COMMERCIAL EARTHQUAKE RETROFITTING IN MARIN COUNTY, CA:
Earthquakes occur unexpectedly in San Francisco and often cause serious damage. That’s why it is absolutely critical for public safety to ensure your commercial property is properly retrofitted for seismic activity. At VCE, our skilled Marin County retrofitting experts will ensure your building is fortified with comprehensive retrofitting services and ready for an earthquake of any magnitude.
WHY RETROFIT YOUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY?
Earthquake retrofitting is an essential part of ensuring public safety. An earthquake can occur at virtually any time, and it is impossible to predict the level of damage it might cause. Working with a San Francisco earthquake retrofitting team is necessary in order to increase the resiliency of your commercial building and decrease the chances of major liability for your business.
Across Marin County, seismic retrofitting is required by law. Buildings with two or more stories and those with wooden frames, in addition to soft-story buildings, must be fortified for an earthquake via retrofitting. Any property constructed prior to 1945 is especially likely to have improper foundation bolting that does not comply with modern retrofitting codes. This legislation is intended to protect businesses and the general public in the likely event of an earthquake. Learn more about California earthquake retrofitting requirements here.
THE BENEFITS OF EARTHQUAKE RETROFITTING YOUR MARIN COUNTY, CA PROPERTY:
- Reduced risk of injury and associated litigation
- Increased resale value
- Lower insurance rates for earthquake coverage
- Improved protection and security for staff, customers, and the community
- Reduced risk of property damage liability
WE PROVIDE EARTHQUAKE RETROFITTING FOR THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS:
- Unreinforced masonry structures
- Parking garages
- Concrete tilt-ups
- Soft story buildings
- Multi-family apartments
- Non-ductile concrete buildings
- Historical buildings
In Marin County and the rest of Southern California, commercial property owners are constantly at risk of their buildings becoming damaged during an earthquake. Beyond this, earthquake destruction can cause severe injury to staff and/or customers and can even cause damage to surrounding structures. All of this can ultimately result in potential thousands of dollars in legal fees, fines, and other costs. San Francisco and Marin County business and commercial property owners need to have their buildings assessed to determine their specific retrofitting needs.
OUR EARTHQUAKE RETROFITTING PROCESS
At VCE, our retrofitting process is intended to improve earthquake security in San Francisco and Marin County commercial properties of all sizes. While retrofitting projects vary based on the building, our method may consist of the following:
Seismic/Earthquake Evaluation – Buildings of all shapes and sizes have very different retrofitting needs. We conduct an on-site assessment in order to plan for your project and provide optimal earthquake engineering and structural reinforcement.
Roof and/or Floor to Wall Anchoring – Buildings made of concrete, brick, hollow clay tiles, stone, or adobe are highly likely to sustain damage during an earthquake. The mortar holding unreinforced masonry together might not be able to resist seismic force. During the retrofitting process, we anchor the walls to the floors and roof and add interior walls and additional braces.
Foundation Bolting – Commercial properties that are not bolted to their foundations securely can move during an earthquake. This can have catastrophic results and be extremely costly to repair. The bolting process consists of drilling holes through the foundation’s sill plate and installing anchor bolts. If there is not enough space to drill, steel plates are attached. It is critical that the bolts are professionally installed, so an earthquake retrofitting service should perform commercial foundation bolting.
Shear Wall Bracing – Especially important in top-heavy structures, shear wall reinforcement is critical in mitigating the risk of collapse during an earthquake. This can be performed on the vertical and horizontal surfaces, usually by installing steel grates. Our Marin County earthquake retrofitting contractors will assess your commercial property and determine whether additional stud reinforcement on interior walls will be necessary.
Click here for answers to frequently asked questions about earthquake retrofitting.
CONTACT US
Contact Us
Call us today for immediate service: (415) 472-9144