Remodeling in North Highlands.

North Highlands sits north of the City of Sacramento in unincorporated Sacramento County. The County is the local government for building permits, inspections and tree permits. The Census Bureau counts North Highlands as a census-designated place of about 8.8 square miles, all land, with ZIP code 95660. It grew up beside McClellan Air Force Base, which was named for closure in 1995 and is now a civilian business park and airport.

The housing stock, by the numbers

The American Community Survey’s 2020-2024 estimates for North Highlands:

• Median year built: 1971.
• About 26% of homes were built in the 1950s, 19% in the 1960s and 22% in the 1970s, so about 67% date from 1950 to 1979.
• About 70% predate 1980; fewer than 4% predate 1950.
• About 58% of homes are detached single-family houses, about 19% are in buildings of five or more units, and about 5% are mobile homes.

In practice, most remodels here open walls built between 1950 and 1979, and pre-war construction is rare.

What the age means for a remodel

Lead paint rules apply to most houses. The EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting rule covers paid work that disturbs painted surfaces in homes built before 1978. With about 70% of the stock built before 1980, a kitchen tear-out, a window replacement or exterior paint prep here usually falls under it.

Energy code applies to the parts you touch. Homes from this era were built before California’s current energy standards. New or altered windows, insulation, ducts and lighting have to meet the code in force when the permit is issued.

Older electrical and plumbing set the scope. A 1950s to 1970s service panel and branch wiring were sized for a smaller electrical load than a modern kitchen, heat pump or EV charger. Older supply and drain lines are often replaced once a wall or floor is open. We inspect both before the scope is written.

Permits through Sacramento County

Applications go through the County’s online Citizen Access portal. Some residential permits issue automatically online once paid: re-roofs with no structural changes, water heaters, heating and cooling, electrical panel repair or replacement, and sewer line repair or replacement. Kitchen and bathroom remodels, additions, ADUs, patio covers and window replacements need a permit; window replacement has required one since January 1, 2010.

The County inspects at stages, before concrete is placed and before any part of the work is covered. Next-day inspections have to be requested by 5 p.m. the day before, by phone, text or the portal, and the County does not book a specific time. For a residential project, the signed final job card serves as the Certificate of Occupancy; keep it with the permit and the plans.

ADUs

Sacramento County reviews ADUs in North Highlands under its own standards and state law, and it publishes Shelf Ready detached ADU plans for unincorporated areas. The Sacramento ADU guide covers the County rules and the state timelines.

Our North Highlands project

CDI completed a whole-home renovation in North Highlands in September 2026. Inside, the scope covered the kitchen, the bathrooms and the flooring. Outside, it covered the roof, the exterior and the landscaping. The project page shows the finished house room by room.

What we check first on a North Highlands project

The parcel record, to confirm the County has jurisdiction. The build year, which decides whether the lead-safe rule applies. Whether native oaks sit near the work area. And whether the scope is a permit the County issues online or one that needs plan review. Those answers set the schedule before any finish is chosen.