Architecture-led design-build for hillside Craftsman, post-Eaton Fire reconstruction, and full-home renovation in unincorporated Los Angeles County.
By Jacob Bachar · Founding Builder · Updated May 2026 · 8-minute read
Altadena · unincorporated Los Angeles County
Altadena renovation work runs through two simultaneous realities: a deeply historic architectural fabric — Craftsman bungalows, transitional 1920s–40s estates, mid-century hillside builds — and a post-Eaton Fire rebuild market that requires technical fluency in fire-rebuild permitting, insurance reconstruction sequencing, and LA County Building & Safety. WDC engages a limited number of Altadena projects per year across full-home renovations, fire-rebuild reconstructions, and design-build new construction. We carry the engagement from program brief through Certificate of Occupancy with one principal — the same builder who walks the lot in Discovery signs the closeout binder eighteen to thirty months later. We design it, we permit it, we build it.
Active engagements
Fire reconstructions · full-home renos · new construction
$400K–$2M+ full-home · fire rebuilds scope-dependent
18+Months Discovery → C of O
LA CountyBuilding & Safety permit relationship
$400K–$2M+Investment Range full-home + ground-up
Fire-RebuildFluent insurance + permit sequencing
I · The Altadena Renovation Environment
The Altadena Renovation Environment
Altadena sits in unincorporated LA County, which means all permits route through LA County Building & Safety — not LADBS. This is a different department with different timelines, different inspectors, and a distinct working culture. Builders unfamiliar with the County system routinely add three to six months to project timelines from corrections and revision cycles.
For fire-rebuild projects following the Eaton Fire of January 2025, the permitting layer is sharper still. Insurance scope must align with reconstruction scope before submittal. Demolition is its own permit (with debris removal documentation if not already handled by the County clearance process). Foundations are typically rebuilt — even where the slab survived — for structural certainty. WDC has worked the County’s fire-rebuild track and sequences this work alongside the insurance reconciliation, not after it.
Altadena’s historic architectural register — Craftsman in the central area, transitional and hillside contemporary in the upper neighborhoods near Christmas Tree Lane and North Lake — sets a high bar for design intent. Reproduction or reconstruction work demands material specification, craft tradition, and a designer who can hold the line on those decisions. WDC’s design-build model puts the architectural register in conversation with structural and budget realities from day one.
Insurance scope must align with reconstruction scope before submittal. We sequence this work alongside the insurance reconciliation, not after it.— Jacob Bachar, Founding Builder
II · How WDC Works in Altadena
How WDC Works in Altadena
01 Discovery2–4 weeks · fixed fee. 90-minute conversation, site visit, feasibility memo. For fire rebuilds: insurance scope reconciliation. Refundable against design phase.
02 Design12–18 weeks. Schematic through construction documents. Three review milestones with sign-off at each. Architectural register held against budget reality.
03 Permit10–18 weeks. LA County B&S submittal. Fire-rebuild track where applicable. Revision cycles managed directly with the County, not by the client.
04 Build32–52 weeks. One project manager, weekly site reports, monthly OAC, transparent change-order log. Same team that designed and permitted.
III · Frequently Asked
Frequently Asked
What’s different about permitting in Altadena vs. Pasadena or LA City?
Altadena is unincorporated LA County — permits run through LA County Building & Safety, not LADBS or Pasadena B&S. Different inspectors, different timelines, different fee structures. Builders who primarily work LADBS will add months to your project from the corrections cycle.
Can WDC handle a full Eaton Fire rebuild start-to-finish?
Yes. We carry the engagement from insurance scope reconciliation through demolition, foundation, framing, and final close-out. We coordinate directly with the insurer’s reconstruction adjuster and the County’s fire-rebuild track. Discovery covers a feasibility memo on permit timeline and insurance scope alignment.
How long does a full home renovation take in Altadena?
Discovery → Design → Permit → Build runs 18–30 months for a full-home renovation on an existing foundation. New construction or fire rebuilds with full foundation replacement run 24–36 months. We commit to a schedule in Discovery and report against it weekly.
Do you do hillside additions in upper Altadena?
Yes. Hillside additions in upper Altadena and along the Eaton Wash require grading review and (often) geotech reports. We coordinate with the County’s hillside review process and budget accordingly in Discovery.
What does Discovery cost in Altadena?
Discovery is a 90-minute fixed-fee conversation followed by a written feasibility memo. Fee is refundable against the design phase if you engage WDC. Memo includes zoning + setback summary, permitting path, preliminary scope, and budget envelope.
How does WDC pricing work for fire rebuilds?
We work design-build with a fixed-price construction contract — not cost-plus. Insurance scope and design scope are reconciled before construction price is set. You sign a contract you can budget against, not an open-ended bill.
Apply for Discovery · Altadena
Considering an Altadena renovation or Eaton Fire rebuild?
Discovery is a 90-minute fixed-fee conversation followed by a written feasibility memo. Refundable against the design phase. The principal reviews every application personally.
Jacob leads design-build engagements across Los Angeles — full-home renovations, ground-up new construction, and post-fire reconstruction. Architectural Digest PRO Directory. Los Angeles office: (818) 590-5206, Monday–Friday 8–5.
Licensed in California · CSLB #1096552 · AD PRO Directory 2025 + 2026 · (818) 590-5206 · Mon–Fri 8–5
ENGAGEMENT · BY APPLICATIONREVIEWED BY THE PRINCIPAL · WITHIN 48 HOURS
A NOTE BEFORE APPLYING
Apply for Discovery.
WDC engages a limited number of full-home projects per year. Applications are reviewed personally by the principal — not by an intake coordinator, not routed to a sales pipeline. Discovery is a 90-minute conversation, fixed fee, with a written feasibility memo whether or not we proceed together.
01
Submit the application below. Real address, real budget envelope.
02
If the project is a fit, the principal responds within 48 hours.
03
Discovery scheduled at the WDC office or your residence. Fixed fee.
04
Feasibility memo delivered within seven days. Engagement decision yours.
