Association Reserves vs. Runway Reserves

Runway Reserves wrote this page, and we sell reserve studies. Last checked November 1, 2026. Confirm anything that matters with Association Reserves directly.

Association Reserves was founded in 1986, reports more than 100,000 studies and has offices across the country, plus a free planning tool for its clients. Runway Reserves was founded in 2026 and holds no credential, but it publishes full study fees, not including the field visit. If track record or a credential matters most to your board, Association Reserves is the stronger choice.

Side by side

Topic	Association Reserves	Runway Reserves
What it is	A reserve study firm that also sells a do-it-yourself kit and an online planning tool. ^{1, 2}	A reserve study firm that prepares its own reports.
Track record	Founded in 1986. Reports more than 100,000 studies for over 25,000 properties. Some of its pages show lower counts, including part of its August 2026 overview (over 80,000) and its Texas page (over 70,000). ^{2, 3, 4, 14}	Founded in 2026.
Credentials	Says staff earn and maintain the RS credential. Its founder is a PE, and its team page lists RS, PE and PRA for named people. ^{2, 5}	None. We hold no RS, PRA or PE credential.
Who makes the site visit	A project manager. A 2024 proposal in a public board packet says it does not use subcontractors. We did not find that on its current site. ^{2, 6}	A field technician we contract, using our checklist. We review what they record, and the report says who visited.
Published prices	Full studies and updates are shown as $$$, $$ and $, with no dollar figure. Its do-it-yourself kit is listed at $499 on most pages and $349 on three. Consulting is $200 an hour. ^{7, 8, 9}	Published. Full study $2,995 to $6,495 by size, up to 499 units, site visit included. Update without a site visit from $1,295. Send us another firm's written quote for the same scope, and we'll beat it.
Stated delivery	Rush 2 weeks, standard 5 weeks, economy 8 weeks, varying by office. The clock starts at the signed agreement, deposit and documents. ²	Within one week of the site visit.
Where it works	Says it has worked in all 50 states. Lists service in California, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Colorado and Texas. ^{3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14}	Open in 37 states and DC, and for some association types in Florida and Tennessee.
What you receive	A component list, percent funded and a 30-year funding plan, with files online, plus free use of its uPlanIt tool with a professional study. We found no spreadsheet deliverable. ^{2, 15}	PDF report and spreadsheet, a board call, and a board packet PDF. No planning software.
Changes after delivery	Its site says free revision in the first 60 days. A 2024 proposal limits that to one revision for a material error. ^{6, 16}	Up to two comment rounds. Factual errors corrected free for up to three years from the final report, or until your next study or update, whichever comes first.
Insurance	Its 2026 overview lists workers' compensation, automobile and general liability. A 2024 proposal also lists professional liability. ^{2, 6}	We carry errors and omissions insurance.

"We found no" means it wasn't on the pages we read. It doesn't mean the company doesn't offer it. Delivery clocks start at different points, so compare them with care.

When Association Reserves is the better choice

Your state, lender or governing documents require a credentialed preparer. We hold no credential.
You want decades of completed work and a regional office. We were founded in 2026 and have no regional offices. Check whether one of its offices is near you.
You want planning software included. We give you a spreadsheet.
You want a report in a hurry from the day you sign, and its rush option fits. Ask about the cost, since we found no published figure.

When we might fit

You want a full study fee in dollars before asking for a quote. We publish a study fee for every size up to 499 units. A full study or an update with a visit also has a field visit charge, which we quote in writing before any deposit. A published fee helps a board budget, but it doesn't tell you whether the work is good. Send us another firm's written quote for the same scope, and we'll beat it.
Your community has up to 499 units and up to 50 components, isn't a high-rise, mixed-use, marina or golf property, and no rule requires a credential.
You want factual corrections covered for up to three years.

Sources

Company names belong to their owners. Runway Reserves isn't affiliated with or endorsed by any company named here. If you'd like us to adjust any claim on this page, contact us.

See our prices and what we don't do.

Then weigh us against firms with a longer record.

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