NOT BEING AWARE OF A MUNICIPALITY’S REQUIREMENTS FOR PROPERTY INSPECTIONS, SEISMIC RETROFIT (LOS ANGELES COUNTY)In Los Angeles, seismic retrofitting, is the modification of existing structures to make them more resistant to seismic activity, ground motion or soil failure due to earthquakes.

In Oceanside ( San Diego) I just paid $7k for plans and engineering for a two-story ADU / JADU design, I have another 4k in Survey work and concrete certificates and about the same in soil testing since it's a two-story.

A Surveyor(survey plus a slope band map if you are zoned hillside), a Habitat Study(Biologist), and a Soils Report(Geologist).

It's unclear to me if you can eliminate any required parking for the front house, but even if you can't, a replacement garage could easily be integrated into the design of the new SFR.Note that the zip code you gave has a lot of properties in the Methane Zone -- whatever new construction you do will have to get soil testing done and then will need some sort of methane mitigation system designed in.

This option is much cheaper, the area is flat and unused, plus has a favorable Soils Report. 4 units on a lot bringing in $15,000/month, build cost $400,000I plan on selling all this when the 3 year occupancy period expires as we will want a bigger home.

On properties that have a lot of clay instead of porous soil (perk rate) a pump system is used to pump the liquid onto a mound that is built above the soil line and infused with french drains to disperse the liquid.  

I see another terrorist attack (hope this doesn't happen) on the U.S. soil bigger then 9/11. 

In the Clearlake/Seabrook area few companies will do the work and fewer will warranty it due to the flood zone and sandy loam under the foundations.

They will also sell you an interior sump pump for another 10k when the water is obviously entering from the exterior soil.