Last verified: July 21, 2026
Rebuilding what you lost takes an architect and a builder you can trust for years, not months. These are the publisher's picks for the job — plus the license checks to run on anyone else who bids.
Marmol Radziner — Architects & Construction
The celebrated L.A. design-build firm (founded 1989) — architects and builders under one roof. Active in Palisades fire rebuilds with fire-resilient design as standard practice: non-combustible cladding, ember-screened vents, defensible space, and prefab/modular options that shorten the build. Contributed rebuild plans to the Case Study 2.0 effort.
marmol-radziner.com →Thomas James Homes (TJH)
The most active rebuilder in the Palisades — 30+ families under way and the neighborhood's first completed post-fire rebuild (their showcase home at 915 Kagawa). Their rebuild program pledges a firm $650-per-square-foot price and a 12-month build once permits are approved, with a daily payment to you if they run past it.
tjh.com/pacific-palisades →Verify any architect or contractor
Architects are licensed by the California Architects Board; contractors by the CSLB. Check the license — and its history — for anyone who bids on your rebuild, no matter who referred them.
CAB (architects) → CSLB (contractors) →Buying or selling instead? See Real Estate. Protecting an active site? See Construction Site Security.
Following the rebuild? For ongoing coverage of construction and recovery in the Palisades:
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