Guides

The method behind each calculator, written out at length: four on the documents that arrive in spring, two on the electrical code, two on what an accessory dwelling unit actually costs. No lead forms, no contractor referrals, nothing to sign up for.

How assessment ratios work Market value, ratio, assessed value and rate — which of the four you can challenge, what an equalisation factor does, and why a cap can make a fair-looking appeal unwinnable. Property tax
Homestead, senior and veteran exemptions Granted without a hearing, applied every year, and frequently worth more than a successful appeal. The categories, the deadlines, and why yours may have quietly dropped off the notice. Property tax
How to find comparable sales for free County records, GIS parcel viewers, the five rules a comparable has to satisfy, and what to do in a non-disclosure state where sale prices are not public. Property tax
What a reserve study tells you The only document showing whether an association can pay for its own roofs. Percent funded, the four funding strategies, and the signs of a special assessment coming. HOA
NEC 220.82 vs 220.83, worked out One section is for a house being designed, the other for a house that already exists. The same home through both, and what running the wrong one costs you. Electrical
Load management devices explained What 625.42 permits, what the DCC series and smart panels actually do, and why a dryer outlet splitter does not change your load calculation at all. Electrical
What ADU impact fees pay for Impact fees, utility capacity charges and permit fees are three different things from three different bodies. The legal limits, and how to get a written estimate. ADU
Financing an ADU HELOC, home equity loan, cash-out refinance or a construction loan underwritten on the completed value — and why a low-rate first mortgage usually settles it. ADU

How to use these

They are the same house at three different moments, which is why the site is arranged this way.

If an assessment notice just arrived, check your exemptions before you check the value. An exemption is granted administratively and applies every year; an appeal is contested, has a short deadline, and wins a percentage. Then read how the ratio works, because comparing a neighbour's sale price to your assessed value without converting one of them is the most common reason a self-filed appeal fails.

If an electrician has quoted a service upgrade, find out which code section the calculation used. The one written for new construction reliably produces a larger number than a retrofit requires, and a managed-load device frequently closes the remaining gap for a fraction of the cost.

If you are considering an ADU, price the fees and the reassessment before the build cost. Those are the two lines missing from every builder's calculator, and they are the two that decide marginal projects.

Educational guides on United States property tax practice, community association reserves, the National Electrical Code and accessory dwelling units. Statutes, ratios, exemptions, fee schedules and adopted code editions differ by state, county and utility district and change over time; each guide states its own basis. Not tax, legal, financial or electrical advice — and for anything touching a panel, have a licensed electrician verify it.