Home ReadySonoma

Fire and storm readiness, simplified.

Find out what insurers and fire inspectors will flag on your property, and get a clear plan to fix it.

Check my address, freeGet my readiness plan
Free tools
Am I in a fire zone?Your fire hazard zone and Zone 0, on a map. Defensible space calculatorWhat to clear at 5, 30 and 100 feet. Insurance checklistWhat insurers give discounts for, and what to ask. Winter storm checklistGutters, drains, trees and power, before the rain. Zone 0 guideThe new rules for the first 5 feet.
What's changing

Insurers and the state are raising the bar.

InsuranceInsurers are dropping homes in fire zones and checking yards from the air. Some now require the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home designation for new policies in high-risk areas. It starts with a clear 5-foot zone.What insurers look for Zone 0The state approved new rules for the first 5 feet around your home. Once final, existing homes get 3 to 5 years to comply.Read the Zone 0 guide New hazard mapsUnincorporated Sonoma County's "very high" zone grew from 11 acres to 7,555.Check your address

Fire season, then storm season. Find out where your home stands.

Sources: CAL FIRE fire hazard severity maps (2025); California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (August 2026); California Department of Insurance, Safer from Wildfires regulation and Wildfire Safety and Insurability briefing (March 2026); NBC News on State Farm non-renewals (April 2024); Digital Insurance on insurers' use of aerial images (January 2026); Insurance for Good analysis of insurer rate filings (January 2026).

Is this at your home?

Brick ranch house with ivy climbing the porch wall and a dry lawn
Ivy on the walls
Dry oak leaves piled beside a skylight and along the roof edge
Leaves on the roof
Black mulch and young agave plants along a wood fence
Mulch along a wood fence
Stacked firewood and dry leaves beside the side wall of a house
Firewood near the house
Foundation vent with dry leaves inside and bark mulch below it
Leaves inside the vents
Dry leaves and bark mulch under a raised deck beneath oak trees
Debris under the deck
That's just a few. We check everything.Get my plan

Does this sound like you?

Your home is in a high or very high fire hazard zoneDefensible space rules apply out to 100 feet, and the Zone 0 rules are coming.
Water pools or runs toward your house in winter stormsWe check where water goes around your home and what to fix.
✓Your insurer sent a notice, or a renewal is comingInsurers are dropping and refusing to renew homes in fire zones. Dated proof of your work can help. What to do
✓You're planning to sellSellers in high fire hazard zones need defensible space documentation to close.

Not sure of your fire zone? Check your address.

Check my address

Free. Shows your fire hazard zone and Zone 0 on a map.

Better odds of keeping your insurance

A Home Ready Plan shows what insurers and fire inspectors look for at your home, and the order to fix it.

Home Ready PlanExample property · Forestville
Sample

Covers fire safety, defensible space, storm drainage, insurance items

100 ft30 ft5 ft
Example zone diagram. Not a survey.
3Fix now
5This season
4Plan ahead
1 · Vents and walls
Sample finding photo: foundation vent with dry leaves inside
Fix nowDry leaves inside a foundation ventPhoto 1 · dated · south wall
Why it matters
Embers ignite dry debris, and an unscreened vent lets them in under your home.
The rule
California Safer from Wildfires (insurer discount standard)
Your options
A. Clear the vent and add fine metal mesh. Example $60 to $150
B. Replace with ember-resistant vents. Example $250 to $500
This seasonBark mulch within 5 feet of the wallPhoto 2 · dated · north wall

Yours to use, with or without us

✓You know what's wrong, and whyIncluding places you can't easily see, with the rule behind each fix.
✓You know what to do firstIssues ranked and priced, so your money goes where it counts.
✓Any contractor can use itClear scope and dated photos, so every bid covers the same work.
✓It lasts for yearsYour checklist for each season, and for the rules still changing.

We go where you'd rather not: up the ladder, under the deck, inside the vents.

Extension ladder set against the eave of a house

What we check

Fire safety of the houseVents, gutters, decks
Defensible spacePlants, mulch, firewood
Storm drainageDownspouts, drains, water flow
Insurance itemsWhat insurers commonly ask about

Pick your plan

Fire, storms, or both. Both together costs less than two plans.

Best value: fire and storm

Home Ready Plan

From $399

Everything in both plans below, in one visit.

Get my Home Ready Plan What's in it

Fire Ready Plan

From $299

For wildfire, insurance and the fire rules. Built on the published IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home standard.

  • Fire hazard zone, confirmed
  • Vents, roof, gutters, decks
  • Defensible space, 5 to 100 feet
  • Items insurers ask about
Choose Fire Ready Details

Storm Ready Plan

From $299

For winter storms and water around your home.

  • Roof, flashing and gutters
  • Downspouts and drainage
  • Trees over the house
  • Power outage readiness
Choose Storm Ready Details
In every plan
  • On-site walkthrough, with dated photos of each issue
  • Issues ranked, with the rule or reason behind each fix
  • Each fix priced from local rates, basic to complete
  • Order of work: what first, what next, who to hire
  • Call to walk you through your plan

Half of the plan fee can be credited toward our brush clearing or project management packages.

Your price depends on your property and town. It shows at the end of the quiz.

The plan is yours to keep whether or not you hire us. Our brush and debris clearing is priced fairly and quoted in your plan.

We are independent and not affiliated with IBHS. IBHS grants its Wildfire Prepared Home designation after its own review.

How it works

  1. Book

    Call, text, or take the 2-minute quiz. We check your address against the state fire hazard maps first.

  2. Walkthrough

    We walk your property and talk through how you want it to look.

  3. Plan

    You get your ranked plan with priced options, and we walk you through it on a call.

  4. Fixed and documented

    We do a final check and photograph the finished work. You get dated proof for your insurer or a sale.

Clear first, then build

Brush and debris clearing is the fastest step toward fire and storm safety. It also clears the way for the bigger work.

1Brush and debris clearing, done by usBrush, weeds, dead plants, leaves, gutters, mowing, and hauling it all away. One time or every season, at a fair rate. More about clearing
2Design and installation, managed by usLike fire-safe landscaping and drainage. We help you find licensed pros, negotiate their bids, and check the work against your plan, so you don't have to know what to look for. You hire and pay them directly. More about project management

Safe doesn't have to look bare

Your plan has options from basic to complete. Two fire-safe looks:

Gravel garden with boulders, pebbles, succulents and grasses beside a driveway
Gravel gardenStone, gravel and low plantings near the house.
Flagstone patio with low creeping groundcover between the stones
Stone and low groundcoverHardscape with small, spaced plantings.
Not ready? Try the free 1-minute self-check
Free self-check

How ready is your home?

Tick everything that applies. It takes a minute.

Your result
0

Nothing checked yet. Tick what applies to your home to see where you stand.

Get my plan A quick self-check, not an inspection. Rules differ by location, and the fire agency makes the final call.

What customers say about working with Devan

From customers of Devan Does It, the home repair business Devan has run in Forestville.

Devan did a great job on my fireplace and retaining wall. He was professional, easy to work with, and paid attention to every detail. Both turned out better than I expected. I'd definitely hire him again!
KaliaHomeowner, Sebastopol · Fireplace and retaining wall
He was professional, efficient, and handled everything seamlessly.
ErinBusiness owner, St. Helena · Loft construction
We encountered several unanticipated complications installing ceiling fixtures in our old house. Devan resolved them all with grace and good humor.
JamesHomeowner, Sebastopol · Lighting fixtures
Devan Hemmings
About Devan

Meet Devan

Devan Hemmings has worked on Sonoma County properties for years: first mapping them for designers and architects, then repairing them through Devan Does It in Forestville. He knows what the rules ask for and what the fixes cost.

More about Devan. See what his customers say on Google and Facebook.

What people ask first

How much is the plan?

Fire Ready or Storm Ready from $299. The Home Ready Plan, for both, from $399. Your price shows at the end of the quiz, and nothing is charged until you approve it.

How much does the work cost?

It depends on the size of your property and how much needs clearing. We price brush and debris clearing fairly and quote it in your plan, so you know before you decide. Licensed work is bid by licensed contractors. We gather and negotiate the bids for you, so you compare real numbers before you choose.

Will this lower my insurance?

We can't promise that. California requires insurers to offer discounts for documented safety work. The Department of Insurance says they range from 4% to 40%, and amounts vary by insurer. Some insurers now also require or reward the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home designation. We help you do the work and document it, with dated photos and a one-page summary. What each insurer looks for.

Do you do the construction?

We do the brush and debris clearing and upkeep ourselves. Design, installs and repairs are done by licensed contractors, and you contract with and pay them directly. If you want, we help you find the pros, negotiate the bids, and check their work against your plan.

Can I do this myself?

Yes, many people do. The hard parts are knowing what applies to your property, what order to do it in, and who to hire. That's what the plan is for. Or start with the free self-check.

Do you check for storms too?

Yes. The Storm Ready Plan checks your roof, gutters, downspouts, drainage and trees. The Home Ready Plan covers fire and storms in one visit, for less than two plans. It is not an engineering or flood-risk study. Free winter storm checklist.

What if my insurer sends an inspector or drops me?

Inspectors mostly look outside: the roof, brush, branches and what is against the house. A non-renewal notice must come at least 75 days ahead and give the specific reasons. Fixable issues are worth fixing fast, with proof. What to expect, and what to do.

Are you an official inspector?

No. Official defensible space inspections come from CAL FIRE or your local fire agency. We help you get ready for them.

What areas do you serve?

Sonoma County. Not sure yours is covered? We'll check your address when you book.

Get your readiness plan

Your walkthrough and plan, from $299. Nothing is charged until you approve your price.

Get my plan

Or call or text

707-394-5094
Get my plan