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Cost segregation studies require accurate, defensible documentation of a property’s components — their location, condition, and classification. The quality of the field documentation directly affects the quality of the study and the defensibility of the resulting depreciation schedule.
This guide covers how cost segregation engineers and property analysts use Manifold for field documentation during property surveys.
A cost segregation study identifies building components that qualify for accelerated depreciation — 5, 7, or 15-year property versus the standard 39-year schedule. The field survey that supports this classification needs to document:
Each of these requires a photo record that is timestamped, GPS-tagged, and organised by component and location — not a folder of unlabelled images.
In Manifold, every photo is GPS-tagged and timestamped automatically as it’s taken. Photos are organised by project (property address) without any manual filing. An engineer surveying a 50,000 sq ft commercial building takes photos of each component category — HVAC, electrical, plumbing, tenant improvements — and they organise to the correct property automatically.
Annotations and notes can be attached to specific photos to record component details, estimated ages, or classification notes while on site.
Orbit Measure captures a measurable 3D model of any space in 60 seconds on any iOS or Android phone — no LiDAR required, accurate to half an inch. For cost segregation purposes, 3D models of mechanical rooms, electrical rooms, or large open areas provide spatial context that flat photos can’t capture — and give the study preparer a navigable reference without a return visit.
The Floor Plan Scan feature (iPhone 12 Pro or newer) generates a 2D floor plan automatically — useful for large commercial properties where an as-built floor plan supports the component location documentation.
Once the survey is complete, Manifold exports a PDF with all photos organised by location and component, with GPS coordinates and timestamps. This becomes the field documentation appendix to the cost segregation study — a structured, auditable record that the preparer and, if necessary, an IRS examiner can navigate.
Photo plan — $16/user/month: GPS photo timelines, annotations, PDF reports. No seat minimums.
Photo+Scan plan — $24/user/month: Everything in Photo plus Orbit Measure 3D scanning and Floor Plan Scan — the most useful plan for cost segregation field surveys requiring spatial documentation.
No seat minimums, free trial, no credit card required.
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