after a site visit is scheduled.
- Self-serve, no scheduling. No engineer visit to coordinate; upload closing docs and photos online.
When Maven Cost Segregation may be a better fit
- You want a licensed PE and a CPA on your file. Maven says a licensed PE works on every study and a registered CPA oversees it, with no outsourced core analysis.
- Larger or unusual properties. Every Maven study includes an on-site inspection, which can add accuracy where construction is unusual or not fully reflected in public data.
- You want published prices for an on-site study. Maven publishes its price ranges and a $995 flat Form 3115 fee, so you can budget an engineered on-site study before asking for a quote.
How to decide
Three questions, in order:
- Is the property large or unusual enough that on-site engineering judgment changes the schedule? Then Maven's on-site study is worth it.
- Do you specifically want a licensed PE and a CPA on your file? Then Maven.
- Otherwise (residential, STR, small MF, small commercial, speed-sensitive)? Then Cost Seg Smart: same methodology, lower study fee, faster turnaround.
To see the math on a specific property, our free calculator gives a Year-1 estimate in 30 seconds. Methodology details are at /methodology/; pricing tiers at /cheap-cost-segregation/; the full firm landscape at best cost segregation companies.
Last reviewed: September 25, 2026 (Maven facts checked against mavencostseg.com on 2026-09-25). Maintained by the Cost Seg Smart Editorial Team. Maven Cost Segregation is a trademark of its respective holder. No affiliation. This comparison is informational; both firms produce IRS ATG-aligned engineered cost segregation studies. Confirm pricing and scope directly with each vendor.