Homeowner’s Face Mandatory Upgrades

Homeowner’s face mandatory upgrades as the state legislature has determined that it’s time for us all to remodel our bathrooms. Well, not just bathrooms, actually any part of your home that contains older plumbing fixtures. Now there’s no excuse to put off that bathroom upgrade you so desperately needed. Of course, everybody knows that changing a plumbing fixture will open Pandora’s box, and of we’ll all then need fancy new bathroom vanities and glass tiled backsplashes to accentuate our new low flow faucet.

In the end this is good for our water conservation efforts, as well as stimulating our economy with hundreds and thousands of remodel projects about to get on the books. How long before you have to take on a multitude of remodel projects? Less than six months it turns out.

Though this new ordinance does not rise to the level of a point of sale requirement, it is a disclosure requirement at the point of sale. It also encourages cities and counties to adopt more stringent rules than the statewide mandated “disclosure only”, so don’t be surprised if a town near you rises this to the level of a new point of sale ordinance, assuring every home for sale would then be outfitted with the latest trendy look.

Below is the text we excerpted from the Civil Code, for your convenience.

 (a) On and after January 1, 2014, for all building alterations or improvements to single-family residential real property, as a condition for issuance of a certificate of final completion and occupancy or final permit approval by the local building department, the permit applicant shall replace all noncompliant plumbing fixtures with water-conserving plumbing fixtures.

****(b) On or before January 1, 2017, noncompliant plumbing fixtures in any single-family residential real property shall be replaced by the property owner with water-conserving plumbing fixtures.

****(c) On and after January 1, 2017, a seller or transferor of single-family residential real property shall disclose in writing to the prospective purchaser or transferee the requirements of subdivision (b) and whether the real property includes any noncompliant plumbing fixtures.

(Added by Stats. 2009, Ch. 587, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2010.)

Disclaimer:

The information contained in this article is educational and intended for informational purposes only. It does not constitute real estate, tax or legal advice, nor does it substitute for advice specific to your situation. Always consult an appropriate professional familiar with your scenario.