Cost-to-Cure Reports & Opinions of Probable Costs
Know What a Property Will Cost You — Before You Close
A commercial property's asking price is only the beginning of the financial story. The true cost of an acquisition includes the deferred maintenance, system deficiencies, and capital requirements that won't show up on a listing sheet but will absolutely show up on your balance sheet after closing.
Calibre's Cost-to-Cure Reports and Opinions of Probable Costs translate inspection findings into dollars — giving buyers, brokers, and lenders the financial clarity to negotiate effectively, plan capital reserves accurately, and make acquisition decisions based on the property's actual economic reality, not its asking price.
Cost-to-Cure Report vs. Opinion of Probable Costs — What's the Difference?
These two terms are closely related and often used together, but they serve distinct purposes. Understanding the difference helps you request the right deliverable for your situation.
Cost-to-Cure Report
A Cost-to-Cure Report is a structured inventory of deficiencies identified during a commercial building inspection, organized with estimated remediation costs for each item. It answers a specific question: what will it cost to bring this property to an acceptable condition?
Each line item in a Cost-to-Cure Report includes a description of the deficiency, its location within the property, a priority classification, and an estimated cost range for repair or replacement. Items are typically organized by building system — structural, roofing, electrical, mechanical, plumbing — and summarized by priority level: immediate, short-term, and deferred.
Cost-to-Cure Reports are used primarily in acquisition due diligence as a negotiation tool. When a buyer knows the property has $180,000 in near-term capital requirements, that information fundamentally changes the conversation about price.
Opinion of Probable Costs
An Opinion of Probable Costs is a professional assessment of what identified repairs or replacements will likely cost, based on the inspector's experience, knowledge of current regional construction costs, and understanding of the scope of work involved. It provides financial context for individual line items and for the report as a whole.
While a Cost-to-Cure Report is the framework — the organized inventory of what needs attention — the Opinion of Probable Costs is the financial layer that makes that framework actionable. Most Calibre Cost-to-Cure Reports incorporate both: a structured list of deficiencies and a professional cost opinion for each item, delivered as a single integrated document.
What a Calibre Cost-to-Cure Report Includes
Every Calibre Cost-to-Cure Report is built from a thorough commercial building inspection and structured to be immediately useful in the transaction context. Each report includes:
• Itemized Deficiency Inventory — every material deficiency identified during the inspection, described clearly with location references tied to the inspection report
• Priority Classification — each item classified as Immediate (safety or functional failure), Short-Term (1–3 years), or Deferred (3–10 years capital planning)
• Opinion of Probable Cost Per Item — a professional cost range estimate for each line item based on current regional pricing and scope of work
• System-Level Summaries — costs organized by building system for easy cross-referencing with inspection findings
• Aggregate Cost Summary — total immediate, short-term, and deferred cost estimates for the property overall
• High-Resolution Photo Documentation — visual documentation of each material deficiency referenced in the report
Who Uses Cost-to-Cure Reports
Calibre produces Cost-to-Cure Reports for a range of client types, each using the deliverable differently:
Buyers and Investors
A Cost-to-Cure Report is one of the most powerful negotiation tools available to a commercial buyer. When inspection findings are translated into quantified dollar amounts, you have an objective, third-party basis for price renegotiation, seller credit requests, or repair-before-close demands. Buyers who walk into a renegotiation with a Calibre Cost-to-Cure Report walk in with evidence, not impressions.
For investors underwriting a commercial acquisition, the report also provides the foundation for accurate capital reserve planning — ensuring that the first-year and long-term costs of ownership are fully accounted for in the investment model.
Commercial Brokers
Experienced commercial brokers use Cost-to-Cure Reports to manage client expectations, support their negotiation position, and protect their clients from acquisitions that look attractive on the surface but carry hidden capital requirements. A third-party, inspector-produced cost opinion carries more weight than a broker's estimate in a transaction conversation.
Commercial Lenders
Lenders financing commercial acquisitions use Cost-to-Cure findings to assess the adequacy of reserves, adjust loan terms, and ensure that the property securing the loan will not require immediate capital infusion that the borrower may not have planned for. Cost-to-Cure data often feeds directly into a lender's underwriting analysis.
When to Commission a Cost-to-Cure Report
The most common timing for a Cost-to-Cure Report is during the due diligence period following an accepted offer, when inspection findings are fresh and the renegotiation window is open. However, there are several other situations where this deliverable adds significant value:
• Pre-Offer Analysis — for buyers who want to understand likely capital requirements before submitting an offer on an older or complex property
• Portfolio Acquisitions — when evaluating multiple properties simultaneously and needing to compare capital requirements across the portfolio
• Lender Requirements — when a lender requires documented cost estimates as part of the financing approval process
• Asset Management — for owners developing multi-year capital expenditure budgets for existing properties
• Pre-Sale Preparation — for sellers who want to understand and address deficiencies before listing to protect their asking price
Cost-to-Cure as Part of a Complete Due Diligence Package
A Cost-to-Cure Report is most powerful when it is built on a thorough commercial building inspection — not produced in isolation. Calibre's standard process integrates the cost analysis directly into the inspection workflow, ensuring that every deficiency is documented, photographed, and priced as part of a single, coherent due diligence deliverable.
For transactions requiring lender-grade documentation, the Cost-to-Cure Report can be paired with a Property Condition Assessment (PCA) to meet ASTM E2018 standards. For acquisitions with environmental risk factors, it can be ordered alongside a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment. Calibre coordinates all components so that your due diligence package is complete, consistent, and delivered on your timeline.
Coverage Area
Calibre provides Cost-to-Cure Reports and Opinions of Probable Costs for commercial properties across Idaho, Eastern Oregon, Eastern Washington, and Western Montana. See our Areas Served page for city-specific coverage.
Ready to Commission a Cost-to-Cure Report?
Contact Calibre today to discuss your property and timeline. We'll confirm scope, turnaround, and pricing and get your due diligence process moving.
📞 (208) 305-6245 | ✉ Schedule@CalibreCBI.com
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a Cost-to-Cure Report different from a standard inspection report?
A commercial building inspection report describes the condition of the property and identifies deficiencies. A Cost-to-Cure Report takes that a step further — it organizes those deficiencies by priority and assigns a professional cost estimate to each item. The inspection tells you what is wrong; the Cost-to-Cure Report tells you what it will cost to fix it.
How accurate are the cost estimates?
Calibre's Opinions of Probable Costs are professional estimates based on current regional construction pricing, contractor market conditions, and the inspector's direct experience with similar repair scopes. They are not contractor bids — actual bids may vary based on contractor availability, material costs at time of work, and site-specific conditions. We provide cost ranges rather than single-point estimates to reflect this variability, and we are transparent about the basis for each estimate.
Can a Cost-to-Cure Report be used to renegotiate price?
Yes — this is one of its primary uses in acquisition due diligence. A third-party, inspector-produced cost opinion provides an objective basis for requesting a price reduction, seller credit, or repair-before-close agreement. Its value in a renegotiation conversation is significantly greater than a buyer's or broker's informal estimate.
Do you produce Cost-to-Cure Reports without a full inspection?
No. A Cost-to-Cure Report requires a thorough on-site commercial building inspection as its foundation. We do not produce cost estimates based on third-party inspection reports, virtual assessments, or document review alone. The integrity of the cost opinion depends on the inspector having directly observed and documented the conditions being priced.
How long does it take to receive the report?
In most cases, Calibre delivers completed Cost-to-Cure Reports within the same timeframe as our standard commercial inspection reports — typically within 48 to 72 hours of the on-site inspection, depending on property complexity. Rush delivery is available for transactions with compressed due diligence timelines. Contact us to discuss your specific timeline.
What geographic areas do you cover?
Calibre provides Cost-to-Cure Reports for commercial properties across Idaho, Eastern Oregon, Eastern Washington, and Western Montana. See our Areas Served page for city-specific coverage and to confirm availability in your market.