Recovery Guide · SF & Marin

Rebuilding After a Fire in San Francisco or Marin County

By Solid Bay Construction SF | Updated 2026

A house fire is disorienting enough without also having to learn insurance claims, permitting, and construction scheduling all at once. Here's the realistic sequence of what happens after a fire in San Francisco or Marin County, and where most homeowners get stuck.

Step 1: Stabilize and Document Before Anything Else

Before any demolition or cleanup, photograph everything — structure, contents, and damage extent — for your insurance claim. Board up openings and tarp the roof to prevent further water and weather damage; most policies require you to take "reasonable steps" to prevent additional loss, and delaying this can complicate a claim.

Understanding Your Insurance Claim

• Additional Living Expense (ALE): Most homeowner policies cover temporary housing while your home is unlivable — track these costs from day one
• Scope of loss vs. contractor estimate: The insurance adjuster's initial estimate is a starting point, not a ceiling — a detailed contractor estimate often reveals additional covered damage (smoke infiltration in wall cavities, structural movement from heat)
• Code upgrade coverage: Check your policy for "Ordinance or Law" coverage — this pays for code-required upgrades (seismic, electrical, egress) that go beyond simply restoring what existed before the fire
• Public adjusters: For larger losses, a public adjuster works for you (not the insurance company) for a percentage of the settlement — worth considering when the loss is substantial or contested

Permitting a Fire Rebuild

In San Francisco, DBI has an expedited process for fire-damaged buildings, but the scope of your rebuild determines the path. Repairing damage that's contained and restoring to the prior condition can sometimes move faster through plan check. A fire severe enough to require rebuilding a significant portion of the structure typically triggers full current-code compliance — meaning seismic, electrical, and energy code (Title 24) upgrades even if the original structure predated those requirements.

Realistic Timeline

Choosing a Contractor for a Fire Rebuild

Fire rebuilds are different from a typical renovation — they involve direct coordination with your insurance carrier's claims process, potential code-upgrade negotiations, and often working from an as-built condition rather than clean plans. Look for a contractor with specific experience billing insurance carriers directly and documenting code-upgrade costs separately from base repair costs, since that split often determines what gets covered.