Lutron in a rebuild
Prewiring Lutron in a Palisades or Altadena fire rebuild.
A rebuild opens every wall once. Plan the Lutron wiring with the new service, the panels and the backup power.
CA Lic. #949580 Office in Newbury Park Mon to Fri, 9 to 5
A house rebuilt after the Palisades or Eaton fire starts from bare studs, which is the one moment when a full Lutron system costs the least to wire. County Line Electric wires rebuilds as a licensed electrical contractor and installs Lutron as a Lutron dealer, so the lighting control is planned with the new service, the panels and the backup power.
Why the rebuild is the moment
Every wall is open once. Use it.
On an existing house, Lutron control is usually wireless because the walls stay closed. On a rebuild there are no walls yet. Every circuit can be home-run to a panel location, every keypad can be wired, every window head can get shade power, and every Ketra downlight can be set to the frame during rough-in, which is how Lutron says its D2 new construction downlight installs.
The trap is timing. Rebuilding families are deciding hundreds of things at once, and lighting control is easy to leave for later. Later means after drywall, when the same system costs more and does less. County Line's advice is to settle the system and the keypad and shade locations at plan review, even if fixtures and finishes are chosen months afterward.
Decide before framing
The Lutron decisions a rebuild needs at plan review.
- The system: HomeWorks for a full rebuild in most cases, and whether the house will carry Ketra or Palladiom and Alisse keypads, which are HomeWorks products
- The location of the processor and any dimming panels, with power, ventilation and a network connection
- Keypad locations at each door people use, and narrow formats where trim is tight
- Shade power and blocking at every window that might get a shade, wired now even if the shade comes later
- Exterior and landscape lighting circuits, coordinated with the site plan
- Which lighting circuits, and which processor and network gear, go on the backed-up panel
Wired or wireless in a rebuild
Why a rebuild usually gets a wired Lutron system.
Lutron HomeWorks can run wired QS devices, Clear Connect wireless devices, or both. In a finished house the wireless option avoids opening walls. In a rebuild there are no walls to open, so the main argument for wireless disappears, and Lutron positions its wired QS links for the most challenging architectural conditions. County Line generally plans a rebuild with wired keypads and wired shade power at the windows, and keeps wireless for places added after the walls close.
A rebuild also changes the electrical service, the panels and often the size of the house. Lighting control is planned against that new design: the panel locations, the circuits that will be backed up, and the network the processor connects to. Doing that once, on the drawings, is what keeps the lighting system from becoming a change order after framing.
Two fire areas, two permit paths
Where County Line wires rebuilds.
Pacific Palisades
City of Los Angeles permits through LADBS and the City's rebuilding program, with LADWP for the new service. Lighting control goes on the same electrical permit as the house.
Palisades rebuild electrical
Altadena
Los Angeles County permits for the unincorporated area through the County's recovery program, with Southern California Edison for the new service.
Altadena rebuild electricalThe full rebuild scope is on the fire rebuild electrical page. Image courtesy of Lutron. County Line Electric is a Lutron dealer.
The sequence
Lutron inside the rebuild schedule.
- 01
Plan review
System choice, processor location, keypad and shade locations, Ketra rooms, and the backed-up circuit list on the electrical drawings.
- 02
Temporary power and service
The electrical work that comes first on any rebuild, handled by County Line with the utility.
- 03
Framing
Shade pockets and blocking confirmed, Ketra new construction housings set to the frame where specified.
- 04
Rough-in
Home runs to the panel location, keypad and shade wiring, network drops, inspected with the house.
- 05
Finish and program
Panels, keypads, fixtures and shades installed as finishes complete, then scenes and schedules set with the family.
Backup power in the same plan
Rebuild the lighting and the backup power together.
Rebuilt homes in fire country face the same wind shutoffs as before. A rebuild is the time to design a residential microgrid, with the generator or battery, the panel and the Lutron system planned as one, so that the processor, the network and the main lighting circuits stay on when Edison or LADWP turns the power off. The Lutron during a power outage page covers what to back up.
County Line wires ground-up custom homes as its core work, described on the new construction electrical page. A rebuild is that same job with a fire behind it.
What drives the cost
What the Lutron part of a rebuild depends on.
The Lutron part of a fire rebuild depends on the size of the house, how much is wired now, and the rooms that get Ketra and shades.
- The size of the house and the number of lighting zones and keypads
- Wired panels or wireless devices, and the processor count
- Shade windows wired now, and shades installed now or later
- Ketra rooms and keypad finishes
- Backup power design for the lighting system and the rest of the house
County Line Electric at a glance
- 20+ yrsIn businessJeff Tucker has run County Line Electric in the Conejo Valley for over 20 years.
- #949580California contractor licenseLicensed, bonded and insured. Check it on the CSLB site any time.
- Site reviewSystem planningWiring, rooms and compatible controls reviewed for the project.
- A+BBB Accredited since 2017Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. See the profile.
- 5.0HomeAdvisor ratingFive stars from every reviewed job. Read the reviews.
Rebuild questions
When should Lutron be planned in a fire rebuild?
At plan review, before framing. The system, processor location, keypad and shade locations and Ketra rooms belong on the electrical drawings, even if fixtures and finishes are chosen later.
Is HomeWorks the right Lutron system for a rebuild?
Usually, because the walls are open and wired panels and keypads become practical. HomeWorks is also the Lutron residential system that lists Ketra and the Palladiom and Alisse keypads. A smaller rebuild may suit RadioRA 3; County Line recommends one in writing.
Should shade power be wired even if shades come later?
Yes. Power and blocking at each window head cost little at framing and a great deal after drywall. Battery shades remain an option for any window that was not wired.
Does County Line work in Pacific Palisades and Altadena?
Yes. County Line Electric wires fire rebuilds in Pacific Palisades, under City of Los Angeles permits with LADWP service, and in Altadena, under Los Angeles County permits with Southern California Edison service.
Can the rebuild include backup power for the lighting?
Yes. County Line installs Generac standby generators and designs residential microgrids, and plans the Lutron processor, network gear and main lighting circuits onto the backed-up panel.
The Lutron library
Every Lutron system page.
Official references
Where the facts on this page come from.
County Line links to the authorities rather than restating them. Rules change; these pages are current.
- City of Los Angeles rebuilding: the Palisades permit path
- LADWP restoration and rebuilding: Palisades service
- Los Angeles County recovery: Altadena rebuilds
- Lutron HomeWorks: wired and wireless control
- Ketra by Lutron: new construction downlights
- CSLB license check: license #949580
Next step
Tell us where the rebuild stands.
Palisades or Altadena, where the drawings are, and who the builder is. The office sets up a plan review conversation.
Or call (805) 499-0823. Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.