Title 24 HERS, Permits & Final Inspections in Irvine

Irvine is one of our highest-volume Orange County cities.

Irvine is our #4 city by permit volume - roughly 5% of every permit ERE has run through its system. As a master-planned city built village by village, the work is concentrated in a handful of zip codes: Northwood and Woodbury (92620) is the largest single concentration, followed by Northpark and West Irvine (92602), Westpark and Walnut Village (92604), the Walnut Village area (92606), and Westpark / Turtle Rock (92614). We're on the 405, 5, and 133 corridors weekly - Irvine is on our daily Orange County route.

Working with the City of Irvine Community Development

We pull mechanical, electrical, and plumbing permits, run plan-check correction cycles, and coordinate the final inspection with the city inspector and the homeowner. Irvine's online portal handles nearly everything for MEP work, which keeps lead times short on simple scopes. For larger projects (ADUs, additions, new construction in newer villages), the portal also handles plan check.

What we do in Irvine

• Title 24 HERS / ECC Rating testing - duct leakage, refrigerant charge, cooling coil airflow, fan efficacy. CF1R / CF2R / CF3R prepared and registered with CHEERS, at no additional charge.
• Permit expediting - mechanical, electrical, plumbing. Online portal submittal - Irvine's standard path. Plan-check corrections handled.
• Final inspections & closeout - we set up the final with the City of Irvine and the homeowner, confirm both are available, brief the homeowner on what the inspector will want to see, and hand off the HERS test and permit packet. When roof or attic access is needed, we drop a single-story ladder in the morning and pick it up that afternoon.

Climate Zone 6 or 8 - what it means for your test

Irvine spans California Climate Zones 6 and 8 - most Irvine projects sit in CZ 6 (the coastal-influenced southern and central villages, including most of Northwood, Woodbury, Westpark, Turtle Rock, and Quail Hill), while inland portions on the eastern and northern edges sit in CZ 8. The exact zone is set by the California Energy Commission and depends on the project address. Climate zone affects which Title 24 prescriptive paths apply and which HERS / ECC measures your project needs to verify. We confirm the zone for your specific address before quoting.

Frequently asked - Irvine

When does Title 24 require HERS / ECC testing for an Irvine project?

For most permitted work that touches energy systems, yes. HVAC alterations - replacing a coil, condenser, furnace, or more than 40 feet of ducting - typically require duct leakage testing and refrigerant charge verification. New construction and ADUs almost always require multiple HERS measures. Window replacements, insulation upgrades, and water-heater swaps may trigger HERS depending on scope and your climate zone. Irvine's master-planned villages also tend to have HOA architectural review on top of city permitting, which can shape the scope. The City of Irvine plan check will tell you what's required when they review your permit; we can also confirm before you submit.

Do you also work in cities adjacent to Irvine?

Yes. Tustin, Lake Forest, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, and Laguna Hills are all part of our regular Orange County coverage - separate building departments, but we know each one. We also pull permits in unincorporated Orange County (OC Public Works). If your project sits near a city line and you're not sure which city has jurisdiction, we'll confirm before quoting.

What's the typical permit-to-closeout timeline in Irvine?

Irvine is one of the most online-portal-driven cities in Orange County, so simple MEP permits (HVAC change-out, electrical service upgrade, water heater swap) can issue quickly - often within days when there's no plan-check correction cycle. The HERS / ECC test happens once installation is done, with same-day field results. Final inspection scheduling typically adds another 2 to 10 business days depending on inspector availability. Most simple projects close out within 3 to 5 weeks total. ADUs, additions, and anything triggering HOA architectural review take longer because plan check and HOA approval run in parallel.

How fast can ERE finish a HERS test in Irvine?

Same-day field results in your inbox the day of the test, and CF3R registered with CHEERS. Booking lead time is typically less than a week - Irvine is on our daily Orange County route and we can usually slot in a test within 2 to 5 business days.

Request an Irvine Quote