As a commercial building owner in California there is a ton at stake, the safety of your business, employees and if it is a complex your residents.

Background of Commercial Buildings

Since the late 1960’s, seismic building codes have been introduced in California and are updated based on construction technology improvements.  Which means that you need to have your building inspected and updated to comply.

Soft Story designed buildings is when the top floor is heavier than the lower floor.  Which means a great deal of pressure is placed on the first floor when the building begins to shake.  The lower floor has less support and will inevitably collapse.  A garage or retail space on the ground floor and a living or office space above are examples of Soft Story buildings.  These buildings need commercial retrofitting to ensure upgraded protection.

Buildings that are built of unreinforced masonry which is brick, stone, concrete blocks or hollow clay tiles may not be strong enough to resist earthquake movement.  Strengthening these types of buildings entails anchoring the walls to the floors and roof, installing braces, possibly adding partitions or walls or another solution.

Industrial Buildings prove to be dangerous as they have large openings for enormous doors and windows which does not provide amble stability for the building to withstand earthquakes.  Tilt-Up buildings tend to move in different directions as a result of the industrial layout.

Improving Safety

The number one reason to move forward with earthquake retrofitting is to protect the occupants of the building and any pedestrians walking by at the time of a quake.

In a rigorous earthquake damage will occur, however, the damage can be greatly lessened, and the building should not completely collapse.

Reduce Insurance Cost

Gaining commercial business insurance comes at a high premium.  A benefit to commercial earthquake retrofitting is that the insurance premiums are greatly reduced.  The reason being you are lowering the probable maximum loss rate.   Which also means that acquiring insurance for your building will be easier in the long run.

More Residents or Clients

If tenants or potential tenants know that the building is earthquake retrofitted, they will be more interested in working with you.  With Los Angeles being susceptible to earthquakes, more and more residents are aware of earthquake safety precautions.  Having the security of being in an earthquake retrofitted building gives assurance.

Reduced Repair and Maintenance

Whether it is a large earthquake or a smaller magnitude, earthquakes cause damage.  Retrofitting can save substantial costs due to business disruption, loss of revenue, and tenant relocations.  Also, you must take into consideration any structural or internal building damage that will occur.  The largest factor is the injuries to the occupants that can be reduced with earthquake retrofitting.

With legal mandated codes to comply with current earthquake codes, prepare for the worst.  The best way is by finding a knowledgeable reputable los angeles foundation repair company, like Weinstein Construction.  They specialize in offering earthquake retrofitting solutions to steady your property, equipment, and light fixtures.