Because Seattle has a large number of older homes and the possibility of future seismic activity, earthquake retrofits are a relatively common project for area homeowners. When possible, Rhodes Creations offers earthquake retrofits in accordance with Project Impact, a program created by the city of Seattle to facilitate and expedite retrofits on existing homes.
To streamline permitting, the City of Seattle offers prescriptive plan sets that address the ABCs of earthquake retrofits:
- Anchor the home to the foundation.
- Brace the wall between the foundation and the first floor.
- Connect the anchored wall to the first-floor framing.
While Project Impact’s prescriptive plans are suitable for many retrofits, they are not universal. For example, site-specific engineering is required on homes with foundations constructed from cinder blocks or other CMU bricks (concrete masonry units). We work with licensed engineers when needed to take on even these challenging projects.
When contracting with Rhodes Creations on a Project Impact retrofit, you can expect the project to begin with a site visit, an estimate, and an accelerated permitting process. And you can expect the project to conclude with the clean and successful installation of city-approve retrofits.
