Fire Rebuild Contractor in Los Angeles

Rebuilding after a wildfire is different from building a new home by choice. You are working through an insurance claim, a damaged site, emergency permit rules and a neighborhood full of projects competing for the same trades. You may also be paying for temporary housing while the clock on your coverage runs.

Our role is to give you one accountable team for the whole project. As a licensed California general contractor, we coordinate the architect, structural and civil engineers, soils report, utilities and permits, then build the home under a written, fixed-price contract with a dedicated project manager.

We serve the three areas where most of this work is concentrated:

• Pacific Palisades: City of Los Angeles permits through LADBS, with hillside, coastal and fire-zone considerations on many lots.
• Altadena: unincorporated Los Angeles County, so permits run through LA County rather than a city building department.
• Malibu: City of Malibu permits, with coastal rules, onsite wastewater and geology often shaping the design.

The biggest early decision is whether to rebuild close to what you had or to change the home. That choice affects your review path, schedule and budget more than almost anything else.

City of Los Angeles (Pacific Palisades). Emergency orders created a streamlined path for eligible rebuilds. LADBS has said that projects exceeding 110% of the prior structure's footprint or height are not treated as eligible projects under those orders. Going past that line does not stop you from building, but it can move you into a slower review.

Coastal Zone properties. California's Coastal Act exempts disaster replacement that keeps the same use and location and stays within 10% of the prior floor area, height and bulk (Public Resources Code 30610(g)). Governor's executive orders issued in 2025 also suspended most Coastal Act and CEQA permitting for qualifying rebuilds.

City of Malibu. Malibu amended its Local Coastal Program in 2025 and created a Rebuild Development Permit for homes lost in the Palisades Fire and other recent fires. City staff have described a same-footprint rebuild, like-for-like or like-for-like plus 10%, as the simplest route. Some approvals can still be appealed.

Altadena. LA County handles Eaton Fire rebuilds and labels applications as like-for-like or non-like-for-like. Adding a detached ADU alongside the rebuilt home is a common request, and it should be planned with the main house from the start.

These rules have changed several times since January 2025. We confirm the current requirements with the building department for your address before design is finalized, and you should treat any summary, including this one, as a starting point.

There is no reliable flat price for a rebuild, because lot conditions and finish level drive the number. Published figures give a useful range for early planning:

• About $550 to $800 per square foot is the range commonly reported for Palisades and Altadena rebuilds in 2025 and 2026.
• More than $1,200 per square foot has been reported for complex hillside, coastal or high-end custom homes.
• Site costs come on top. Retaining walls, deep foundations, new utility connections, drainage and onsite wastewater systems can change a budget more than the finishes do.

As an example, a 2,400-square-foot home at $550 to $800 per square foot works out to $1.32 million to $1.92 million before unusual site work. These are planning figures rather than quotes. We price your project after reviewing the survey, soils report and plans.

Common budget items owners miss:

• Survey, soils report, engineering and plan-check fees
• Wildfire-resistant materials required by code
• Fire sprinklers, where required
• Temporary power, fencing and site security
• Landscaping that meets defensible-space rules

If your insurance limit will not cover the full cost, tell us early. We can price alternates so you can see which decisions move the budget. Our home building cost guide explains the main cost drivers in more detail.

Most reports put a full rebuild at 18 to 36 months. These planning ranges show where that time goes:

• Site readiness, 1 to 4 months: confirm debris removal, order the survey and soils report, and gather the insurance documents and records of the original home.
• Design and engineering, 3 to 6 months: architectural plans, structural and civil engineering, and energy calculations.
• Plan check and permits, 2 to 5 months: like-for-like projects usually move faster. Malibu reported an average of 126 days for its first two rebuild permits.
• Construction, 10 to 18 months: size, access, weather and trade availability are the main variables. Hillside lots take longer.
• Final inspections and occupancy, 1 to 2 months: utility releases, final sign-offs and the certificate of occupancy.

Starting early matters. A contractor involved during design can flag expensive details, price options and order long-lead materials before they become schedule problems. Read our full guide to rebuilding after the Palisades and Eaton Fires for a step-by-step plan.

A replacement home must meet today's code, even if the permit path is like-for-like. Many Palisades, Malibu and Altadena lots sit in mapped wildfire hazard zones, where California's exterior wildfire rules apply. Those rules were long known as Chapter 7A of the Building Code, and since January 1, 2026 they have been housed in the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code.

In practice, that affects your roof, vents, eaves, exterior walls, windows, doors and decks. We build these requirements into the plans and the budget from the first estimate, so they do not appear later as change orders. See our guide to fire-resistant home building in Los Angeles for what each requirement means.

• Free consultation. We review your lot, your insurance position and what you want to build.
• Feasibility and budget. We review the survey, soils information and permit path, then give you a realistic budget range.
• Design coordination. We work with your architect, or bring in a design team, and price the plans as they develop.
• Permits. We prepare and track the submittal, respond to plan-check comments and coordinate with utilities.
• Fixed-price contract. You receive a written scope, price, payment schedule and construction timeline.
• Construction. Your project manager runs the site and reports progress, and we can provide the documentation your insurer asks for.
• Final sign-off. We complete inspections, walk the home with you and hand over warranty information.

We are licensed under CSLB #861628, and you can check that license on the Contractors State License Board website. Ask any contractor you are considering for the same license check, proof of insurance and a written contract. California requires a license for this work, and that check protects you and your insurance claim.