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Earthquake retrofit costs vary based on home size, location, and project scope. Learn what impacts your price and how to budget for a safer, more secure home.
How Long Does Earthquake Retrofitting Take?
Put a stop to earthquake shimmies and shakes with a solid earthquake retrofit
Get quotes from earthquake retrofitting specialists near you
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Get quotes from earthquake retrofitting specialists near you
No obligation · 100% free
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Earthquake retrofitting value for a home depends on your location, building age, and foundation type, as older homes built before 1980 need more strengthening work.
Expect to pay $3,500 to $8,700 for earthquake retrofitting, with costs reaching $12,000 or more for hillside homes or houses with rooms over garages.
Your raised foundation home takes a few days to one week to retrofit, while hillside properties need two to four weeks for engineering and construction.
Hiring a local foundation repair professional provides reliable guidance on bolting, bracing, and reinforcing your home's structure to withstand earthquake forces and protect your family.
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An earthquake-resilient home offers safety and peace of mind in earthquake-prone areas. The size and condition of your home, building techniques, and local building codes all come into play when figuring out how long earthquake retrofitting takes. Simple retrofitting can be done in less than a week, while large homes can take several weeks. Keep reading to see how long it might take to prepare your home against the damaging movements of earthquakes.
What Is Earthquake Retrofitting?
Earthquake retrofitting is a process that strengthens a structure against the forces of an earthquake. The primary goal is to keep the home from sliding off the foundation. Depending on your home's design and structure, an earthquake retrofit may involve securing the foundation with bolts or adding plywood to a crawl space. You may also need to reinforce areas supporting your walls.
Older homes, especially those built before 1980, are susceptible to damage due to outdated building codes, materials, and techniques. Hiring a pro to earthquake retrofit your home is often worth it to protect your family from injury and your home from costly damage.
Earthquake Retrofitting Timelines
While timelines can vary, the construction work for an earthquake retrofit for an average 2,000-square-foot home takes a few days to a week. That timeline applies to various types of raised-foundation homes built before 1980. A home of similar size located on a hillside will take longer because it requires working with a civil or structural engineer.
| Home Type | Size (Square Feet) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Raised foundation (stem wall, crawl space wall, post and pier) | 2,000 | A few days to 1 week |
| Hillside houses | 2,000 | 2 weeks, possibly longer |
| Raised foundation (stem wall, crawl space wall, post and pier) | 4,000 | 1–2 weeks |
| Hillside houses | 4,000 | 2–4 weeks, possibly longer |
Consult with your contractor to get a more accurate timeline for your home. Ask about their schedule to determine how long it may take before they can get started and if they’re working on several projects simultaneously.
Also, keep in mind that the actual construction work might be the fastest part of the process. Hiring a contractor or engineer, getting permits, and securing financing or grants to fund the work can extend the total project time to four to 12 weeks.
What Factors Affect the Earthquake Retrofitting Timeline?
Photo: Douglas Keister / Corbis Documentary / Getty Images
Timelines for earthquake retrofitting can vary from home to home. Not only does the home’s architecture, size, and materials affect how long the process takes, but so does the condition of your home. An older home that isn’t in the best shape will take longer than an updated, new, and well-maintained home.
Building Size
Home size plays a huge part in the retrofit timeline. Reinforcing the anchors between the house and the foundation takes longer because there are more anchor points. A large home that requires
Contact a local foundation repair company to get an idea of the retrofit depth you need based on your home's size and condition. For example, an older home in disrepair may require a more in-depth retrofit that includes opening walls to reinforce the frame and closing the walls. The larger the home and deeper the work, the longer it takes to complete the retrofit.
Type of Home
Some homes are fairly simple to strengthen and secure, and others require consulting an engineer and several retrofitting techniques to withstand the shaking of an earthquake.
Raised-Foundation Homes: The frame of a raised-foundation home can easily slide off of the foundation during an earthquake. These homes, including stem-wall houses, have crawl spaces underneath them. They need a bolt and brace retrofit, which involves bolting the foundation to the frame and bracing the crawl space with plywood.
Post and Pier Houses: These raised-foundation homes require a continuous concrete footing around the foundation and bracing the crawl space with plywood.
Over-Garage Living Spaces: Homes with living spaces over the garage are known as “soft-story” homes. Because of the large open garage space, the soft story isn’t as fortified as other areas of the home. A retrofit involves strengthening the garage walls and garage door frames to add stability.
Hillside Homes: Homes built on hillsides and steep slopes are particularly susceptible to earthquake damage because the foundation steps down the slope and may include columns or posts supporting areas of the home. These homes require strengthening the foundation, bolting, and wall bracing. However, you’ll likely need to consult a civil or structural engineer in your area to get an earthquake retrofitting plan before construction starts.
Local Building Codes and Guidelines
California and other states where earthquakes are common tend to have more thorough and complex building codes as added precautions against earthquake damage. Any retrofitting must be done according to these guidelines, which can extend the work time. From getting the permits to waiting on materials and using the latest techniques, meeting code is necessary but can sometimes be time-consuming.
Frequently Asked Questions
Earthquake retrofitting services reviews from real Angi homeowners in Columbus, OH
Last update on June 05, 2026
- Julio V.
Positive experience. As previously stated, the replacement/repair could not be completed (no fault of the plumbing tech) b/c misinformation was rec?d by property management maintenance. Thanks to the plumbing tech for your efforts. Appreciate you!
The Waterworks - Jeff B.
Great company! Price was competitive, technician showed up on time and completed the job (exterior electric Radon fan replacement) quickly. Would hire them again.
MaGen Property Inspections and Radon Mitigation - Sarah E.
Joseph did a great job with the staircase and trim. Timely and efficient, clear communication about the work, very fair pricing. For the stairs in particular, done very skillfully in an old house (1893) in a tight spiral, and very creative with how to do the handrail. Did a nice job with...
Vouis Trim Carpentry L.L.C. - Maggie M.
Jason has helped me with multiple household projects, with the most recent being new door installation. He has always showed up on time and organized and has done an incredible job! Jason is very professional and he's now my go-to for anything around my house that needs to be fixed or...
Huff Garage Rescue, LLC - Melissa L.
It went so well! They were prompt and efficient! They were patient with last minute changes and the work was worth the money
Security Doors and Shutters - Kale T.
Amazing job. Efficient and quick without compromising quality. Basement feels brand new. Would use them again in a heartbeat.
AffordaPro Restoration - Rylin S.
Great communication throughout from discussion of the project, and its options, to installation. They found a number of unforeseen challenges when mounting my TV and soundbar to, what was found as, an untraditional wall that didn’t allow for wires to be hidden behind the wall. The team was...
Tether House - Regina H.
I conferred with 2 other contractors before Armstrong Electric. Nick and his crew showed me that the project was not as convoluted as the other contractors made it appear to be. They completed the entire project on time. They were professional, friendly and cleaned up after at completion. I...
ARMSTRONG ELECTRIC, LLC - David B.
The technician was very professional and friendly. He answered all my questions and was very thorough. He left the fireplace area very clean . He inspected from the roof and advised me as to other work that might need to be done. There was no pressure there. I was very satisfied with the...
Supreme brick & chimney - Judy M.
Absolutely thrilled with the transformation of my home thanks to Custom Paint Jobs LLC! The attention to detail is outstanding.
Custom Paint Jobs, LLC
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