Water-conserving fixture upgrades for San Jose homes
California law sets maximum flow rates for toilets, showerheads and faucets in older homes, and the question usually comes up at sale or during a permitted remodel.
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California's SB 407 requires single-family homes built on or before January 1, 1994 to have water-conserving fixtures: toilets using more than 1.6 gallons per flush, showerheads over 2.5 gallons per minute and interior faucets over 2.2 gallons per minute are noncompliant; permitted alterations must replace them, and sellers must disclose any that remain.
Updated September 2026
Fixtures & Bath
What counts as a noncompliant fixture
The law defines noncompliant fixtures by their rated water use: toilets manufactured to use more than 1.6 gallons per flush, urinals over one gallon, showerheads with a flow over 2.5 gallons per minute, and interior faucets over 2.2 gallons per minute. It applies to homes built and available for use on or before January 1, 1994.
Most newer fixtures are already well under those limits. The work is identifying the older ones, replacing them, and giving you the documentation a sale or a permit calls for.
Cost factors
What fixture upgrades cost depend on
We do not publish a local price; the number and type of fixtures set the scope.
- Number of toilets. the largest item on most jobs
- Toilet model. standard or higher-end high-efficiency
- Showerheads and aerators. quick swaps
- Faucets that cannot be restricted. replaced instead
- Flange and shutoff condition. repaired while the toilet is off
- Documentation. written list for sale or permit
Options
Legal limits at a glance
| Fixture | Noncompliant if it exceeds | Typical fix |
|---|---|---|
| Toilet | 1.6 gallons per flush | Replace with a high-efficiency toilet |
| Urinal | 1 gallon per flush | Replace the urinal or valve |
| Showerhead | 2.5 gallons per minute | Replace the showerhead |
| Interior faucet | 2.2 gallons per minute | Aerator or faucet replacement |
| Applies to | Homes built on or before January 1, 1994 | Check the build year first |
| Disclosure | Required from the seller in writing | Keep the fixture list |
Included
What the upgrade visit includes
- Build-year check
- Every toilet's flush volume
- Every showerhead's flow
- Every interior faucet's flow
- Replacement of noncompliant fixtures
- Flange and shutoff inspection
- Written list of fixtures checked and replaced
Toilets over 1.6 gallons per flush
Older toilets are the most common noncompliant fixture, and the manufacture date and flush volume are usually stamped inside the tank or behind the seat hinge. We check each toilet, replace any that exceed the limit with a modern high-efficiency model, and inspect the flange and shutoff at the same time, since both are often as old as the toilet. A good modern toilet uses far less water per flush than the limit and clears the bowl better than many older ones.
Showerheads and faucet aerators
Showerheads and faucets are usually the quickest part of the job. Many older showerheads exceed 2.5 gallons per minute, and kitchen and bathroom faucets can exceed 2.2. We measure the flow, swap showerheads, fit compliant aerators where the faucet body allows, and replace faucets whose flow cannot be brought within the limit, keeping finishes matched where you want them to match. Because hard water scales aerators, we also clean or replace restrictors that have been removed or blocked over the years.
Point-of-sale and permit compliance
Sellers of pre-1994 single-family homes must disclose in writing whether the property has noncompliant fixtures, and permitted additions or alterations require them to be replaced before the final permit sign-off. We inspect every fixture, replace what is needed, and give you a written list of what was checked and changed, which is what an agent, a buyer or a building inspector usually asks to see. Having that list ready early keeps an escrow or a final inspection from waiting on a plumber's visit.
Local context
Why this comes up so often in San Jose
A large share of San Jose's homes were built before 1994, which puts them inside California's SB 407 rules. Since 2014, permitted alterations have had to replace noncompliant fixtures before final approval, and sellers must disclose any that remain. That is why fixture upgrades tend to arrive together with remodel inspections and home sales here, often on a tight schedule set by escrow or an inspector's visit, which is why we write up every fixture we check.
How the job runs
How a fixture upgrade visit runs
- 1
Confirm the build year
On or before January 1, 1994.
- 2
Check every fixture
Toilets, showerheads, faucets.
- 3
Measure flows
Against the legal limits.
- 4
Replace what fails
Toilets, heads, aerators, faucets.
- 5
Check connections
Flanges, stops and seals.
- 6
Write it up
List for the sale or permit.
FAQ
Water-Conserving Fixture Upgrades questions from San Jose homeowners
If it's a single-family home built on or before January 1, 1994, yes.
The law requires compliant fixtures and a written disclosure from the seller of any that aren't.
The flush volume is usually stamped inside the tank. Anything over 1.6 gallons per flush is noncompliant.
A good modern high-efficiency toilet usually clears the bowl better than many older ones.
Yes, a written list of every fixture checked and replaced.
Same family
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Read about kitchen sink plumbingBathroom Remodel Plumbing
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From our guides: Read the guide on sb 407 fixture rules.
One number, any hour
Get the fixtures up to code
Call before listing or before a remodel inspection. We will check every fixture and write it up.
