Seismic Retrofit Blog

Mar
05
Soft Story Retrofit: 3 Retrofit Construction Methods and How it Affects Costs

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The top 3 methods used to retrofit "soft story" buildings.



Three Retrofit Construction Methods & How it Affects Costs



If you own a rental property in Los Angeles it’s likely a soft-story. They are hard to avoid in Southern California, it’s the typical apartment building that has parking directly underneath the apartments. You may have received an Order to Comply (or “OTC”) letter from the City of Los Angeles, Santa Monica, or West Hollywood notifying your building requires a Soft-Story retrofit. Knowing that your property does not comply with the latest retrofit ordinances can give you some anxiety, but not knowing how much a retrofit can cost will give you insomnia. Y...


Mar
04
How Much Does a Small Soft-Story Retrofit Cost Using Only Shear Walls?


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Shear Panels are the most affordable solution. But are they right for you?




How Much Does a Small Soft-Story Retrofit Cost Using Only Shear Walls?



The soft-story retrofit programs of Los Angeles and Santa Monica are well underway, and by now several property owners have already finished their retrofit projects. Luckily for those that own smaller buildings, a small soft-story retrofit repair can cost as little as $18,000 to $25,000.


Small apartment buildings with small openings will only require the installation of plywood shear walls or steel shear panels. In this small article, we will cover the cost of a soft-story retrofit repair that only utilizes shear walls as the solution. We will brie...


Aug
21
How Much Does a Soft-Story Retrofit Cost in Los Angeles? | Retrofit Pros


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Property owners don't know what a retrofit will cost - our article helps explain what you can expect to pay for retrofitting your soft-story property in Los Angeles, CA.






As soon as I meet an apartment building owner I get asked: “How much will a soft-story retrofit cost?”. It is the most common question I get asked during a site inspection. The prices can range drastically from building to building, no two buildings are alike. Each building is unique and can have its own construction challenges. As a retrofit contractor in Los Angeles, we've seen all types of soft-story buildings across the city. We've written this article to help you understand how much you can expect to pay ...


Dec
18
Soft-Story Retrofit | The More You Wait, The More You'll Pay


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All the good retrofit companies are booked up with work, leaving some owners with no choice but to hire inexperienced firms.



As apartment owners prepare to deal with the Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and West Hollywood seismic retrofit program, you need to consider the current market conditions of general contractors and structural engineering. Today’s demand for engineers and contractors is much higher than it was in 2015-2016, when the soft story retrofit ordinances were passed. If these trends continue, you will have a very hard time finding a contractor or structural engineer that is available to work on your seismic retrofit program. The longer you wait to retrofit your soft-story bu...