Earthquake Retrofitting in Beverly Hills
Secure your asset, eliminate your risk.
Living in Southern California means accepting the reality of seismic activity. For property owners looking for earthquake retrofitting in Beverly Hills, Bel Air, and Westwood, ensuring your building is structurally sound isn’t just a good idea; it’s a critical investment in safety and security.
Retrofit1 brings over 20 years of specialized experience and more than 700 completed projects to your doorstep. We provide the expert guidance and professional construction needed to reinforce your property, protecting your investment and the people within it. Begin by contacting us today.
The Importance of Earthquake Retrofitting in Beverly Hills, California
Due to significant seismic risks from the nearby Santa Monica Fault, the city of Beverly Hills passed Ordinance 18-O-2767. This mandatory program requires retrofitting for buildings most vulnerable to collapse: wood-frame, multi-family properties built before 1978 with a “soft-story” ground floor.
Property owners will receive a “Notice to Comply” from the city to begin the reinforcement process. By taking action, you:
- Protect your investment from damage
- Ensure compliance, and
- Avoid potencial fines
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Does Your Property Require a Seismic Retrofit? A Quick Checklist
Unsure if the Beverly Hills ordinance applies to you? See if your building has any of these common characteristics:
- It is a wood-frame building with two or more units.
- It was built under building codes enacted before January 1, 1978.
- It features a “soft story” with large openings on the ground floor for things like parking stalls or storefront windows.
- It is a house built on a raised foundation, creating a crawl space underneath the first floor (this area, known as a cripple wall, is prone to collapse).
- You have already received a compliance notice from the city.
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, your property would almost certainly benefit from a professional seismic evaluation.
In addition to Beverly Hills, we also offer soft-story earthquake retrofitting in Los Angeles, Burbank, Long Beach, Pasadena, Orange County, and West Hollywood.
A Full Suite of Seismic Retrofitting Services
We provide a full suite of services to address every structural vulnerability your property may have. Our solutions are engineered to meet local ordinances and provide lasting safety and peace of mind.
Seismic Retrofit Inspections & Assessments
Our experts conduct a detailed inspection of your property’s foundation, framing, and structural connections to identify specific weaknesses. We then provide you with a clear report and a customized action plan.
Soft-Story Retrofitting
Buildings with weak ground floors are dangerously prone to collapse. We specialize in soft-story retrofitting, installing steel moment frames and other critical reinforcements to strengthen these open spaces and prevent catastrophic structural failures
House Bolting & Foundation Anchoring
One of the most common earthquake failures is a house sliding off its foundation. We prevent this by installing heavy-duty anchor bolts and steel plates to securely fasten your home’s wooden frame to its concrete foundation, creating a single, solid unit.
Cripple Wall Bracing
Many older homes have a short, wood-framed wall between the foundation and the first floor, known as a “cripple wall.” These walls can easily buckle during an earthquake. We strengthen them by bracing them with structural-grade plywood, adding immense strength and stability where it’s needed most.
Shear Wall Installation
To help your building resist the violent side-to-side (lateral) forces of an earthquake, we install shear walls. This process involves reinforcing key walls with durable plywood panels, which adds significant rigidity to the entire structure and helps it maintain its shape during intense shaking.
Engineering & Permit Management
A retrofit involves more than just construction. We manage the entire process for you, from start to finish. Our team handles the complex structural engineering, drafts the official plans, and manages the entire permit submission and approval process with the city so you don’t have to.
Areas We Serve Across California
Our Proven Four-Step Retrofitting Process
We have refined our process to be as efficient and transparent as possible, minimizing disruption for you and your tenants.
Initial Assessment & Proposal
We begin with a thorough, no-obligation inspection of your property to identify structural weaknesses. Afterward, we provide a clear, detailed proposal outlining our recommended solutions and a transparent cost estimate.
Engineering & Plan Submission
Once you approve the proposal, our engineers create a custom set of architectural and structural plans. We then submit these plans to the city for review and approval.
Professional Installation
With permits in hand, our licensed and insured contractors begin the retrofitting work. We manage the project diligently, ensuring a clean work site and clear communication. For multi-unit properties, we follow a Tenant Habitability Program (THP) to minimize disruption to residents.
Final Inspection & Sign-Off
Upon completion, we coordinate the final inspection with the city inspector. We walk them through the upgrades to ensure all work is approved and your property is officially compliant.
The Retrofit1 Difference: Expertise You Can Trust in Los Angeles County
Choosing a contractor for a project this important can be daunting. At Retrofit1, we build our reputation on a foundation of trust, expertise, and unparalleled client service.
- 20+ Years of Specialized Experience: We don’t just build; we specialize exclusively in seismic retrofitting.
- Over 700 Successful Projects Completed: Our portfolio spans from single-family homes to large apartment complexes.
- Fully Licensed & Insured Team: We provide complete peace of mind with our professional and accountable crew.
- End-to-End Project Management: We handle everything from the first phone call to the final city approval.
- Deep Knowledge of Local Ordinances: Our expertise isn’t limited to Beverly Hills. We have extensive experience navigating the specific seismic codes in Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and throughout the greater Los Angeles area.
Common Questions
Essential Answers on Seismic Retrofitting
The cost depends entirely on the building's size, condition, and the specific work required. A simple foundation bolting on a small home might cost a few thousand dollars, while a multi-unit soft-story project is a more significant investment. Our free assessment will provide you with a precise, fixed-price quote.
Project timelines vary. A straightforward brace and bolt project can often be completed in a week or less. Larger soft-story retrofits typically take between four to eight weeks, depending on the complexity and scope of the engineering.
Yes. A retrofitted property is a safer, more desirable asset. It can be a major selling point for potential buyers and may also lead to significant discounts on your earthquake insurance premiums through programs offered by the California Earthquake Authority (CEA).
In most cases, yes. The majority of retrofitting work is contained within crawl spaces or ground-floor parking areas. We work hard to schedule our work to minimize noise and disruption, allowing you and your tenants to remain in the building.
Retrofitting creates a "continuous load path." This system connects all parts of your building, from the roof to the foundation, allowing the immense energy from an earthquake to be safely transferred through the frame and into the ground, rather than causing the structure to break apart.
Don't Wait for a Disaster to Expose Your Building's Weakness
An unreinforced building isn’t just a structure; it’s a significant financial and safety liability waiting for the next earthquake. Taking proactive steps today is the single most effective way to protect your property, your tenants, and your peace of mind.
Schedule your free, no-obligation property assessment today. Our experts will help you understand your risks and provide a clear path to compliance and safety.
