In a city where the value of a home often represents the lion’s share of a homeowner’s savings and retirement nest egg, it’s not surprising that homeowners are concerned about their homes falling or sliding off their foundation–especially in a moderate earthquake. Luckily, retrofitting an older house can significantly reduce the chances of this happening–and even help your family survive in the event of a major earthquake.

The Los Angeles Department of Building Safety estimates that 13,500 soft-story multifamily buildings built before 1980 aren’t in compliance with current seismic codes and will need to undergo retrofitting. This includes many apartment buildings in West Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, as well as any apartment building located over fault lines identified by the California Geological survey.

Those owners who have received notices from the City of Los Angeles that their building is not in compliance with modern seismic codes need to act quickly. Property owners can apply for a retrofit grant to help cover the cost of the work.

A good way to determine whether your building needs retrofitting retrofitterslosangeles.net is to ask a structural engineer for an inspection and estimate. These engineers are familiar with the latest code standards and can identify potential problems that may need to be addressed.

If the structural engineer finds that your building is not in compliance with the current code, he will recommend that you consider retrofitting your building. He will also explain how he can save you money and help protect your home in the future by reducing the risk of earthquake damage.

Earthquake retrofitting costs vary depending on the type of home you own and the level of complexity. For example, a small home with a raised foundation that is bolted to its foundation will typically cost between $3,000 and $7,000. On the other hand, a larger home, with a foundation that is not bolted to the ground or an apartment building that has several floors with no crawl spaces, may be more costly to retrofit.

In addition, there are several factors that impact how long a project will take to complete. For instance, a large house with finished walls that will need to be opened and reclosed for access will usually take longer than a smaller home.

Fortunately, there are numerous top-notch organizations that offer seismic retrofit construction services in the city of Los Angeles. These include Lux Construction Group.

If you are interested in a seismic retrofit of your building, you should hire a local structural engineer from Lux Construction Group to help you with the process. Getting an expert is the best way to avoid expensive damages and keep your family safe.

The City of Los Angeles has passed a number of ordinances to improve the resilience of buildings in the city, including mandatory seismic retrofits for wood framed soft-story buildings and non-ductile concrete buildings constructed before 1980. These ordinances are based on recommendations from a Mayor’s Seismic Task Force and are intended to reduce the risk of injury or death from structural deficiencies in existing buildings.