Fire rebuild · Altadena 91001
Fire Rebuild Contractor in Altadena, CA
We rebuild homes lost in the Eaton Fire from a cleared lot to a certificate of occupancy: corner survey and soils where the County asks for them, plans by licensed architects and engineers, LA County permits through the Altadena One-Stop Permit Center, construction to the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, cabinets from our own workshop, one fixed price in writing.
Short answer
Who rebuilds fire-lost homes in Altadena?
Kasimov Construction is a licensed general contractor (CSLB #1148319, Class B) that rebuilds homes lost in the January 2025 Eaton Fire in Altadena, ZIP code 91001. Altadena is unincorporated Los Angeles County, so rebuild permits come from LA County Public Works through the One-Stop Permit Center. A like-for-like rebuild may add 10% or 200 sq ft and is built to the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code. The team has been in construction since 2008 and signs a fixed-price contract.
- License
- CSLB #1148319, Class B, bonded and general liability insured · verify
- Permit office
- LA County Public Works (unincorporated Los Angeles County)
- Rebuild path
- Like-for-like plus 10% or 200 sq ft, whichever is greater (County rules); 10-business-day first review, 5-day rechecks (County FAQ)
- Help in person
- Altadena One-Stop Permit Center, 464 W Woodbury Rd, Suite 210
- Fire code
- California Wildland-Urban Interface Code (formerly Chapter 7A) in the fire hazard zones (code summary)
- Fees
- County fees waived for owners who owned and lived in the home before January 7, 2025; designer, survey, utility and school fees not waived (County FAQ)
- Contract
- Fixed price in writing, as CSLB requires for disaster rebuilds; deposit capped at $1,000 or 10%
- Phone
- (424) 455-6464
Rules
Which rules apply to an Altadena rebuild?
What counts as like-for-like?
Altadena is unincorporated, so the permit comes from LA County Public Works rather than Pasadena or LADBS. The County defines like-for-like as the same size, location and use, and in the Eaton Fire area it allows an increase of 10% or 200 sq ft, whichever is greater. A like-for-like house does not have to meet current zoning, but it does have to meet the current Building, Fire and Health and Safety codes (LA County like-for-like rules), and the County's FAQ says rebuilds have to meet current code, which includes fire sprinklers (LA County rebuild FAQ).
How fast does the County review plans?
Regional Planning aims to finish its first like-for-like review within 10 business days and rechecks within 5 business days, and the other permitting departments use the same targets once full building plans are in. Projects that do not meet the like-for-like standard are still expedited, but the review period depends on the scope (LA County rebuild FAQ). Those are targets, and we do not promise a permit date.
Are County fees waived?
For owners who both owned and lived in the home before January 7, 2025, the County waives and refunds its own fees on a single-family rebuild: zoning review, plan review, soils and geology review, building permit and inspection, Fire Department plan review and inspection, and Public Health fees. Designer costs, addressing, the corner record survey, the construction recycling deposit, external agency clearances, utility fees and school fees are not waived for any owner (LA County rebuild FAQ). School fees apply only when the new construction adds 500 sq ft or more of habitable space.
Can the plans be self-certified?
The County runs a self-certification pilot for single-family homes, garages and ADUs. The project cannot be in a Geologically Sensitive Area such as a hillside or an area subject to liquefaction or land movement, the County audits at least 20% of self-certified plans at random, and it still inspects every stage of construction (LA County self-certification pilot).
Is there a deadline?
Like-for-like applications must generally be submitted to Regional Planning within two years of the emergency declaration, which puts the mark around January 2027, and the Director of Regional Planning can grant up to three one-year extensions of the submittal deadline. Confirm your date with Regional Planning. Once a building permit is issued it expires after 12 months if construction has not started, and the County issues the permit only after debris removal is complete (LA County rebuild FAQ).
Which code applies?
Altadena rebuilds in the fire hazard zones are built to the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code (formerly Chapter 7A): Class A roof, ember-resistant vents, ignition-resistant walls, multi-pane glazing with a tempered pane, rated doors and decks (LA County construction notes for fire hazard zones (2026)).
The County has amended its rebuild rules more than once since January 2025. This page reflects what we read on October 15, 2026, and we confirm your parcel at the Altadena One-Stop Permit Center before we price the job.
How it works
From a cleared Altadena lot to move-in.
Six steps for an unincorporated County lot, with the schedule written into your contract before construction starts. Sources: LA County rebuild FAQ, like-for-like rules and the One-Stop Permit Centers.
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01
Lot visit and records
We walk the lot, collect the old permits, plans and Assessor records that show what stood there, and check whether the parcel sits in a hillside, liquefaction or land-movement area, which decides whether self-certification is open to you.
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02
Corner survey and soils
A private surveyor marks the corners, because many Altadena structures were built close to the property lines. A soils report is needed only for caissons, piles, geologic hazards or a basement. If you want to keep the old foundation, a licensed engineer evaluates it on the County form first.
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03
Plans, seen in 3D
Licensed architects and engineers draw the house like-for-like, or to current zoning if you want more, and you walk through it in 3D before it is final. Our cabinet shop measures from the same drawings.
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04
Permits and utilities
We submit to LA County Public Works through the Altadena One-Stop Permit Center at 464 W Woodbury Rd and answer every recheck. The water agency's Will-Serve letter, the temporary power pole with Southern California Edison and the gas and septic or sewer clearances run at the same time.
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05
Construction
Foundation, framing, roof, fire sprinklers, systems and finishes to the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, with cabinets from our own workshop. Your project manager sends a written update every week.
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06
Final inspections and keys
Final County inspections, the utility releases, the certificate of occupancy, the walkthrough and a written 2-year workmanship warranty.
Fire-resistant construction
Built to the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code (formerly Chapter 7A).
California moved its rules for building in fire hazard zones into the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code (formerly Chapter 7A) on January 1, 2026. If your Altadena lot is in a fire hazard severity zone, the new house has to meet it, and the County's FAQ says rebuilds have to meet current code, which includes fire sprinklers (LA County rebuild FAQ). We check the map for your address, build to the code and keep the inspection records in your project file.
Requirements summarized from LA County construction notes for fire hazard zones (2026).
- Roof
- Class A roof covering; noncombustible gutters with leaf protection
- Vents
- Ember-resistant vents (ASTM E2886) or 1/16 to 1/8 in. metal mesh
- Walls
- Noncombustible or ignition-resistant siding, or a rated wall assembly
- Windows
- Multi-pane glass with at least one tempered pane
- Doors
- Noncombustible, 1-3/8 in. solid core or 20-minute rated
- Decks
- Ignition-resistant or noncombustible decking and stairs
Site conditions
Survey, foundations, utilities and access.
Survey and soils
Before construction, most rebuilds need a corner record survey by a private surveyor to mark the property lines, because many Altadena structures were built on or near the lines. A soils report is needed only in some cases, such as caissons or piles, geologic hazards or a basement (LA County rebuild FAQ).
Foundations
If you want to reuse the old foundation, an engineering consultant has to evaluate it and the County reviews that evaluation on its own form; a compaction report is needed where the soil was disturbed more than 12 inches (LA County rebuild FAQ). We price a new foundation unless the engineer's evaluation says the old one can stay.
Water, power and sewer
The water agency has to issue a Will-Serve letter before the permit, construction power usually comes through a temporary pole coordinated with Southern California Edison, and an existing septic system can be reused for the same bedroom count, while a lot within 200 ft of a sewer main may be required to connect (LA County rebuild FAQ).
Status
Where the Altadena rebuild stands.
The Eaton Fire of January 7, 2025 destroyed 9,419 structures, most of them in Altadena (CAL FIRE).
The Army Corps of Engineers finished its debris work in the Eaton Fire area: all physical debris removal in unincorporated Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre was signed off on August 29, 2025 (Supervisor Barger, August 2025).
The County issues a building permit only after the Phase 1 hazardous-materials removal and the Phase 2 debris removal are complete on the lot; owners who opted out of the public program need their own debris-removal or demolition permit (LA County like-for-like rules, County FAQ).
We do not publish a count of homes rebuilt in Altadena or a days-to-permit figure. The County's 10-day and 5-day reviews are targets, not results (LA County rebuild FAQ).
Insurance
Working with your insurance.
Most Altadena rebuilds are paid for by a claim, and the County issues the building permit only after debris removal is complete on the lot, so the two timelines run side by side. Under California's rules for declared disasters your insurer pays additional living expenses for at least 24 months, with up to 12 more where permits, materials or contractor availability cause delays, and you have at least 36 months to collect the full replacement cost (California Department of Insurance notice). The full insurance timeline, and how we work with your adjuster, is on our fire rebuild page.
Before you sign
What to verify before you sign.
The four checks specific to an Altadena lot. For the checks every rebuild shares, license, fixed price, deposit cap, lien releases and the right to cancel, see our guide to choosing a Palisades rebuild contractor.
- Who files with the County. The contract names who submits to LA County Public Works through the Altadena One-Stop Permit Center at 464 W Woodbury Rd, Suite 210, and who answers each recheck. We file under our license.
- Survey, soils and compaction documents. The County asks for a corner record survey on most rebuilds, a soils report for caissons, piles, geologic hazards or a basement, and a compaction report where the soil was disturbed more than 12 inches (LA County rebuild FAQ). Our price says who hires the surveyor and the engineer.
- Utilities in the scope. The water agency's Will-Serve letter, the temporary power pole with Southern California Edison and the gas and septic or sewer clearances (LA County rebuild FAQ) are listed in our scope with the party responsible for each.
- Fee-waiver eligibility. The County waives and refunds its own fees only for owners who both owned and lived in the home before January 7, 2025; designer, survey, utility and school fees are not waived (LA County rebuild FAQ). The estimate shows which lines the waiver touches.
Reviews
What our clients say.
Our rating on Google. Read what clients wrote, or leave a review of your own.
“We hired this team to convert part of our garage into a laundry area, a guest bathroom, and a shower. They did an amazing job! The tile work, wood accent walls, and vanity turned out great. The guys worked very clean and neat, kept the place tidy every day, and finished everything on time. Highly recommend them!”
“Great contractor! Did our apartment bathroom remodel. Clear communication, quality work. Would definitely hire again!”
“Excellent work on room renovation! The room looks amazing, and I’m very happy with the results. Highly recommend!”
All reviews →See them on Google →
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Guides
Related guides.
How to hire a contractor in Los Angeles
License check, contract rules, deposit cap, right to cancel and liens.
Read →
How to choose a Palisades rebuild contractor
The CSLB, Cal OES and LA County checklist, every rule linked.
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Palisades fire rebuild cost
CDI payout data, the City fee waiver with its caveats and what moves the number on a Palisades lot.
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Do you rebuild homes in Altadena?
What does like-for-like mean in unincorporated LA County?
How fast does the County review plans?
Are County fees waived?
Can my architect self-certify?
Is there a deadline?
Do I have to build to the new fire code?
How long does an Altadena rebuild take?
Do you help with the insurance claim?
How much is the deposit?
Free estimate
Tell us about your Altadena lot.
Address, what was there before and where you are with insurance and permits. We'll call you to set up a visit to the lot.
- Free estimate visit: we measure and listen
- Written estimate with a clear scope
- One project manager from start to finish
- CSLB #1148319, licensed, bonded & insured
- 2-year written warranty on workmanship