Emergency board up and roof tarping in Malibu and the Westside

After a fire or a storm we board up broken windows and doors, tarp the open roof and fence the property, so the home stays secure and closed to rain, wind and trespassers until it is repaired.

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A burned interior seen through a doorway
24/7 emergency serviceSeven days a week
Boards, tarps and fencingThen the restoration, with the same company
Office in Malibu22223 Pacific Coast Hwy

What is an emergency board up?

An emergency board up covers the openings a fire or a storm leaves in a home: broken windows, burned doors, holes in a wall. Plywood goes over each opening, and where the roof is open a heavy tarp goes over it. Both are temporary. They protect the house from further damage and keep rain, wind, animals and people out until the permanent repairs are done.

LA Home Restorations offers board up services and roof tarping for homes in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Topanga, Brentwood, Santa Monica and the rest of the Westside of Los Angeles, and puts temporary fencing around a home that a fire left open. Because we also restore water, fire and smoke damage, the company that closes the home to the weather is the one that dries it, cleans it and rebuilds it.

Before anything is covered, we photograph the damage, so your insurance claim keeps a record of what each opening looked like.

When a home needs to be secured

  • Windows and doors broken in a fire
  • A roof opened by fire, wind or a fallen tree
  • A home left empty while it waits for repairs
  • An open job that has to stay dry in the rain

What we do to secure a damaged home

Temporary protection first, then the restoration, with one company.

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  • Boarding up windows and doors

    We cover broken windows, burned doors and holes in the walls with plywood, so the home can be closed and locked again.

  • Roof tarping

    We cover a roof opened by fire, wind or a fallen tree with a heavy tarp held down with boards, so rain stays out of the attic and the rooms below.

  • Temporary fencing

    Around a burned home, or one left open to the street, we put up temporary fencing to keep people off an unsafe site.

  • Protecting an open job from rain

    When a home is open for repairs and rain is coming, we cover the open roof, walls and window openings so the work and the rooms stay dry.

  • Drying what already got wet

    If rain or firefighting water got in before the home was closed, we remove the water and dry the structure.

  • Documenting the damage for your claim

    We photograph the damage before we cover it, write our estimate and can bill your insurer directly. Coverage is always your insurer’s decision.

Fire board up: securing a home after a fire

A fire often leaves a home with no glass in the windows, doors that no longer lock and a roof open to the sky, and it leaves the home empty. Boarding it up keeps out the rain and wind that would add water damage to the fire damage, and it keeps out people: an open, empty house invites trespassers and theft.

Nobody should go in until the fire department says it is safe. Once it is, we board up the openings, tarp the roof and, where the house is badly burned or open to the street, put temporary fencing around it. Then the fire damage restoration can start: we remove burned contents from the rooms we clean, clean the soot and smoke and rebuild what cannot be saved.

Fire damage restoration

Roof tarping before the rain

Sandbags along a driveway as rain runs down a hillside street

A roof that lost tiles, shingles or sheathing lets water into the attic insulation, the ceiling drywall and the rooms underneath at every storm. A tarp is the stopgap. It is laid over the damaged area and held down with boards, so the wind does not lift it and the water runs off the roof instead of under the tarp.

NOAA’s October outlook says a strong El Nino is likely this winter, and heavy rain is harder on a roof that is already damaged. If fire, wind or a fallen branch opened your roof, have it covered before the rain, not after the ceiling stains.

What to do right now while the home is open

A few safe steps keep the damage from growing while you wait for us.

While a burned home is open

Do

  • Stay out until the fire department says the home is safe.
  • Photograph every opening and every room before anything is covered.
  • Tell your insurer that the home is open to the weather.

Don’t

  • Walk on a burned roof or a burned floor.
  • Go near hot ash, smoldering debris or live embers.
  • Throw away damaged things before they are photographed.

While a storm-damaged roof is open

Do

  • Put buckets and plastic under drips and move furniture away from them.
  • Turn off the power to a wet room if it is safe to do so.
  • Photograph the roof from the ground and the ceilings from inside.

Don’t

  • Climb onto a roof that is wet or damaged.
  • Stand under a ceiling that sags or bulges with water.
  • Touch electrical equipment that is wet.

Based on public safety guidance for homeowners. If anyone is hurt, a power line is down or the fire is still active, call 911 first.

From the first call to a home closed to the weather

Here is how an emergency board up goes.

A room opened down to its framing before it is rebuilt

  1. You call, day or night

    Tell us what happened and what is open: windows, doors or the roof.

  2. We look at the damage

    We walk the outside with you and photograph every opening before we cover it.

  3. We board up, tarp and fence

    Plywood over the openings, a tarp over the roof, and fencing where the site has to be closed.

  4. We restore the home

    Then we dry, clean and repair what the fire or the storm damaged, with the same company.

A ceiling opened to the joists so the damage can be inspected

A record of the openings for your claim

Home insurance policies in California generally ask you to protect the property from further damage after a loss, so a record of what was covered matters.

  • We photograph the damage before we cover it
  • We write a detailed estimate of the work
  • We can bill your insurer directly

Coverage is always your insurer’s decision. We do not negotiate or settle claims.

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Rated 5.0 by our customers on Google

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“After my home was destroyed in the LA fires, LA Home Restorations completely rebuilt and restored my property, bringing it back to life better than I could have imagined.”

CousCousRebuild after the fires

“My property was completely destroyed during the fires and I had no idea what to do until I stumbled across this company.”

Shahara S.Fire damage

“I thought that I lost my house in the fire. I really thought it was all over... Finally was able to fix my home with this company.”

Adriana G.Fire damage

Board up and roof tarping across the Westside

  • MalibuHomes along Pacific Coast Highway and the canyon roads, in and near the Franklin Fire evacuation area
  • Pacific PalisadesHomes being rebuilt in the Palisades burn area, which the county watches in its storm forecast
  • TopangaCanyon homes on chaparral and oak slopes, with one main road in and out
  • BrentwoodHillside homes in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone
  • Santa MonicaHomes on the bluffs and along the coast through the rainy season

We also serve Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Woodland Hills, Tarzana and Encino.

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Board up and roof tarping questions

Straight answers about boarding up and tarping a damaged home.

What is the difference between a board up and a roof tarp?

A board up covers openings in the walls, such as broken windows and burned doors, with plywood. A roof tarp covers an open or damaged roof so rain cannot get into the attic and the rooms below. After a fire or a storm a home often needs both.

Should I board up my house after a fire?

Usually, yes, once the fire department says the home is safe. An open house takes on rain and wind and draws people in, and boarding it up keeps that from adding to the fire damage while you wait for the restoration.

How long can a tarp stay on a roof?

A tarp is a stopgap, not a repair. Sun and wind wear it down, so it should be checked after every storm and stay only until the roof is repaired.

Does homeowners insurance pay for an emergency board up?

It depends on your policy and on what caused the damage, so ask your insurer. We photograph the damage before we cover it, write our estimate and can bill your insurer directly. Whether a cost is covered is always your insurer’s decision.

Will you talk to my insurance adjuster about the board up?

Yes, about the damage and about our estimate for the board up. We do not negotiate or settle your claim: that stays between you and your insurer, and in California a public adjuster or an attorney is who can represent you in it.

Can I tarp my own roof?

Climbing onto a wet, burned or damaged roof is dangerous, and a tarp that is not held down can lift in the wind and let in more water. Stay on the ground, put buckets under the drips and call us.

How much does an emergency board up cost?

It depends on how many openings there are and how big they are, how much of the roof is open and whether the site needs fencing. We give you an estimate after we see the damage.

Do you board up homes in Malibu and Pacific Palisades after a fire?

Yes. We are open 24 hours, every day, and our office is at 22223 Pacific Coast Hwy in Malibu. We board up, tarp and fence homes across Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Topanga, Brentwood and Santa Monica, and also Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Westlake Village, Woodland Hills, Tarzana and Encino, including canyon homes near the burn areas.

Closing the home is the first step of the restoration.

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Tell us what happened and how to reach you. We will call you back to set a visit.

For an emergency, call now(866) 396-7622

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