What is A Retrofit Inspection Los Angeles?

Retrofit Los Angeles:

Starting in about 2009, California’s Local and State laws require property owners to retrofit their property when they sell. If you purchased your property within the last 5 – 10 years, chances are the property was already retrofitted before you bought it, but you still need to get a retrofit inspection in Los Angeles and obtain a new certificate of compliance (COC) (cost ~$100 – $150) to show you are still in compliance. A retrofit inspection for this purpose, when a home is in escrow, is called a ‘code compliance retrofit inspection’, which is not the same as a retrofit inspection to see if a property’s foundation, or to see if a property will be safe during an earthquake. That type of retrofit inspection is called a ‘seismic retrofit inspection’.

Who Do I Hire To Do A Retrofit Inspection?

A retrofit inspection can be done by a licensed plumber, a general contractor, or a retrofit company. Although a plumber and contractor have the ability to complete a COC, we would recommend using a retrofit company, because they have the most knowledge and expertise in the field.

What Is Included In A Retrofit Inspection?

There are 4 main components to the Retrofit requirements:

Water-conserving plumbing Fixtures
Earthquake Seismic Upgrades
Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Window Glazing

For a full list of the requirements necessary ina retrofit inspection, click here.

Who Pays For A Retrofit Inspection In Los Angeles?

The governmental agencies requiring the above retrofit items do not dictate who is to pay for this. It is the custom and practice in the City of Los Angeles that the Seller pays for these retrofit items, but this is a negotiable item between seller and buyer. The city and state are neutral on who pays for these items, only that they must be completed prior to the close of escrow. REO properties are NOT exempt from these retrofit requirements nor from the Carbon Monoxide detector requirements.

When the code compliance retrofit inspection is complete, a Certificate of Compliance, or COC, is issued to escrow and is shared with all parties. This certificate will note if the property is compliant with respect to all required code items or not.

About Sheri Bienstock and The Bienstock Group:

Deep roots in LA are the foundation of The Bienstock Group’s local expertise, and Sheri Bienstock’s “people passion” is the foundation for how it runs. Born and raised in Hancock Park, Sheri was ranked #3 of Keller Williams Realty’s 133,000 agents before starting The Bienstock Group. Sheri has been ranked #1 Listing Agent in 90036 and Hancock Park! Read More about Sheri here!