Title 24 for ADUs, JADUs and garage conversions.
New conditioned floor area triggers Title 24, Part 6 — a detached ADU, an attached ADU, a garage conversion — on top of whatever the main house already carries, and a JADU inside the existing home usually needs its own paperwork too. Send the plan set and the CF1R comes back registered, with you named as responsible designer.
ADUs get their own report
A detached ADU is a newly constructed building under Title 24 — modeled from scratch regardless of how small it is or how compliant the main house already is. An attached ADU is an addition, and a JADU carved out of existing conditioned space is an alteration; both still need compliance documentation, just under different rules. A garage conversion is treated as an addition the moment the space becomes conditioned, the same way a room addition is. Alterations count too, without any new floor area at all, if the work touches the envelope, the ductwork or the HVAC equipment — a straight equipment change-out is enough on its own. A remodel that only moves non-structural interior partitions usually doesn’t need one.
The plans don’t need the HVAC or water heater picked before you send them. If they’re not called out, I model what I’d normally specify for that unit type and list every assumption in the delivery email — swap the equipment later and it’s a rerun, not a revision. If plan check kicks the ADU package back with an energy comment, that’s a quick plan-check correction, not a redo. One question that comes up on almost every ADU job: does it need solar—the answer depends on a few specifics, and it’s worth knowing before you finalize the roof plan. ADUs going onto an apartment lot are a different report entirely — multifamily ADUs have their own page. Starting January 1, 2027, a single-family lot can take two detached ADUs instead of one — each is its own building with its own CF1R.
Prices
Flat fees, in writing before I start. No hourly, no bid package, no change-order games — the number on the quote is the number on the invoice.
Your first report with me
One per client, homes under 3,000 square feet. Full energy model, CF1R and CHEERS registration. It’s a test run — send one job and see how it goes.
Every model after the first
The standard rate once you’re a client — the second building, ADU plus main house, the next project that walks in. Back in 3 business days.
Over 3,000 square feet
Quoted from the plans before any work starts, same day.
24×36 plan-sheet set
Your CF1R laid out full size, matched to your drawing set. Comes back as a PDF you drop straight in.
Revisions
Two revisions included, plus questions any time. Past two I quote first, before I touch it.
Commercial / tenant improvement
Send the plans and you’ll have a flat quote back the same day. No retainer, no minimum.
How it works
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01
Send the plans
A PDF of the architecturals and the project address. If something’s missing, I ask once, not five. Mechanical and plumbing don’t have to be picked yet: I model what I’d normally spec, tell you what I assumed, and rerun — that’s not a revision.
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02
I build the model
If the design does not comply as drawn, I tell you what the model needs to pass and the least disruptive way I can find to get there — your call what goes on the drawings.
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03
You get it back ready to sign
CF1R registered with CHEERS, you named as the responsible designer. 3 business days — 24–48 hours on your first one. $25 deposit when you send plans, taken off the invoice; the rest on delivery by Zelle, Venmo or Cash App.
One honest note
I’m not a licensed engineer or architect, and I don’t stamp drawings. On the CF1R I’m the documentation author — you stay the responsible designer. Nothing about your role on the job changes.
That’s on purpose. I’m not after your scope or your clients. I do one piece of the permit set — the piece that usually holds it up — and I do it fast.
ADU and garage-conversion questions
If yours isn’t here, see the full FAQ or call and ask.
Does my ADU or addition actually need one?
Almost certainly. New conditioned floor area — ADUs, JADUs, garage conversions, additions — triggers Title 24. So do alterations that touch the envelope, the ductwork, or the HVAC equipment, including a straight change-out. A remodel that only moves non-structural interior partitions usually doesn’t.
Send it either way. If it doesn’t need a report I’ll say so and there’s no charge for the look.
What do you need from me to start?
A PDF of the architecturals and the project address. Floor plans, elevations and a window schedule is plenty.
You don’t need the HVAC or water heater picked. If the plans don’t call them out, I model what I’d normally specify for that job — and I list every assumption in the email so nothing is buried. Swap any of it and I rerun; that doesn’t count against your free revisions.
The design doesn’t have to be finished either. Early is often better, because that’s when a compliance problem is still cheap to fix.
What if the design doesn’t comply as drawn?
I tell you what the model needs to pass and the least disruptive way I can find to get there — a glazing change, a duct location, an equipment efficiency bump. I don’t redraw your building and I don’t decide for you. What goes on the drawings is your call; my job is to hand you the options with numbers attached.
Does the project need HERS field verification?
Sometimes — typically for duct leakage, refrigerant charge, or certain heat-pump and quality-insulation measures. The CF1R lists exactly which measures need it, and I’ll flag it in the email so it isn’t a surprise at inspection. The field testing itself is done by a third-party HERS rater the owner or contractor hires; that’s outside what I do.
How fast do I get it back?
24 to 48 hours on your first job, three business days for everything after that — a date you can put on the schedule, not an estimate. If your permit deadline is tighter than that, say so in the notes; I’ll tell you honestly whether I can hit it before you commit.
Where in California do you work?
All of it. The work is remote and the code is statewide, so the city makes no difference to price or turnaround — jobs run from San Diego to the Bay Area, and all 16 climate zones are covered. I run the 2019, 2022 and 2025 code cycles, so an older permit still in process is fine.
Send me the ADU plans.
Drop the plan set in the form. The rate card above is the price under 3,000 square feet, and the first job with a new firm is $99.