Mandatory Earthquake Retrofits: Secure Your Building Today
If you own a residential building in San Francisco, time is running short to meet the city’s safety laws regarding earthquake retrofits.
What’s at stake? More than just the safety of your tenants. Owners who don’t complete their earthquake retrofits on so-called “soft-story” buildings could be slapped with “Earthquake Warning” signs on their structures, fines, liens on their properties, and potential legal action.
As of August 2018, more than 1,700 properties faced a Sept. 15, 2019, deadline to complete work and achieve final certification from the city Building Department. It’s a tight timeline that requires qualified engineers and contractors—professionals who are currently in high demand and short supply. As one San Francisco Chronicle reader pointed out, “There are only so many structural engineers to go around. That’s where the first logjam is. The second jam is the shortage of contractors. No use in getting permits issued if there’s nobody to do the work.”
If you own a building subject to the city’s mandatory program and don’t know where to start with your earthquake retrofit, start with us. We identify qualified architects, structural engineers, and general contractors capable of performing high-quality earthquake retrofits.
We provide comprehensive project management, coordinating the specific needs of the architect, structural engineer, and general contractor. Because unexpected circumstances often arise, an experienced project manager is essential to identify additional specialists for issues such as asbestos abatement, dry-rot removal, and the relocation of electrical or plumbing equipment.
To ensure the best value for your investment, our management of earthquake retrofits includes:
- Preparation of a written scope of work and bid documents.
- Management of change orders and budget preparation.
- Oversight of contractor payments.
- Procurement of all necessary building permits.
Our expert approach reduces the likelihood of conflicts among structural engineers, architects, and contractors, thereby minimizing your total costs. In certain situations, San Francisco’s program even allows owners to improve their return on investment by constructing additional units while performing their earthquake retrofit. The John Benjamin Company can facilitate the selection of an architect for these additional units and assist in securing Planning Department approval.
Let us manage your retrofit project while you focus on what you do best. Learn more: Email Robert Caruso at rcaruso@johnbenco.com or call 925-719-1651.