By community size
For a full study with a site visit:
| Community | What drives it | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer than 50 units | A handful of buildings, little shared plant | $1,500 to $5,000 |
| 50 to 150 units | Private drives, a clubhouse or a pool | $2,000 to $8,000 |
| 150 to 300 units | Several buildings, roads, more components | $5,000 to $20,000 |
| More than 300 units | Priced on scope | From $10,000 |
| Mid- or high-rise condominium | Elevators, facade, boilers and pumps | $7,000 to $15,000+ |
By study level
| Level | Scope | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|
| Full study with a site visit | First study, or a fresh start | $1,500 to $20,000+ |
| Update with a site visit | Components walked again, figures refreshed | About 50 to 80% of a full study |
| Update without a site visit | Figures only, no walk-through | Often under $1,000 |
A guide, not a quote. These are typical ranges from published prices. No government agency or trade body publishes fee figures; the Community Associations Institute defines the study levels but not their prices.
What moves the fee
- Component count. Each building, roof section, parking area and piece of equipment is an entry the firm must inspect and price.
- Height and plant. Elevators, boilers, chillers, facades and parking structures mean a longer inspection and often an engineer's time.
- Records. A tidy file of past invoices and a previous study can take hours off the job. A shoebox adds them.
- Travel. Firms based in Milwaukee or Madison may charge more to reach Door County or the north woods. Some combine visits to keep travel down.
- Timing. Asking in late summer for a study the board wants before the fall budget meeting is asking alongside everyone else.
Comparing proposals
Line them up on the same terms: level of study, whether a site visit is included, who inspects, how many years the funding plan covers, how many revisions are included, and whether the firm will present to the board. A cheaper proposal that leaves out the site visit is not the same product.
Is it worth it if we opted out?
An association that opted out of the statutory reserve account still owns the same roofs. A study tells the board when the big bills land and how large they will be, which is the difference between a planned special assessment and an emergency one.
Study levels: CAI, Reserve Studies and Funding Resources.