Title 24 Energy Compliance in San Francisco, CA
Title 24 Energy Compliance in San Francisco means your new ADU, garage conversion, or home addition meets California’s mandatory energy efficiency standards before the city signs off on your permit. For most homeowners in San Francisco, this involves a set of calculations, documentation, and on-site verifications that prove your project hits the required thresholds for insulation, windows, lighting, and mechanical systems. If you’re building an accessory dwelling unit anywhere from the Sunset to Bernal Heights to the Bayview, you’ll need a Title 24 certificate before final inspection. Call Lodgewick ADU San Francisco at (707) 760-0502 and we’ll handle the energy compliance paperwork as part of your ADU Design & Permitting in San Francisco package, so you never have to chase a third-party consultant on your own.
We see the same story repeated across San Francisco: a homeowner plans an ADU, gets deep into the design phase, and only then discovers that Title 24 isn’t optional. It’s a state mandate. Every new residential structure, every addition over a certain square footage, and every garage conversion needs a compliance certificate before the Department of Building Inspection issues final approval. What Lodgewick does differently is fold Title 24 into the same process as design and permitting, so the compliance work isn’t a separate surprise line item or a delay you discover three months in.
Russ Delmar, our owner, has been navigating San Francisco’s specific energy codes since before the 2019 and 2022 code cycles tightened things further. He knows which insulation values pass in the fog belt versus the Mission, which window packages trigger extra documentation, and how to size a heat pump water heater for a 400-square-foot studio ADU in the Richmond without over-engineering the electrical panel. That local knowledge matters, because San Francisco’s microclimates don’t all need the same approach, and a generic Title 24 consultant from Sacramento won’t know the difference.
When You Need Title 24 Energy Compliance
The short answer: if you’re pulling a building permit for an ADU, a JADU (junior accessory dwelling unit, which is just a smaller ADU within the walls of your existing home), a garage conversion, or an addition, you need a Title 24 energy compliance package. Here’s what triggers it in San Francisco specifically:
- You’re building a detached ADU in the Sunset or Richmond. These fog-heavy neighborhoods require different glazing and insulation calculations than sunnier parts of the city, and the Title 24 software will flag it if your window package isn’t right.
- You’re converting a garage in the Excelsior or Portola. Garage conversions almost always need wall and roof insulation upgrades, plus a documented path for the existing framing to meet current energy code.
- You’re adding square footage to your home in Noe Valley or Glen Park. Any addition over 300 square feet triggers a full Title 24 review, including lighting, HVAC, and water heating.
- You’re replacing windows as part of an ADU renovation in Bernal Heights or the Castro. San Francisco’s building code ties window replacement to energy performance, and Title 24 documentation proves compliance.
- You’re installing a new HVAC system or water heater in your ADU. Heat pumps are now the default in San Francisco for most new ADUs, and Title 24 requires specific sizing and efficiency ratings.
- Your permit application just got flagged by the Department of Building Inspection. If the city has asked you for CF-1R forms, a compliance certificate, or HERS verification, that’s Title 24 language. We fix it.
One thing we hear constantly from homeowners who’ve been through this before with another contractor: they got a price for the ADU build, then a separate surprise bill for Title 24 compliance, then another surprise bill for HERS testing. That doesn’t happen with us. The Kingswell Way means a written price before any work begins, and we include the Title 24 compliance work in that price from day one. You’ll know what it costs before we ever submit a form.
Our Title 24 Energy Compliance Process
When we handle Title 24 compliance as part of your ADU design and permitting, here’s the sequence we follow. Every step is documented, every form is filed with the city, and every result is shared with you in writing.
- Energy modeling at the design stage. Before we finalize your ADU drawings, we run your project through the California Energy Commission’s approved software (the same tools the city’s plan checkers use). This tells us your baseline energy score and shows where we need to adjust insulation, window specs, or mechanical systems.
- Targeted design adjustments. If the initial model shows your ADU is under-performing, we adjust the design before you ever submit for permit. That might mean bumping wall insulation from R-13 to R-21 in the Richmond, or swapping to a different window package for a south-facing ADU in Potrero Hill.
- CF-1R documentation and filing. We prepare the mandatory compliance forms (CF-1R for residential projects) and submit them with your permit application. The city’s plan checkers will not approve your ADU without these.
- On-site verification during construction. Once your ADU is framed and mechanical systems are in, we coordinate the required field verification. This often involves a HERS rater (a third-party energy inspector) who checks insulation installation, duct sealing, and window performance. We schedule it, walk the rater through the project, and fix anything that fails on the spot.
- Final compliance certificate. After the rater signs off and the city’s inspection is complete, we file the final CF-2R forms and deliver your Title 24 compliance certificate. That’s the document your final building approval depends on.
If you’re using a prefab ADU from a manufacturer like Boxabl or working with Plant Prefab on a panelized build, the Title 24 process still applies, but the compliance path looks a little different. Prefab units typically arrive with factory documentation for insulation and window performance, which we verify against San Francisco’s local requirements and incorporate into the compliance package. We’ve worked with enough prefab models to know which ones sail through plan check and which need supplemental documentation.
Title 24 Energy Compliance Pricing in San Francisco
In San Francisco, a standalone Title 24 compliance package (modeling, documentation, coordination with a HERS rater, and final certificate) typically runs $1,200 to $2,800 depending on project size and complexity. A simple JADU conversion under 500 square feet sits at the lower end. A detached two-bedroom ADU with multiple HVAC zones and a panel upgrade sits at the higher end.
But here’s what matters more: that price is almost always bundled into our full ADU design and permitting fee, which we quote as a written price before any work begins. You won’t see a separate Title 24 line item appear mid-project. And if you’re already working with another designer or architect but need help getting your Title 24 documentation in order, we’ll quote just the compliance work as a standalone service.
Here are the typical line items for a detached ADU in San Francisco, based on what we’ve seen in recent projects across the city:
| Scope of Work | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Energy modeling and CF-1R documentation (small ADU under 500 sq ft) | $600 – $900 |
| Energy modeling and CF-1R documentation (detached ADU 500 – 800 sq ft) | $900 – $1,400 |
| Energy modeling and CF-1R documentation (large ADU or addition over 800 sq ft) | $1,400 – $2,200 |
| HERS rater coordination and field verification | $400 – $700 |
| Final CF-2R filing and compliance certificate | $200 – $350 |
| Corrections or re-filing (if city plan check returns comments) | $150 – $500 |
What pushes costs up in San Francisco specifically: homes in historic districts (like parts of the Mission or the Haight) sometimes require additional documentation, projects with unusual roof pitches or limited attic access make insulation verification harder for the HERS rater, and any project that needs an electrical service upgrade will likely trigger additional Title 24 review language around lighting and appliance efficiency.
The best way to get a real number is to call us at (707) 760-0502. We’ll ask about your lot, your project, and your timeline, then give you a written estimate. No charge for the conversation, and no pressure to sign anything that day.
Why Title 24 Compliance Goes Wrong in San Francisco
We get calls from homeowners in neighborhoods like the Outer Sunset and Visitacion Valley who are stuck. Their project is framed, their contractor is waiting, and the city won’t issue a final approval because the Title 24 paperwork isn’t complete. Sometimes it’s a missing HERS verification. Sometimes the CF-1R forms were filed incorrectly. Sometimes the insulation levels the contractor installed don’t match what the energy model says.
These are fixable problems, but they cost time and money to correct. We’ve rescued projects where the original contractor quoted Title 24 compliance as a “processing fee” without doing the actual energy modeling. That’s a red flag. If your contractor can’t tell you which software they use for modeling or who their HERS rater is, you’re likely headed for a permitting stall.
Our approach is different because the compliance work is done by people who understand the code deeply, not handed off to a budget service that won’t return calls. Russ Delmar reviews every Title 24 package personally before it goes to the city. That’s not ceremonial, it’s practical: he’s caught plan check rejections before they happened on projects in the Presidio, West Portal, and the Marina simply because he knows the code language the city’s reviewers look for.
The Kingswell Guarantee Applies to Title 24 Work
Every Lodgewick project operates under The Kingswell Guarantee, and Title 24 compliance is no exception. That means four things in writing: a written price before work begins, a defined arrival window for any on-site verification, a clean job site when we leave, and a written guarantee on the work. If the compliance certificate fails or the city rejects the paperwork due to an error on our end within 365 days, we come back and fix it at no charge. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it’s in writing before we start.
A home addition in San Francisco is already one of the most paperwork-intensive projects you’ll ever take on. Title 24 shouldn’t be the part that keeps you up at night. It’s a code requirement, not a mystery, and when it’s handled properly from the design stage forward, it’s just another checkbox that gets checked before final inspection.
FAQs – Title 24 Energy Compliance
What is Title 24 and why does my ADU need it?
Title 24 is California’s building energy efficiency code, and it applies to every new residential structure, addition, and garage conversion in San Francisco. Your ADU won’t receive final approval from the Department of Building Inspection without a Title 24 compliance certificate. The code sets mandatory minimums for insulation, window performance, lighting, HVAC, and water heating. Call us at (707) 760-0502 and we’ll tell you exactly what applies to your specific project.
How much does Title 24 compliance cost in San Francisco?
A standalone Title 24 compliance package in San Francisco typically runs $1,200 to $2,800 depending on project size, but we usually fold it into our full ADU design and permitting fee as a single written price. That means no surprise line item later. If you’re just looking for compliance paperwork on a project already underway, we’ll quote the standalone cost. Estimates are free, and the phone call takes about ten minutes.
Can you do Title 24 compliance for a project that’s already permitted?
Yes, and we do this regularly. If your ADU already has a building permit but the Title 24 documentation is incomplete, incorrect, or missing entirely, we can step in, review what’s been filed, run the energy modeling if necessary, and get the compliance package corrected and resubmitted to the city. This works for projects anywhere in San Francisco, from the Inner Richmond to Bayview-Hunters Point.
Does Title 24 require a HERS rater in San Francisco?
For most ADU and garage conversion projects in San Francisco, yes. A HERS rater (Home Energy Rating System rater) is a third-party inspector who verifies on-site conditions like insulation installation, window performance, and duct sealing. We coordinate the rater, schedule the visit, and handle any corrections they identify. If you’re working with a prefab manufacturer like Boxabl or Plant Prefab, we verify the factory documentation and determine whether additional field testing is required.
What happens if my Title 24 compliance fails at final inspection?
If the city flags your Title 24 paperwork or the HERS rater identifies a problem, we fix it. Under the 365-Day Done Right Promise, if the work we did fails within a year, we return and correct it at no charge. In most cases, failures are the result of missing documentation or an insulation discrepancy, both of which are addressable without major rework. Call (707) 760-0502 and we’ll take a look at what the city sent back.
Your Next Step
If you’re building an ADU, JADU, or garage conversion in San Francisco, don’t wait until the city asks for Title 24 documentation to start thinking about it. The earlier energy compliance is part of your design conversation, the smoother your permit and final inspection will go. We’ll give you a written price, a clear scope, and a defined timeline, all before any work begins. Call Lodgewick ADU San Francisco at (707) 760-0502 for a free estimate and get Title 24 handled the right way, the first time.
Written by Russ Delmar, Owner at Lodgewick ADU San Francisco, serving San Francisco.
