Title 24 for HVAC change-outs.
A straight equipment swap still triggers Title 24 — alterations that touch the HVAC equipment need a report even when nothing else about the building changes. Send the equipment spec and the CF1R comes back registered, with you named as responsible designer.
A change-out is still an alteration
Alterations that touch the envelope, the ductwork, or the HVAC equipment trigger Title 24 — that includes a straight change-out, not just new construction. A furnace or condenser swap, a heat-pump conversion, a duct replacement: all of it needs its own compliance documentation before plan check or the permit will sign off. The same rule is why an ADU or garage conversion needs its own HVAC sizing worked into the model, not just the equipment swap in the main house.
You don’t need the new equipment finalized to start. T24 Studio models what it would normally specify for that job type and lists every assumption in the delivery email — change the spec later and it’s a rerun, not a revision. Some change-outs also trigger HERS field verification, typically for duct leakage or refrigerant charge; the CF1R lists exactly which measures need it. If plan check comes back with a comment on the equipment you specified, that’s a plan-check correction, not a new report. Heat pumps are increasingly the default the code steers toward — see what changed in the 2025 cycle if your permit falls under it.
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 deposit, 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, in one email — not five.
Mechanical and plumbing don’t have to be picked yet. If the plans don’t call out the HVAC or the water heater, I model what I’d normally specify for that job and tell you exactly what I assumed. Change any of it and I’ll 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. Pay on delivery: 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.
HVAC change-out 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.
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.
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.
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 across climate zones 4 through 10. I run the 2019, 2022 and 2025 code cycles, so an older permit still in process is fine.
Send me the equipment spec.
Drop the plans and the equipment cut sheet 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.