SPOKANE, Wash. — Home builders in the Spokane area say they have the workforce available to help rebuild the more than 700 homes destroyed in the recent fires, but regulatory hurdles and testing requirements will slow the recovery process significantly.
The Spokane Home Builders Association reports that the region’s construction industry is positioned to support rebuilding efforts. The first half of 2026 was slow for many construction companies, meaning fewer builders are currently tied up with ongoing projects and can redirect resources toward fire recovery.
However, the path to rebuilding is far from straightforward. Fire victims and builders will face multiple obstacles before homes can be reconstructed, including permitting delays, asbestos testing requirements, and potential product shortages.
Joel White, executive officer of the Spokane Home Builders Association, said many of the association’s members have experience navigating the complexities of rebuilding after displacement. “Challenges with learning, a lot of our members have experience with building homes for people who have been displaced, especially from the fires two years ago. So they’ve learned the process for insurance issues, different type of construction and just unknowns,” White said.
One of the first hurdles homeowners must clear is an asbestos survey on their property before they can even begin clearing debris. This requirement is creating a significant bottleneck in the recovery process. The Builders Association identified a critical constraint: only one local laboratory currently performs asbestos testing in the area. This limited capacity means fire victims could wait months before their properties can be surveyed and cleared.
The association does not expect the 700-plus destroyed homes to be rebuilt within six months. Several factors will contribute to extended timelines, including permitting requirements and building code compliance, asbestos testing and property clearance, potential product delays and supply chain issues, and building code review processes. The Builders Association is actively pushing to reduce some housing codes to expedite construction once properties are cleared and permits are approved.
The Spokane Home Builders Association remains more optimistic than some observers, expecting that homeowners could begin rebuilding within a year or two, though some residents may face longer waits depending on individual circumstances. “Hopefully not longer than that. But there’s some people who’ll have to wait. And just timing of getting those in. So there’s some builders out of the area coming in,” White said.
The Builders Association urges fire victims to conduct thorough research before signing any contracts with builders or contractors. Homeowners can verify that contractors are legitimate and certified by visiting the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries website, which maintains a list of certified contractors in the region. This verification step is particularly important during recovery periods, when displaced residents may be vulnerable to unscrupulous contractors taking advantage of the crisis.
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