Soft Story Retrofit

A Soft Story Retrofit is the process of reinforcing buildings which have a ground floor or lower level floor vulnerable to earthquake damage.

In most soft-story buildings, the area of the tucked under parking spaces don’t have the necessary supporting structure (steel frames, load-bearing walls) to keep them from swaying during a quake. However, once reinforced, the building structure becomes more resistant to the lateral movement caused by an earthquake. At LA Structural we strive to deliver the best soft story retrofits Los Angeles has to offer.

Benefits of Soft Story Retrofit

The best way to secure your building, and the lives of the people residing in it, against the dangers an earthquake can present, is to begin a soft story retrofit as soon as possible.

Lower Your Liabilities

As mentioned above, if your building suffers damages or collapses during an earthquake or if people’s lives are endangered, then you could face liability running into millions of dollars. Going in for a Los Angeles soft story retrofit, however, can save you from significant legal implications.

Minimize your Repair Costs

The cost of a soft story retrofit is much lower compared to repair costs you will have to shell out if your building suffers damage during an earthquake. This is because soft story retrofitting in Los Angeles can help prevent extensive quake damage.

Reduce Earthquake Insurance Premiums

By retrofitting your soft-story building in LA, you can benefit from much lower earthquake insurance premiums. Chances are, your earthquake insurance underwriter will categorize you as a low-risk client since your retrofitted building presents a much lower risk of damage from a quake.

Lower Loan Interest Rates

Did you know that you can invite higher interest rates on your loan if your building is a soft-story? However, retrofitting your building will ensure that the bank considers it as good collateral as it presents a much lower risk of damage during a quake.

Higher Rental Rates

If tenants know your building is retrofitted and less vulnerable to damage during an earthquake, not only will you be able to attract good tenants, but you can set higher rental rates.

Soft Story Retrofitting is Mandated by Law in Several Areas

In Los Angeles Soft Story Retrofitting was mandated by law with the signing of the Retrofit Program in November of 2015 under Ordinance 183893, and Santa Monica, Pasadena, West Hollywood, and Beverly Hills have followed their lead and adopted similar ordinances.

As per the law, retrofitting of apartment buildings with wood-frames is mandatory – this is to ensure that the building structure is reinforced and is able to better withstand the impact and shock of an earthquake. Buildings that are considered particularly vulnerable, should be retrofitted and upgraded with high priority. You can schedule a soft-story inspection for your building with L.A Structural by calling our office or book conveniently online. We have also done work in several unincorporated voluntary areas to help clients who are proactive and want to make their building more secure.

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Compliance with the Mandatory Retrofit Program is time-sensitive. Based on the date a building’s owner receives notice, soft-story retrofitting progress must occur within specified periods of time. The owner must submit proof of previous soft story retrofitting or plans to resolve a soft story within two years of an Order to Comply receipt. A construction or demolition permit must be obtained within three and a half years.

Within seven years, soft story retrofitting should be complete. However, earthquakes in southern California are not merely possible; they’re inevitable. The timely remediation of soft stories decreases the risk of earthquake occurrence prior to soft story resolution.

Soft-Story Remediation Strategies

As each building presents unique combinations of structural strengths and weaknesses, there is no one-size-fits-all solution to soft stories. LA Structural ensures that your building’s soft story will be inspected by experts and remedied using the most appropriate reinforcement strategies.

Some of the most commonly utilized soft-story solutions include special moment frames, steel cantilever column systems, and shear walls. LA Structural will consider all aspects of your soft-story retrofit project to determine which of these strategies can most effectively and efficiently reinforce your structure.

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Why LA Structural For Soft Story Retrofitting?

Safety of both life and property is of paramount importance – and we at LA Structural have been strictly abiding by the principal since 1987. As a premier licensed California General Contractor specializing in earthquake retrofit and foundation restoration, we can help upgrade and reinforce your building in line with the mandated building codes in the county of LA and surrounding areas.

When you book a soft story inspection, our Los Angeles Soft Story Retrofit experts will visit your building site and carry out a complete inspection to quickly identify the best and most cost-effective solution for retrofitting. Having spent many years in the business, we have established our own effective and safe soft story retrofitting methods with over 70 buildings completed successfully to date. You are in experienced hands when you come to us for your retrofitting requirements.

Here’s what one of our clients had to say about their experience with LA Structural:

“We were so pleased with LA Structural, they were timely - they even arrived early, efficient, affordable, and extremely communicative. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a quality foundation or structural work.”

Everyone has a right to live in multi-family residential spaces that are built to withstand the forces of nature, including an earthquake. If you live in a soft-story building, it is highly recommended that you take the necessary steps to reinforce your building structure.

Not only can this prove to be detrimental to your life and property, but it is also mandated by law in several cities in the greater Los Angeles area.

If you are looking for a dependable & expert soft story retrofit, LA-Structural can be reached at 323.422.5807 or you can book a soft-story inspection online today!

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Schedule an Inspection & Estimate with LA Structural

An earthquake is no longer a matter of chance, but a matter of time. The only thing that matters here is whether or not your building will be able to withstand the effects of an earthquake. A soft-story retrofit, however, can effectively secure your life and property against damage in an earthquake.

You can trust LA-Structural for timely, cost-effective, and expert soft-story retrofit construction.

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