Answers to Common Questions

What is a Title 24 report?

Title 24 is California’s building energy efficiency standard. A Title 24 report (technically a CF1R certificate) proves your project meets those standards — it’s required to obtain a building permit for most residential construction in California.

What is a CF1R report?

The CF1R is the Certificate of Compliance for residential projects. It documents the energy performance of the building’s envelope (walls, roof, windows), and mechanical systems (HVAC, water heating). It’s what the building department reviews before issuing your permit.

When is a Title 24 report required?

A CF1R is required for new construction, room additions, ADUs (all types), remodels affecting the envelope or mechanical systems, and space conversions (garage, basement, attic to living area). If you’re pulling a building permit in California and the project touches energy systems, you almost certainly need a report.

What is CHEERS?

CHEERS (California Home Energy Efficiency Rating Service) is the statewide registry where all Title 24 CF1R reports are officially registered. We register every report we produce. Your permit will require the CHEERS registration number, and CHEERS registration is included in your $245 flat fee.

What documents do I need to submit?

Floor plan with room dimensions, site plan showing the north arrow and building orientation, window schedule (size, type, and location), and wall/roof assembly details. A full plan set works great. If you only have basic drawings, that’s usually enough — we’ll tell you if we need more.

How long does it take?

2 business days for standard delivery. We’ve built our entire workflow around fast turnaround because permit timelines don’t wait. Most reports are delivered the morning of day 2.

What happens after I place my order?

We review your plans, run the Title 24 compliance calculations using CEC-approved software, register the report in CHEERS, and email you a completed CF1R certificate plus a 24×36 digital PDF ready for plan check.

What if my plans change after I order?

If your plans change before we’ve completed and sent the report, we’ll incorporate the updates at no charge. If the report has already been delivered, a revision fee applies depending on the scope of the changes.

What if the building department has comments on my report?

Plan check comments related to our report are handled at no extra charge — as long as there are no changes to the building design. We respond to corrections directly and submit a revised report as needed.

How much does a Title 24 report cost?

$245 flat fee for residential projects up to 3,500 sq ft. No pricing tiers, no consultation required, no hidden fees. For projects over 3,500 sq ft, call (626) 602-0525 for a custom quote.

What’s included in the $245 fee?

Everything. CF1R certificate, CHEERS registration, 24×36 digital PDF for plan check, one free revision if plans change, and plan check comments handled at no extra charge.

Do you offer rush turnaround?

Our standard 2-day turnaround is already significantly faster than most providers. If you have a same-day or next-morning deadline, call us at (626) 602-0525 before ordering and we’ll do our best to accommodate.

What’s the difference between Performance Method and Prescriptive Method?

Performance Method uses CEC-certified energy modeling software to simulate the full building — walls, windows, roof, HVAC, and water heating — and produces a CF1RPRF form. It’s required for new construction, all ADU types (detached and attached), JADUs, conversions, and any project that touches mechanical systems (HVAC, water heating). Because it models every component, it allows design flexibility: better windows can offset less insulation, for example.

Prescriptive Method checks compliance against fixed minimum requirements and produces a CF1RADD or CF1RALT form. It’s a narrow path — it only applies when the scope is limited to minor envelope work like small window replacements or small insulation changes, with no mechanical system involvement. Projects involving HVAC, water heating, or any mechanical work typically require Performance Method instead.

Which CF1R form will my project produce?

It depends on your project type and scope:
✔ New construction / New detached ADU → CF1RPRF (Performance Method)
✔ Attached ADU / JADU / Garage or space conversion → CF1RPRF (Performance Method)
✔ Room addition or second story → CF1RPRF (Performance) for most; CF1RADD (Prescriptive) only if scope is limited envelope-only with no mechanical
✔ Projects involving HVAC or mechanical changes → CF1RPRF (Performance Method, typically required)
✔ Minor window replacement / small envelope-only alteration → CF1RALT (Prescriptive, limited scope only)

We determine the correct form for your project automatically — just submit your plans and we handle the rest.

What factors affect my Title 24 report outcome?

Insulation R-values (walls, ceiling, floor), window U-factor and SHGC, HVAC efficiency ratings (SEER2, HSPF2, EER2), water heater type and efficiency, building orientation, and whether the project is all-electric or mixed-fuel. We review all of these when we model your project.

What are California’s 16 climate zones?

California is divided into 16 climate zones — from cool coastal areas (Zone 1) to hot desert inland areas (Zone 15). Each zone has specific energy code requirements for insulation, glazing, and mechanical systems. We serve all 16 zones with the same flat fee.

Does the 2025 Energy Code affect my project?

Yes, if you’re pulling a permit now. The 2025 California Energy Code (Part 6 of Title 24) took effect in 2025 and introduced new requirements including stronger all-electric mandates for ADUs and new prescriptive requirements for windows and insulation. We apply the current code to every report.

What CEC-approved software do you use?

We use EnergyPro, a California Energy Commission (CEC) approved Title 24 compliance software. EnergyPro is the industry standard for residential compliance calculations and is accepted by every California building department.