Estate Expenses
Personal Representatives and Required Retrofitting for House Sales
Personal Representatives need to be aware the City of Los Angeles and all other cities in L.A. County require certain retro-fits to be completed before one’s single family house (and housing of 1-4 units ) can be sold.
Escrow will not complete your sale –
• Until the required retro-fits are accomplished.
• Inspections performed
• Compulsory fees paid to the cities.
Below is a partial list of required retro-fits.
• Various cities including Los Angeles have many more additional requirements.
• Retro-fits are paid for by the seller, which are significant costs.
Other expenses paid by sellers:
• Termite inspection/repair of termite damage (required by buyer’s lender).
• Buyers home warranty.
• Contributions to buyer’s costs.
Required Retro-fits to sell a single-family house in Los Angeles
✓ Water Heaters
► Double strapped with bracing and anchoring.
✓ High Efficiency Toilets
► 1.28 GPF or less.
► Pre-existing 1.6 GPF toilets are considered to be in compliance at time of sale.
✓ Low-Flow Shower Heads
► Flow-restricting.
► 2.5 GPM.
✓ Gas Shut-off Valve (SGSOV)
► Seismic earthquake shut-off valves required on natural gas lines.
► Requires permit from City of Los Angeles Dept. of Building and Safety,
Inspection required.
✓ Smoke Detectors
► Electric or battery operated (single-family house only).
► Located in all bedrooms, hallways and at least one on each floor level.
✓ CO Detectors
► CO-Carbon Monoxide
► Must be installed outside each separate sleeping area and on each level of a home,
Including basements
✓ DWP Certificate of Compliance
✓ Impact Hazard Safety Glazing
► External sliding doors must be tempered glass or “impact hazard glass” with a safety film that is approved by the City of Los Angeles.
► Sliding part of door only.
► Only for sliders that are not tempered glass.