RESET by Builders Workshop is a comprehensive program for rebuilding the Palisades with resilient, insurable, and cost effective homes designed for lasting quality & modern living.

Who We Are

Builders Workshop is a licensed general contractor with decades of experience in luxury residential construction in the Palisades and greater Los Angeles. As the home builder leading the RESET program, Builders Workshop delivers homes with precision, care, and uncompromising quality.

Trade Workshop is the systems and manufacturing partner to Builders Workshop and other local builders, producing and delivering precision-built cold-formed steel assemblies through localized, just-in-time fabrication. Trade Workshop compresses cycle times, reduces jobsite risk, and ensures consistent quality across every build.

Three Paths To Rebuild

Build a RESET Signature Home

Builders Workshop, collaborating with top Los Angeles architects, is developing a context-sensitive design framework for 40-60 foot wide Alphabet Street homes that balances architectural character with adaptability. Drawing inspiration from Joseph Eichler and Julia Morgan, RESET links Palisades' heritage with modern design, intentionally rebuilding the neighborhood. RESET homes emphasize wildfire resilience, compatibility with steel framing, and cost-effective solutions for strict insurance budgets.

Build a Custom Home

Builders Workshop has deep expertise building high-quality custom homes in the Palisades and throughout the greater Los Angeles area. If you’re planning a custom design, our skilled team can connect you with our network of expert consultants and guide you step-by-step through our process. We specialize in using cold-formed steel along with best-in-class design to ensure your home is beautiful, durable, and innovative.

Use Our Steel Framing Solution

Already have a General Contractor or specific plans in place? Our partner, Trade Workshop, will manufacture, assemble, and install cold-formed steel framing systems for any builder or customer. Our approach is competitively priced compared to traditional wood framing and is entirely non-combustible, offering enhanced safety, durability, and access to better insurance rates.

What Sets RESET Apart?

RESET offers a clear path to anyone rebuilding, with resilient materials, set pricing, insurance commitment, and experienced execution.

  • We believe cold-formed steel is the most resilient and cost-effective structural system for rebuilding in fire-prone areas.

    All steel framing is manufactured using ICC-ES certified machinery, ensuring both code compliance and precise dimensions.

    Our materials are sourced from recycled U.S. steel and meet WUI and Chapter 7A ignition resistance standards, effectively eliminating structural fuel load and minimizing the risk of fire spread.

    Furthermore, its dimensional stability and non-organic composition prevent warping, shrinking, and mold growth, making it a reliable and durable choice.

  • Every home framed with Trade Workshop’s cold-formed steel framing system has written commitment from Marsh McLennan that multiple underwriters are prepared to offer both builder’s risk and permanent placement coverage following Certificate of Occupancy.

    In many cases, these policies have been issued at lower premiums than comparable wood framed structures.


  • Our cold-formed steel framing system supports multiple fire-rated assemblies, including options rated up to 3 hours, to meet code and enhance overall fire resilience.

    Specific assembly details vary and are developed in coordination with each project team and architect.

  • Our Signature Plans are designed to target a total build cost of approximately $600 to $700 per square foot.

    This estimate includes soft and hard costs for vertical construction only. Any site-specific costs such as landscaping are excluded and will vary by project.

  • Our localized, mobile micro-factory uses ICC-certified cold-formed steel machines and BIM technology to produce steel framing with accuracy and consistency.

    Structural walls are assembled in a controlled environment offsite, improving quality and reducing time installing on site.

  • Offsite steel framing production begins while foundation construction is underway on site, reducing overall build time.

    The on site phase is faster and more coordinated than traditional framing, leading to framing durations that are up to 50% shorter.

FAQs

If you still have questions, contact us below and we’ll follow up with you directly.

  • Homes framed with our steel framing system can qualify for lower builder’s risk and homeowner premiums through Marsh McLennan due to their non-combustible nature. If you decide to rebuild with RESET, we will help coordinate that process with our partner.

  • You are free to choose your insurer. We’ve partnered with Marsh McLennan to confirm that multiple A-rated carriers recognize our system and are prepared to underwrite homes built this way.

  • Our steel framing system is typically 10–15% less expensive than wood framing. Condensing your project schedule with our installation efficiency saves on carrying costs, general conditions, and overhead.

  • Our standard scope includes structural steel wall panels, roof and floor systems.

  • RESET Signature Homes are designed to be cost-efficient while meeting enhanced performance standards for fire resilience and durability. Target build costs for these homes typically range from $600–$700 per square foot to deliver a complete home. This range does not include site-specific expenses like grading or landscaping. Final pricing depends on the lot conditions, jurisdictional requirements, and selected finishes.

  • Most RESET homes are completed in 8 to 12 months from permit issuance. Our steel framing system accelerates structural installation, but the overall timeline will depend on design complexity, site conditions, and your selected scope of work.

  • We’ve supported rebuild efforts in over ten communities affected by disasters, and we’ve seen firsthand how vulnerable construction can put entire neighborhoods at risk.

    Our goal is to enable safer, more resilient rebuilding across the region, not just through our own projects.

    By making our steel framing system available to other builders, we’re helping to accelerate recovery, improve construction quality, and reduce the spread of fire between homes.

  • Yes. Our steel systems have been used in post-disaster rebuilds across the U.S. While no material is fully fireproof, our framing is non-combustible and meets code requirements for high-risk zones.

  • Absolutely. We can convert completed wood-framed plans into steel utilizing our own software, optimized for structural performance and efficient production.

  • Yes. Our engineers produce stamped structural drawings for our system and can adapt your existing plans from wood to steel without changing structural dimensions.

  • We have multiple compliant wall assemblies that include a thermal break and sheathing compatible with cold-formed steel. Specific configurations vary based on project requirements, but tested assemblies are available that support up to a 3-hour fire rating. Final assembly details should be coordinated with your architect and project team to ensure compliance and performance.

  • We use non-combustible sheathing materials that are compatible with cold-formed steel. These alternatives meet the structural and fire-resistance needs of modern building codes.

  • That depends on the outcome of a structural review by a licensed engineer. Fire can compromise the integrity of concrete and embedded steel, even if the foundation looks intact. If the existing foundation is determined to be structurally sound, we can coordinate with your design team to integrate it into the new build. If not, a new foundation will be required before framing can begin.

  • No. Cold-formed steel is a high-strength structural material designed to meet building code requirements for load, wind, and seismic performance. While individual members are lightweight, they are engineered for structural use and cannot be bent by hand under normal conditions. Once installed, the system forms a rigid, braced assembly that performs comparably to, or better than, traditional wood framing.

“Builders have an obligation to make homes more than shelters — they should improve the way people live.”

— Joseph Eichler