Does a Title 24 Calculation Require a Site Visit?
No. A consultant can prepare the report from plans alone, and the code supplies assumed levels for existing parts. The only optional visit is an ECC-Rater verifying existing conditions, which must be finished before construction starts and before the CF1R is registered. Inspections and testing come later.
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- Upload your plans
- Pay securely
- Permit-ready report by email
Why nobody has to visit
For an altered component without third-party verification, the reference house is set by the code. Windows use the prescriptive values of Section 150.1(c)3A, a door uses a U-factor of 0.20, and insulation uses the Section 150.0 minimums. These are fixed numbers, so the model needs no one on your roof.
The one optional visit
You may instead pay an ECC-Rater to verify the existing conditions of the parts you are altering. The rater follows the Whole-House Home Energy Rating protocols, and the registry generates a CF3R-EXC-20-H that lists the features to confirm. A registered form matching the existing-conditions input is a prerequisite for registering the CF1R, so the visit comes first in the schedule, before demolition hides anything.
Does it pay?
With verification the reference uses the real existing values rather than the code level, which changes the credit either way depending on what is there. Old single-pane windows, an aging furnace or unknown attic insulation are the cases worth asking about; the pages on single-pane windows and unknown insulation give the component detail. It does not apply to existing walls that enclose newly conditioned space, such as an ADU conversion; those are treated as new.
Visits that always happen
Do not confuse the above with later visits. The building department typically inspects at the foundation, rough framing, insulation, drywall and final stages. Separately, an ECC-Rater performs field verification and diagnostic testing after installation for items such as duct sealing, refrigerant charge and airflow. Those are required for the measures that call for them, whether or not existing conditions were verified; see preparing for the ECC-Rater.
Next step
Ask your consultant which components are altered and whether verification would help before you order. How the two calculation styles treat existing parts is on the existing-plus-addition page, and the ECC-Rater page explains who does the work. Our residential reports are prepared from the plans you send.
Common Title 24 Questions
- When is Title 24 required for a home?
- Does a remodel need Title 24?
- Does a room addition need Title 24?
- What plans are needed for a residential Title 24 report?
- How much does a residential Title 24 report cost?
- How long does a residential Title 24 report take?
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Plans are normally enough. A visit is only needed if you choose to verify existing conditions.
No. It must be completed before construction begins and before the CF1R can be registered.
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View all Energy Calculations guides → · Reports and Calculations · Title 24 guide