Fire Rebuild & Reconstruction in Claremont
Claremont fire rebuilds finished in three-coat cement plaster over metal lath, with tested footings and retaining work on sloped lots, in one written scope.
For the walls of a Claremont rebuild we specify cement plaster, troweled on in three coats over metal lath. The finish cannot burn or rot, and on an inland lot it handles hard sun and dry wind, needing only a fresh color coat now and then. If the house steps down a slope, control joints on the tall downhill wall keep any cracking in straight, planned lines.
Lath, coats and control joints
The system starts with two layers of weather barrier over the sheathing, lapped so water runs down and out. Galvanized metal lath is fastened through them into the studs. A scratch coat bonds to the lath, a brown coat builds thickness and straightness, and a finish coat sets the texture and color. Each coat is kept damp while it cures, which matters on hot, dry days. A weep screed at the base lets trapped water escape, and control joints divide large walls into panels so shrinkage cracks follow lines we choose.
The rest of the shell and the permit
Plaster walls pair with a Class A roof, enclosed eaves and vents screened with fine metal mesh, so the exterior resists embers whether or not the parcel is mapped. Windows get tempered panes where code calls for them. Claremont sits in Los Angeles County and is counted in the Inland Empire, and the City of Claremont reviews the plans and inspects the work, including the lath before any plaster goes on. On a sloped lot, the walls that hold soil and the footings under the downhill side are engineered with the rest of the structure.
About our fire rebuild & reconstruction workEverything we build in Claremont
Fire Rebuild & Reconstruction in Claremont: questions
We answer after the slab and footings are exposed and tested. Cores come from the worst-burned areas and go to a lab, and rebar is examined wherever the cover has cracked. Plaster walls weigh more than lap siding, so the engineer also confirms the old footings can carry them. Whatever passes is kept and patched, and whatever fails is poured new.
Our estimate names the plaster system coat by coat, along with the lath, barrier layers and screeds, so each part can be matched to the insurance scope. If the scope prices a lighter wall finish or leaves out code items added since the house was first permitted, the difference is noted on the matching line with its reason.
Whether ember-resistance standards apply depends on the parcel's standing on the state fire hazard severity maps and any interface area the city has drawn, both checked before design. Inside either, the roof, vents, eaves, walls, decking and glazing take on added rules. Outside both, current California code governs. Cement plaster meets the exterior wall rule in either case, so that choice holds whatever the lookup shows.
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Tell us about the lot and the job. A builder replies by phone or email to set up a visit.