If you’ve been looking to strengthen your home and make it more resistant to earthquakes, you can now sign up for the Earthquake Brace and Bolt Program (EBB). Registration for the EBB program will run from 19 February 2020 to 19 March 2020.

The EBB program provides homeowners up to $3,000 in retrofitting their homes to protect the property in the event of a major quake.

In order to qualify, you should hire a type A or B license contractor. This program is in compliance with the California Building Code, Chapter A3.

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A typical retrofit will cost between $3,000 to $7,000. Many homes that are in need of earthquake retrofitting have a crawl space located below the first floor. These cripple walls – which are short framed walls made of wood – typically need to be strengthened in order to prevent the property from sliding off or falling off its foundation during an earthquake.

When an earthquake retrofit is done, a foundation professional will strengthen the existing foundation and the existing cripple walls by adding anchor bolts and plywood bracing throughout the crawl space.

Homes that meet California’s building code chapter A3 and that qualify for the EBB program are typically wood-framed constructions built before 1980, homes that were built on a level or low slope, homes that were constructed with a 4-foot or less cripple wall under the first floor or homes that were constructed with a cripple wall that ranged in 4-7 feet with an engineer solution for repair, and homes that have a raised foundation.

In order for homeowners to be eligible for the EBB program, they must be able to provide the following information:

  • be the owner of a house in one of the eligible zip codes.
  • Use the house as their primary place of residence.
  • Create an account with EBB and fill in the registration form.
  • Provide a completed and signedW-9 form, if requested by EBB.
  • Make sure your house is qualified for the EBB program by answering all the qualification questions.
  • No payment or incentive has been received from the EBB, the California Authority Brace and Bolt, or any other earthquake retrofit grants.

It is important to register your home before the registration process closes. Once the registration process is completed, the electronic system will randomly select homeowners for the earthquake retrofit grant. Each application will be reviewed and approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) before being selected. All applicants will be notified by e-mail if they have been accepted or are waiting.

Once selected for the grant, homeowners will have six months to complete their home upgrades.

If you live in California and own an older property, the renovation of the earthquake is a necessary safeguard to protect those who reside there and to maintain the value of your property.

We’ll help you find the best solution for your seismic repairs at Weinstein Construction. No matter what your foundation situation is, we will conduct a (free) comprehensive home inspection, followed by a thorough consultation, and at the conclusion of our chat, we will provide you with a quote for repairs.