Pool work in Pacific Palisades right now is mostly rebuild work. The January 2025 Palisades Fire left pools across the community sitting beside cleared lots, and rebuild crews call bringing them back pool rehab. This page covers that rehab, the City of Los Angeles permits behind it, and the remodels and new pools that follow.
Who Handles Pool Rehab in Pacific Palisades?
Spear Pool Equipment & Repair handles pool rehab, repair, resurfacing and new construction across Pacific Palisades, including pools damaged or left idle by the Palisades Fire. The company is licensed under CSLB #1041272, pulls LADBS permits, and gives a written, itemized estimate that insurance adjusters can work from.
Pool Rehab After the Palisades Fire
The Palisades Fire destroyed 6,837 structures, according to Los Angeles County. Many of the pools on those lots survived as concrete shells, but almost nothing around them did.
What we find on a Palisades rehab:
- Ash and debris that stained and etched the finish and packed the lines.
- Tile and coping cracked by heat from the house or landscaping nearby.
- An equipment pad that is gone: pump, filter, heater, plumbing and the electrical feeding them.
- Months of standing water, or an empty shell exposed to a wet winter.
The government debris-removal program had the Army Corps of Engineers clear fire debris from pools inside the ash footprint. It does not drain, refill or remove the pool, so the rehab picks up where that work stopped.
“Called Spear, talked to a gentleman named Damion. Set up an appointment, he was on time, tooled around for 25 minutes, fixed the heater for $160.”
★★★★★ Jay D., Santa Monica, verified Yelp review
How a Pool Rehab Runs
- Inspection first. We check the shell for cracks and movement and tell you plainly whether it is worth saving.
- Pressure tests. Every suction and return line is tested, because buried plumbing near a burned house often fails.
- A new pad. Pump, filter and heater are replaced along with the pool electrical work to run them.
- Surface and tile. The finish, waterline tile and coping are redone where the fire and ash damaged them.
- Start-up. The pool is filled, balanced and handed back ready to swim.
When the shell has cracked or shifted, the rehab turns into new pool construction on the same footprint.
Pool Permits in the City of Los Angeles
Pacific Palisades is part of the City of Los Angeles, so pool permits go through LADBS. The city lets fire rebuilds stay in substantially the same location at up to 110% of the previous footprint and height.
The city’s self-certification pilot speeds up many house plans, but most pools are excluded from it unless they are built to an LADBS-approved standard plan. Plan on a pool permit going through regular plan check, and start it early so the pool is not the last thing holding up the move back in.
For insurance, we give you a written, itemized estimate that separates the shell, finish, tile and coping, plumbing, equipment and electrical. That is the breakdown adjusters ask for.
Standing Water and Mosquitoes
An unmaintained pool on a cleared lot breeds mosquitoes fast. Until it is running again, keep it fenced or securely covered, and report it to the Los Angeles County West Vector Control District, which treats standing pools in the Palisades burn area.
Repair, Resurface or Rebuild?
Every Palisades pool falls into one of three paths, and the inspection decides which:
| Option | What you are seeing | Cost | How long it holds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rehab | Pool idle or damaged through the rebuild, shell still sound | Quoted per project | Saves the shell, replaces what failed |
| Resurface | Finish stained, etched or rough, tile and coping damaged | $6,000 to $15,000 | 5 to 10 yrs plaster, 20+ pebble |
| Rebuild | Shell cracked, shifted or not worth saving | $44,300 to $86,500 for a new in-ground pool | A new pool on the same footprint |
Pool Work We Handle in Pacific Palisades
Rehab is the most common call right now, but it is rarely the only job. Owners rebuilding a house often use the moment to change the pool too.
Our pool renovation services cover finishes, tile, coping and decks. Equipment work runs alongside, and on a rehab it is often the biggest line on the estimate.
Resurfacing, Plaster and Tile
An ash-stained or etched finish rarely cleans up well. We handle pool resurfacing in plaster, quartz or pebble and match the finish to how long you plan to stay.
| Finish | Lifespan | Upfront cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plaster | 5 to 10 years | Lowest | A straight refresh on a budget |
| Quartz | 15 to 20 years | Middle | Longer life without pebble pricing |
| Pebble | 20+ years | Highest | A rebuilt home you plan to keep |
Lifespans from HomeAdvisor and finish makers Pebble Technology International and SGM. Plaster is quoted at 5 to 10 years by cost guides and 7 to 10 by manufacturers, and water chemistry decides where a pool lands in that range.
While the pool is drained, waterline tile replacement is the cheapest it will ever be.
“Had Richard install a new variable speed pump! Reasonable pricing, and very experienced, and thorough in his work.”
★★★★★ Jordan W., Venice, verified Yelp review
Equipment, Plumbing and Automation
A burned pad is replaced as a system, sized to the pool rather than copied from what was there. A variable-speed pump installation is part of almost every rebuild now, since California rules require variable-speed motors on most replacement pumps.
Lines that failed their pressure test get pool plumbing repair, or a full re-pipe when several are gone.
“They repaired parts rather than try to stick me with having to completely replace equipment. The gentleman that came out was highly professional and courteous.”
★★★★★ Joe R., Marina del Rey, verified Yelp review
Decks, Coping, Spas and New Features
Coastal lots and hillside streets both come into play here, so drainage is checked before we quote pool coping replacement or a new deck.
Rebuilds are a natural time for adding a jacuzzi, since the design is being redrawn anyway.
A Baja shelf for shallow lounging is the other common addition.
Get a Free Pacific Palisades Pool Estimate
Tell us what the pool looks like now, even if the lot is still being cleared. Estimates are free, and we can walk the pool with your builder or adjuster.
Free visit. Written price. No obligation.
Pacific Palisades Pools by the Numbers
- 6,837 structures were destroyed by the Palisades Fire, per Los Angeles County’s fact sheet on the Eaton and Palisades fires.
- 3,090 building and electrical permits had been approved in Pacific Palisades by early 2026, according to LADBS data reported by Crosstown.
- About $95,393 is what a pool adds to a typical Los Angeles home, the highest of any major U.S. metro in Redfin’s 2019 study.
Neighborhoods and Local Conditions in Pacific Palisades
We work across the 90272 ZIP code: Palisades Village and the Alphabet Streets, the Huntington Palisades, Marquez Knolls, Castellammare above Pacific Coast Highway, the Palisades Highlands, and the canyon streets of Rustic Canyon and Temescal Canyon.
Conditions split by terrain. Bluff and canyon lots bring slope, access and drainage questions that flat Village lots do not. Salt air near the coast is hard on metal equipment and fittings, so corrosion-resistant hardware is worth the small extra cost on a rebuilt pad.
Access matters too. Narrow canyon streets and active construction on neighboring lots decide when equipment and materials can reach the backyard.
“Great company to deal with. They repaired a pool pump for me, and upgraded my system to iAquaLink so that it works with my iPhone.”
★★★★★ Kane G., Los Angeles, verified Yelp review
What Drives the Price of Pool Work in Pacific Palisades
Rehab quotes vary more than ordinary repairs, for four reasons:
- What survived. A sound shell with a lost pad costs far less than a cracked shell.
- The finish. Ash and heat damage usually mean a full resurface, not a patch.
- Access and slope. Canyon and bluff lots add labor to every phase.
- Permits. Pool work in the City of Los Angeles runs through LADBS plan check.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Pump motor repair | $50 to $300 |
| Heater repair | $160 to $730 |
| In-ground leak repair | $350 to $2,700 |
| Full resurfacing | $6,000 to $15,000 |
| Typical repair, all types | $243 to $1,212 |
National ranges from HomeAdvisor 2026 cost data. Pacific Palisades quotes depend on access and what we find once the pool is drained.
Our breakdown of plastering costs across Los Angeles covers each common pool size.
“They were prompt, courteous and efficient. Their pool knowledge was thorough and 100% effective in resolving the issue with restoring the heat control.”
★★★★★ Michael K., Los Angeles, verified Yelp review
Meet the Owner
Ran Neuman owns Spear Pools, Inc. and brings 18 years of hands-on pool repair and construction experience.
On a rehab he meets the homeowner, and the builder when there is one, explains what can be saved, and stays involved through start-up. Connect with Ran on LinkedIn.
Read what Westside customers say on our Google Business Profile.
Nearby Areas We Serve
Up the coast, the same fire reached into Malibu, and we handle pool rehab in Malibu on the same terms.
Across the city we cover pool repair across Los Angeles.
East of the canyons we handle Beverly Hills pool work.
Browse every pool service area we cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will home insurance cover pool damage from a fire?
Home insurance usually covers pool damage from a fire, because fire is a covered peril on most standard homeowners policies. Many policies treat an in-ground pool as an other structure, which carries its own coverage limit, so check that line of your policy. An itemized estimate that separates the shell, finish, tile, plumbing and equipment makes the adjuster’s review faster and easier to support.
What is salvageable after a fire?
What is salvageable after a fire depends on how hot the area around the pool got. A concrete pool shell often survives, since it sits in the ground and holds water. Equipment, plastic plumbing near the pad and electrical service usually do not. Tile, coping and the interior finish vary, so an inspection and a pressure test on every line decide what can stay.
How long after a fire can you rebuild?
How long after a fire you can rebuild depends on debris removal and permits. In Pacific Palisades, the City of Los Angeles issued its first rebuild permit on March 5, 2025, 57 days after the fire started. A pool usually needs its own LADBS plan check, since most pools are excluded from the city’s self-certification pilot, so start the pool permit early.
Is it cheaper to remodel a pool or build a new one?
Remodeling a pool is much cheaper than building a new one when the shell is sound. HomeAdvisor’s 2026 data puts a full resurfacing at $6,000 to $15,000, while a new in-ground pool runs $44,300 to $86,500. After a fire, the question is whether the shell survived. If it did, rehab and resurfacing cost a fraction of a rebuild.
Does a pool add value to a home in Los Angeles?
A pool adds value to a home in Los Angeles more than almost anywhere else. Redfin’s 2019 study found a pool added about $95,393 to a typical Los Angeles home, the highest of any major U.S. metro it measured. Condition matters, since a stained, idle pool reads as a repair bill to buyers, while a working one reads as a feature.
Ready to bring your Pacific Palisades pool back? Call (818) 719-9059 and Ran will look at the shell, equipment and deck, and tell you plainly what can be saved.