Fire Rebuild in Los Angeles

Yes—within limits. If you stay within the like-for-like +10% envelope, you avoid full zoning compliance and keep your Prop 13 base-year value. In the City of LA, that means up to 110% of your prior footprint and height. In the LA County Eaton area, you can increase floor area, size, height, or footprint by up to 10% or 200 square feet, whichever is greater. Anything beyond that triggers standard zoning review and may be assessed at market value. We help homeowners balance layout upgrades with permit speed and tax protection.

Yes. Every substantial fire rebuild needs building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits, plus final inspections. In the City of LA, fire rebuilds qualify for an expedited like-for-like +10% pathway and the One-Stop Rebuilding Center at 1828 Sawtelle Blvd. In unincorporated LA County, use the Altadena One-Stop Permit Center at 464 W Woodbury Rd, Suite 210, or the EPIC-LA online portal. EO N-4-25 (signed Jan. 12, 2025, reaffirmed Jan. 6, 2026) suspends CEQA and Coastal Act permitting for rebuilds within 110% of the prior footprint and height, but local permits and inspections still apply.

Yes. As a licensed CSLB #989378 design-build contractor, we support homeowners with scope-of-loss reviews, damage documentation, line-item estimates, and the build-back plans insurers require. We do not negotiate claims—that is your public adjuster or attorney’s role—but we make sure the construction documents and rebuild scope match your policy limits and code-upgrade requirements.

We provide fire rebuild services throughout Los Angeles County, including Altadena, Pasadena, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and surrounding communities affected by the Palisades, Eaton, and other wildfires.

We are a licensed design-build firm—one team for design coordination, permitting, insurance documentation support, demolition, and construction. That eliminates the architect-builder finger-pointing that slows many rebuilds. We understand the post-fire programs in each jurisdiction, submit complete code-current packages, and build with CWUIC-compliant wildfire-resistant materials so the home you move back into is stronger than the one you lost.

Yes. As of January 1, 2026, California’s Wildland-Urban Interface Code (CWUIC, Title 24 Part 7) replaced the old Chapter 7A. CWUIC Chapter 5 requires Class A roof assemblies, ember- and flame-resistant vents with 1/16–1/8 inch noncombustible mesh, ignition-resistant or noncombustible exterior walls, tempered or fire-rated glazing, noncombustible gutters, and ignition-resistant decking where required. LA City has adopted CWUIC by reference. Zone 0—a 5-foot ember-resistant zone—is still pending final adoption by the Board of Forestry as of the April 2026 draft.

Most homeowners rebuild through their insurer; many fire-affected properties are covered by the California FAIR Plan. FAIR Plan handled roughly 3,621 Palisades claims and 1,369 Eaton claims as of early 2025, and its exposure has grown substantially. The SB 824 non-renewal moratorium for the Palisades/Eaton fires expired January 7, 2026, so protection from non-renewal is no longer in force. Completing Safer from Wildfires mitigation actions and IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home certification can qualify for discounts; larger mitigation discounts took effect July 1, 2026.

You can rebuild up to 110% of your prior footprint and height in the City of LA Palisades area under the like-for-like +10% pathway, and up to 10% or 200 square feet (whichever is greater) in the unincorporated LA County Eaton area. In Malibu, replacement structures may also qualify for up to 10% height, bulk, or square footage under Ordinance 524/ZI-15. Beyond those thresholds you enter standard zoning and discretionary review, which adds time and cost.

You can use a design-build firm like Goldenline. We coordinate licensed architects and engineers as part of one contract, so design, engineering, and construction stay aligned. In LA City, licensed architects and civil engineers can self-certify code compliance under EO6, bypassing a full LADBS plan check. LA County’s self-certification pilot has similar professional requirements. A design-build team is usually the fastest path from debris clearance to occupancy.

No official per-square-foot cost exists for LA fire rebuilds; published ranges are marketing claims, not verified data. Verified permit-value data shows Altadena averaged $275,000 per permit and Malibu averaged $489,000 per permit in the year after the fires (shovels.ai, March 2026). Your actual cost depends on home size, site conditions, structural needs, finish level, and insurance coverage. Goldenline provides a free, line-item estimate based on a site-specific scope.

City of LA: One-Stop Rebuilding Center, 1828 Sawtelle Blvd, West Los Angeles, CA 90025 (Mon–Fri 9 AM–5 PM), plus the Palisades Inspections and Permitting Support Center at 16925 Marquez Avenue. LA County: Altadena One-Stop Permit Center, 464 W Woodbury Rd, Suite 210, Altadena, CA 91001 (Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM). Malibu: Rebuild Center opened March 2025, (310) 456-2489 ext. 400. Most jurisdictions also offer online portals such as EPIC-LA.

The City of LA has suspended collection of permit and plan-check fees under EO7. LA County refunds permit fees for qualifying owner-occupants of single-family homes in unincorporated areas with no application deadline. Malibu waives City planning and building permit fees for like-for-like or +10% single-family rebuilds, with waiver applications due June 30, 2028 and building permits required by December 30, 2030. SBA disaster loans are closed—do not apply.