Seismic Retrofit

What This Service Involves

Seismic retrofitting strengthens an older home's connection to its foundation so it can ride out the ground movement expected in our earthquake-prone region. We add foundation anchor bolts, plywood shear panels on cripple walls, and hold-down hardware that keep the house from sliding or toppling off its foundation. Many Puget Sound homes built before modern codes lack these connections and are vulnerable in a major quake. We follow proven retrofit standards and prepare the work for jurisdictional inspection. The result is a home far better prepared to protect what matters most when the ground shakes.

Benefits

A home bolted securely to its foundation; Cripple walls braced with plywood shear panels; Hold-downs that resist sliding and overturning; Retrofit built to proven, inspectable standards; Far better protection in a major regional earthquake

Our Process

1) Inspect the foundation and cripple walls for weak links; 2) Install anchor bolts to tie the home to the foundation; 3) Add shear panels and hold-down hardware where needed; 4) Prepare the work for and pass jurisdictional inspection

What Affects the Cost

Size and construction era of the home; Foundation and cripple wall conditions found; Number of anchor bolts and hold-downs required; Crawlspace access for the retrofit work; Permitting and inspection the jurisdiction requires

Best Time of Year

Seismic retrofits install year-round from inside the crawlspace, so wet Northwest weather rarely affects the schedule.