Planning

Rebuilding after a fire in Los Angeles.

Rebuilding is slower than almost anyone expects, and the process can feel overwhelming on top of everything else. This is meant as a steady, practical resource — not a sales pitch.

The real pace of rebuilding right now

As of mid-2026, roughly a year and a half after the Eaton and Palisades fires, only about 1% of destroyed homes had been fully rebuilt, though thousands of permit applications have been filed. If your own rebuild feels slow, that’s the honest, widely-shared reality right now, not a sign something is specifically wrong with your project.

What makes this different from a typical remodel

• Insurance coordination. Your payout, your policy’s coverage limits, and your contractor’s scope all need to line up — get a clear, written scope before authorizing work, and be cautious of anyone pressuring you to sign an insurance check directly over to them.
• Permit volume. Local building departments are processing an unusually high number of rebuild applications at once, which affects timelines independent of how organized your own project is.
• Elevated fraud risk. Post-disaster contractor fraud is a well-documented, real pattern — see our guide on avoiding contractor scams for the specific warning signs, several of which are especially common after a fire.

A steadier way to start

Rather than fielding unsolicited calls and door-knocks, sharing your situation with a few verified local contractors and comparing real ranges side by side puts you back in control of the pace, even when the rest of the process feels like it isn’t in your control. No pressure to decide quickly, and nobody shows up uninvited.

Rebuild statistics from 2026 county permitting data and local reporting; figures continue to change as rebuilding progresses. This page is general information, not legal, insurance, or construction advice — for guidance specific to your situation, talk to your insurance adjuster, a public adjuster you’ve independently vetted, or your local building department.