Full study fees by size
These are typical fees for a full study with a site visit, the most thorough kind. They come from fees published by reserve study firms and fee guides. They are national figures, because no Oregon body publishes fee data, and they are a guide, not a quote.
| Association | Typical fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 49 homes | $1,500 to $5,000 | Few shared parts: roofs, paint, paving, a fence line. |
| 50 to 149 homes | $2,000 to $8,000 | A suburban HOA or a mid-size condominium, for example. |
| 150 to 299 homes | $5,000 to $20,000 | Several buildings, or a clubhouse and pool on top of roads. |
| 300 homes or more | $10,000 to $20,000+ | Fees are set by scope; there is no published ceiling. |
| Condominium tower or mid-rise building | $7,000 to $15,000+ | Elevators, parking garages and mechanical rooms take longer to inspect. |
Updates cost a share of the full fee
Because Oregon boards review the study every year, most of the money over time goes on updates rather than full studies. Firms describe the fee for each kind of update as a share of the full study:
| Kind of study | Usual fee | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Full study, site visit | The full fee | Every component counted and measured from scratch. |
| Update with a site visit | 50 to 80 percent of a full study | The existing inventory is walked again on site and re-priced. |
| Update without a site visit | 25 to 50 percent of a full study | Balances, costs and inflation refreshed from the office. |
The estimator's six-year figure adds up one full study, one site-visit update and four desk updates, which is one common way to meet the annual review rule.
What pushes a quote up
- Building type. Elevators, parking garages, boilers, fire systems and curtain walls take longer to inspect and price than wood-frame walk-ups.
- Number of components, not just homes. A 60-home resort community with a lodge and pools can cost more than a 150-home subdivision with only streets and fences.
- No previous study. A first study builds the inventory from nothing, often from plans and the recorded plat.
- Travel. Coastal, central and southern Oregon sites can be a long way from a firm's office.
- Extras. A maintenance plan, an insurance replacement cost appraisal, or a transition study at turnover are quoted on top.
And what brings it down
- A clean, recent study the firm can build on.
- Records of past reserve work and costs, ready on day one.
- A multi-year agreement covering the full study and the following updates.
- For managers, grouping several associations in the same area into one round of site visits.
Comparing quotes
Ask each firm to quote the same scope: which kind of study, whether the maintenance plan is included, how many site visits, how many draft rounds, and whether the yearly updates are priced in. A cheap quote that leaves out the plan or a site visit can cost more by the time the board has what Oregon requires. See who does reserve studies in Oregon for questions to put to each firm. Get a quote when you are ready.
Sources and method
- Fee ranges: fees published by reserve study firms and fee guides. Firms are not named because the site cites only official and trade-body sources.
- Kinds of study: CAI, Reserve Studies and Funding Resources (Reserve Study Standards).
- Yearly review: ORS 100.175(3) and ORS 94.595(3).
- Estimator: full-study range for the size band (the high-rise range where higher), multiplied by the update shares above, rounded to the nearest $50. A guide, not a quote.