California Code of Regulations
Title 18 - Public Revenues
Division 1 - State Board of Equalization-Property Tax (California Department of Tax and Fee Administration - Timber Yield Tax, See Chapter 11)
Chapter 1 - Valuation Principles and Procedures
Section 6 - The Reproduction and Replacement Cost Approaches to Value

(a) The reproduction or replacement cost approach to value is used in conjunction with other value approaches and is preferred when neither reliable sales data (including sales of fractional interests) nor reliable income data are available and when the income from the property is not so regulated as to make such cost irrelevant. It is particularly appropriate for construction work in progress and for other property that has experienced relatively little physical deterioration, is not misplaced, is neither over- nor underimproved, and is not affected by other forms of depreciation or obsolescence.

(b) The reproduction cost of a reproducible property may be estimated either by (1) adjusting the property's original cost for price level changes and for abnormalities, if any, or (2) applying current prices to the property's labor and material components, with appropriate additions for entrepreneurial services, interest on borrowed or owner-supplied funds, and other costs typically incurred in bringing the property to a finished state (or to a lesser state if unfinished on the lien date). Estimates made under (2) above may be made by using square-foot, cubic-foot, or other unit costs; a summation of the in-place costs of all components; a quantity survey of all material, labor, and other cost elements; or a combination of these methods.

(c) The original cost of reproducible property shall be adjusted, in the aggregate or by groups, for price level changes since original construction by multiplying the cost incurred in a given year by an appropriate price index factor. When detailed investment records are unavailable for earlier years or when only a small percentage of the total investment is involved, the investments in such years may be lumped and factored to present price levels by means of an index number that represents the assessor's best judgment of the weighted average price change. If the property was not new when acquired by its present owner and its original cost is unknown, its acquisition cost may be substituted for original cost in the foregoing calculations.

(d) The replacement cost of a reproducible property may be estimated as indicated in (b) (2) of this section by applying current prices to the labor and material components of a substitute property capable of yielding the same services and amenities, with appropriate additions as specified in subsection (b) (2).

(e) Reproduction or replacement cost shall be reduced by the amount that such cost is estimated to exceed the current value of the reproducible property by reason of physical deterioration, misplacement, over- or underimprovement, and other forms of depreciation or obsolescence. The percentage that the remainder represents of the reproduction or replacement cost is the property's percent good.

(f) When the allowance made pursuant to paragraph (e) exceeds the amount included in the depreciation tables used by the assessor, the reasons therefor shall be noted in the appraisal record for the property and the amount thereof shall be ascertainable from the record.