Fire Rebuild & Reconstruction in Mar Vista: What We Open First
Before quoting a Mar Vista fire rebuild we expose wire lath and sill at the base of surviving walls, where salt air and hose water can rust what is hidden.
Wire lath at the foot of a surviving stucco wall is the first thing we expose on a Mar Vista fire job. Hose water soaks those walls, and in a coastal area moist, salty air can keep them damp long after. A small cut near the weep screed shows whether the lath, the sill plate and the anchor bolts are sound. That one opening tells us how much of the standing house can stay.
Reading the opening
Rust that flakes off the lath means the stucco may be losing its grip, and soft, dark wood at the sill points to rot or char from the fire. We probe the plate with an awl, check the anchor bolts for corrosion and look at the paper behind the stucco for tears. One opening per wall is usually enough to read its condition, and each is patched before we leave. We mark every result on a plan of the house, wall by wall, so you and your engineer can see which parts can be repaired and which need to come down.
When the walls can stay
A wall with sound lath, sound framing and bolts that hold can be repaired and refinished, which keeps part of the old house and its layout. In a coastal area we replace any lost lath and fasteners with galvanized or stainless parts that resist rust. Where the base has rotted, the plate is replaced and the wall is rebuilt from there. If the family wants to add a bedroom on top, the engineer checks whether the surviving walls can carry the extra load. LADBS reviews Mar Vista work, and the plans show which walls remain and which are new.
About fire rebuild & reconstructionEverything we do in Mar Vista
Fire Rebuild & Reconstruction in Mar Vista: what families ask
Often. An added bedroom must fit the zoning setbacks, height and floor area for the lot, and if it sits over a wall that survived the fire, that wall has to prove it can carry the weight. We open and test before drawing, so the plan rests on what we found.
Debris is removed, utilities are capped, and the surviving walls are opened and tested so the drawings show what stays. A survey sets the boundaries. Plans meet the code that is current on the day LADBS receives the application, and plan check follows.
As an itemized, written quote in building order. Repairs to walls that stay are listed apart from new walls, so an insurance adjuster can set each one against the claim. Rust repair and new fasteners show as their own lines. Upgrades are separate, and coverage remains your carrier's call.
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Other projects we take on in Mar Vista
Your Mar Vista project, start to finish
Tell us about the house and the space you need. We reply by phone or email to plan a visit.