The bottom line is that in the legal industry (yes, it's an industry where people are paid very well and have little to lose) deed ownership isn't settled until it is heard by a "trier of fact" (Judge or jury and an opinion rendered).

Under Section 43-40-24 of the Georgia Code, anyone who performs any of the acts of a licensed “Broker” listed in Chapter 43 of the statute without a license is prohibited from bringing an action in a court of law to collect compensation for the services rendered.[10] In Amend v. 485 Properties, LLC, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals held that “any person who negotiates or assists in procuring prospects for renting or leasing for any real estate or holds himself out as a referral agent for doing so, must obtain a license with the Georgia Real Estate Commission . . .

As long as it isn't for their personal purchase.Per RCW 61.34 a “Distressed Home Consultant” does not include: A financial institution; a nonprofit credit counseling service; a licensed attorney, or a person subject to chapter 19.148 RCW; a licensed mortgage broker who, pursuant to lawful activities under chapter 19.146 RCW, procures a nonpurchase mortgage loan for the distressed homeowner from a financial institution; or a person licensed as a real estate broker or salesperson under chapter 18.85 RCW, when rendering real estate brokerage services under chapter 18.86 RCW, regardless of whether the person renders additional services that would otherwise constitute the services of a distressed home consultant, and if the person is not engaged in activities designed to, or represented to, result in a distressed home conveyance.   

Even architects, who usually charge for prelim drawings and renderings, will usually offer free estimates for relatively standard residential jobs.For land development your costs could vary depending on how complex your development is.

And I imagine that when it rains, the TP is rendered somewhat useless ...

(Other systems could recognize it on June 1, as a deposit with services to be rendered or products to be provided as a liability and recognize the actual income as it is earned, by providing the service or product, but not in this case).The reservation process really helps in cash management knowing that in most instances unit 17 is booked for July 1-7.

In particular, engaging a firm to provide site plans and elevations (maybe even a rendering) from which you can procure bids and leveraging a design firm to act in the owner's best interest.

Key to this is your accounting and realization of revenue when services are rendered. 

How much would a cost segregation study be, so as to render the above savings not worth the cost?

@Corby Goade  as you noted this is totally market specific.in many markets housing for existing stock is still a magnitude less than what you can buy existing stock for rendering lots valueless.. think most bigger inner city hoody type areas of the mid west and rust belt and deep south.That all said the major difference is virtually EVERY HML does rehab loans..