Fire Rebuild: What You Can Prepare While Waiting for Insurance Settlement
When recovering from a fire, most homeowners wait for their insurance settlement before starting their rebuild to better understand their budget. However, there are a few important steps you can take early—at little or no cost—that can significantly accelerate your rebuild process once you’re ready.
This guide outlines the key documents you can begin gathering now. These documents are essential for starting the design process, and a responsible architect will ask for them before any design work begins.
Disclaimer: This guide reflects the best information we have at this time. If you think of additional useful documents or have any questions, feel free to contact us—we’ll update the post to help others as well.
1. Assessor’s Record & Building Description Blanks (Free)
If you plan to pursue a like-for-like rebuild, it’s crucial to document the size and footprint of your previous home. Once the site is cleared, there are few visual references to show where the house once stood—this is where the Assessor’s Record and Building Description Blanks become invaluable.
These documents can only be obtained in person by the property owner, but you can request a digital copy be sent to your email.
Where to obtain (Altadena property owners)
East District Office (free)
1190 Durfee Ave, South El Monte, CA 91733
Phone: (626) 258-6001
Hours: Mon–Fri, 7:30 AM–5:00 PM
Where to obtain (Pacific Palisades property owners)
West District Office
6120 Bristol Parkway, Culver City, CA 90230
Phone: (310) 665-5300
Hours: Mon–Fri, 7:30 AM–5:00 PM
Tip: If Assessor officers are present at FEMA recovery centers, you may also be able to get these documents there—call ahead to confirm availability.
A sample of an Assessor Record and a Building Description Blanks (blurred for privacy concern), usually contain a sketch indicates the shape of the building.
2. Property Title Report (Low Cost)
A title report provides critical information about easements on your property that can affect your rebuild design:
Utility easements
Areas reserved for power lines, sewers, or other utilities. Building here may require complex permits—you’ll generally want to avoid these areas.Access easements
Areas reserved for shared driveways or pathways where construction is prohibited. In some cases, front setbacks are measured from the edge of an easement rather than the property line.
You can request a title report through a title company.
Pro Tip: Ask them to plot the easements on a tract map to visually clarify their locations. It’s a helpful reference during design.
A sample of a color coded easement plot plan (blurred for privacy concern), where all easements are clearly marked on a track map
3. Building Permit Records (Free)
If you plan a like-for-like rebuild, building permit records can provide useful references about your original house design.
Although your architect can help search for records later, older homes with minimal renovations often lack easily accessible records. You may want to request microfiche records which usually take a long time. It’s wise to request these early to save time.
How to seach for public building permit records from EpicLA for properties in Altadena
For Altadena properties:
EpicLA Permit Search
No login required—search by address.For Pacific Palisades properties:
LADBS Building Records Search
No login required. A tutorial video is available.For Pasadena Properties:
Pasadena Citizen Self Service
No login required, similar system to Epic LA, refer to tutorial above
Pro Tip: Focus on records with attachments—these are more likely to include drawings or blueprints.
If no records are found, visit the One-Stop Center to request a search of microfiche archives.
A sample of microfiche (source: online)
4. Septic Tank Records (Free)
If your property had a septic system (common on hillsides), obtaining these records is important to:
Plan setbacks from the septic tank
Avoid construction damage
Verify tank size adequacy
Records are available through the Los Angeles County Public Health Department. You can request them by phone, email, or in person—start by calling the nearest office.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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A: Having these ready accelerates design and permitting later, saving weeks or even months
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A: Some records (like title reports and assessor blanks) require the property owner to request them to avoid private information leak.
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A: Your architect can help recreate as-built drawings, but it’s generally not recommended to rely solely on the architect’s interpretation—architects are not officials authorized to determine the definitive record of a past building.
If no building permit records are available, the default official reference will often be the Assessor’s Building Description Blank, along with other supporting evidence such as historical Google Earth imagery, Coastal Commission records, or other available archives.
Best practice: Inform your architect early that no official building records exist. Your architect will coordinate directly with the planning department to confirm an appropriate strategy for documenting the original structure. They may request a written confirmation from a planner or official stating what evidence will be accepted. Once that is secured, your architect can safely create the as-built drawings based on the confirmed information, helping to avoid future liability or disputes.
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A: It refers to rebuilding a home that matches the size and footprint of the original house with minimal changes—often allowing for faster approvals.
For more information about like-for-like, check out our other posts
Final Thoughts
If you have questions or think of additional useful documents, feel free to reach out. Gathering these materials early helps not just you, but others in the community as well.