Rebuilding After the Palisades and Eaton Fires: Permits, Timeline and Costs (2027)

*Last updated: November 5, 2026 — by the ESV Prime Construction Specialists team (CSLB #861628).*

More than a year and a half after the January 2025 fires, many families in Pacific Palisades, Altadena and Malibu are still deciding how to rebuild. Others are partway through design or waiting on permits. An April 2026 Politico analysis found that owners of fewer than half of the 9,900 lots where homes were destroyed had applied for permits for new houses.

If you are still at the start, you have not missed your chance. This guide explains what to do first, how permits work in each area, what rebuilding costs and how long it usually takes.

The Short Answer

Most homeowners should plan for 18 to 36 months and about $550 to $800 per square foot, with complex hillside or coastal homes costing more. Rebuilding close to your original size can qualify for a faster like-for-like review. Your first steps are to confirm your lot is cleared, order a survey and soils report, and get a realistic budget before you finalize a design.

Step 1: Get Your Lot and Paperwork Ready

Before design starts, gather what your team will need:

• Debris and soil records. Keep your debris-removal documentation and any soil test results. Ask the building department whether anything else is required for your lot.
• Your original home's details. Square footage, height, footprint, plans and permit history all help establish what you are allowed to rebuild. Check the assessor's record, your insurer's file and any old plans you can find.
• A new survey. A licensed surveyor can map your lot lines, grades and any remaining improvements.
• A soils report. Fire can affect slopes and old foundations, and your engineer will need current information to design the new foundation.
• Your insurance position. Know your dwelling limit, your extended-replacement coverage, your code-upgrade coverage and your deadlines for additional living expenses. Ask your adjuster or attorney about any deadline you are unsure of.

Step 2: Understand Your Permit Path

The rules depend on where your lot is. They have also changed several times since the fires, so confirm the current version with the building department before you commit to a design.

Pacific Palisades (City of Los Angeles)

LADBS issues permits for most of the Palisades. Emergency orders created a streamlined route for eligible rebuilds, and LADBS has said projects that go past 110% of the prior structure's footprint or height are not eligible projects under those orders. You can still build a larger home, but you should expect more review. The city also offers pre-approved home designs that may shorten the design phase.

Altadena (Unincorporated LA County)

Altadena does not have its own city government, so Eaton Fire rebuilds run through LA County. County filings separate like-for-like rebuilds from other projects, and some owners are adding a detached ADU to the same plans. Check the county's recovery resources and permitting dashboard for current requirements and turnaround information.

Malibu

Malibu's rebuild rules combine city permitting with coastal rules. The city amended its Local Coastal Program in 2025 and created a Rebuild Development Permit for homes lost in recent fires. City staff have said the easiest route is a same-footprint rebuild, either like-for-like or like-for-like plus 10%. The additional 10% can be more complicated because it counts toward total development square footage. Some approvals can still be appealed to the Coastal Commission.

Coastal Zone Rules

Public Resources Code 30610(g) exempts disaster replacement from coastal permits when the use and location stay the same and the new home is no more than 10% larger in floor area, height or bulk. Executive orders issued by the Governor in 2025 also suspended most Coastal Act and CEQA permitting for qualifying rebuilds. Lawmakers have continued to consider changes, including rules for people who buy fire-damaged lots, so check the current status if you are buying a lot or have recently bought one.

Step 3: Decide Whether to Rebuild the Same Home or Change It

This is the most important choice you will make. Here is how the two paths compare:

Rebuild close to your original home

• Often qualifies for the simplest review
• Usually reaches a permit sooner
• Limits changes in size, height and location

Redesign or enlarge your home

• Lets you fix a layout that never worked or add a second story
• Can trigger additional planning, coastal or environmental review
• Usually takes longer and costs more in design and permitting

Many families take a middle route: they stay within the like-for-like limits and improve the floor plan inside that envelope. If you need extra space, a detached ADU may be a simpler way to get it. Our ADU construction page explains the options.

What It Costs to Rebuild

Cost is the question we hear most, and it is the hardest to answer without seeing your lot. These are the published figures we use for early conversations:

• $550 to $800 per square foot: the range commonly reported for 2025 and 2026 rebuilds
• $1,200 or more per square foot: reported for complex hillside, coastal and high-end custom homes
• Site work: retaining walls, deep foundations, utilities, drainage and septic systems are often additional

A 2,000-square-foot home at those rates would cost $1.1 million to $1.6 million before unusual site work. A 3,000-square-foot home would cost $1.65 million to $2.4 million.

If your insurance limit falls short, you still have options. You can simplify the shape of the home, because corners and complicated roofs add cost. You can phase the landscaping, choose standard window sizes, or finish a space later. Ask your contractor to price these choices before your plans are final, since changes get more expensive once construction starts. Our custom home cost guide explains the main cost drivers.

How Long a Rebuild Takes

Most estimates put a full rebuild at 18 to 36 months. A typical schedule looks like this:

• Site readiness: 1 to 4 months
• Design and engineering: 3 to 6 months
• Plan check and permits: 2 to 5 months for most like-for-like projects, and longer for redesigns
• Construction: 10 to 18 months
• Final inspections and occupancy: 1 to 2 months

Malibu reported an average of 126 days to approve its first two rebuild permits, which gives a sense of the plan-check range in a complicated jurisdiction. Your schedule will depend on your lot, your design and how quickly you can answer questions during plan check. Labor and materials also matter, because thousands of projects are competing for the same trades. Lock in your contractor and long-lead items early.

Build to Current Fire Standards

Your new home has to meet current code. On lots in mapped wildfire hazard zones, that means ignition-resistant materials and details for the roof, vents, eaves, walls, windows and decks. Our guide to fire-resistant home building in Los Angeles explains each requirement, including the move of Chapter 7A into the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code on January 1, 2026.

It is worth budgeting for these items from the start. Some upgrades, such as better vents and a non-combustible zone around the house, can also help when you talk to insurers about renewing or replacing coverage.

How to Choose a Fire Rebuild Contractor

After a disaster, some people look for quick money, so take your time with this choice. Before you sign anything:

• Verify the license on the Contractors State License Board website. Check that the name and license number match the contract.
• Ask for proof of insurance, including general liability and workers' compensation.
• Get a written contract with the scope, price, payment schedule and timeline.
• Be careful with deposits. California limits the down payment on most home improvement contracts, and large upfront requests are a warning sign.
• Ask for permit experience in your specific jurisdiction. LADBS, LA County and Malibu all work differently.
• Ask about capacity. Find out who will run your job and how many other rebuilds the company has underway.

Your Next Step

ESV Prime Construction is a licensed Los Angeles general contractor (CSLB #861628) helping homeowners plan and build fire rebuilds across Pacific Palisades, Altadena and Malibu. Visit our fire rebuild contractor page to see how we work, or request a free estimate and we will review your lot, your insurance position and your options. You can also call us at (818) 883-8753.