I called Craig Brogan with airflow questions a couple of times; he and his crew know my house and that I am remodeling. He came out and measured and advised. When I asked about dual zones he and Mike B came out to figure out how to retrofit a house, all duct work and return/supply areas. They...
We are a team of well-educated professionals with a company culture of mutual respect and trust. We deliver quality projects on time and within budget because we have genuinely care and concern for our customers. About the owners: Levi Bechtum has been in the construction industry for the past 12 years. His primary focus has been in remodel construction, excavation and plumbing. Born and raised in La Crosse, Levi attended and graduated from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse where he majored in Accounting and Finance. Levi lives in La Crosse with his wife and two kids. During his free time, Levi enjoys taking his family camping, buying reduced and damaged produce at the grocery store, creating small batches of charcuterie with his grandma’s recipes and organizing messy spaces—specifically tools. Josh Hutson grew up in rural Washington State. His family operated a sustainable organic hobby farm in addition to logging and excavating. Hard work and family values weren’t talked about as much as they were lived. In 2004, Josh left high school to enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he deployed twice to Iraq. He was later awarded a scholarship to attend Norwich University in Vermont and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon graduating with a degree in History and Creative Writing. He has held roles at the US State Department and most recently was the Director of Business Development at a regional construction firm. Josh is committed to excellence. He enjoys providing long lasting solutions to complex problems, and is ultimately driven by wanting to help and serve. Josh lives in La Crosse with his wife and three children. He enjoys playing in the park near his house, eating ice cream and shooting things from very long distances.
"Quick and efficient. Nice work."
Ann V on August 2019
We are a team of well-educated professionals with a company culture of mutual respect and trust. We deliver quality projects on time and within budget because we have genuinely care and concern for our customers. About the owners: Levi Bechtum has been in the construction industry for the past 12 years. His primary focus has been in remodel construction, excavation and plumbing. Born and raised in La Crosse, Levi attended and graduated from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse where he majored in Accounting and Finance. Levi lives in La Crosse with his wife and two kids. During his free time, Levi enjoys taking his family camping, buying reduced and damaged produce at the grocery store, creating small batches of charcuterie with his grandma’s recipes and organizing messy spaces—specifically tools. Josh Hutson grew up in rural Washington State. His family operated a sustainable organic hobby farm in addition to logging and excavating. Hard work and family values weren’t talked about as much as they were lived. In 2004, Josh left high school to enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he deployed twice to Iraq. He was later awarded a scholarship to attend Norwich University in Vermont and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant upon graduating with a degree in History and Creative Writing. He has held roles at the US State Department and most recently was the Director of Business Development at a regional construction firm. Josh is committed to excellence. He enjoys providing long lasting solutions to complex problems, and is ultimately driven by wanting to help and serve. Josh lives in La Crosse with his wife and three children. He enjoys playing in the park near his house, eating ice cream and shooting things from very long distances.
"Quick and efficient. Nice work."
Ann V on August 2019
Most earthquake retrofitting jobs take one week to 10 business days to complete. However, your professional retrofitting expert will be able to give you a more accurate timeline for your home once you complete an initial consultation. The total time may be longer for projects requiring more extensive work or homes with structural damage due to a prior earthquake.
You can expect to pay between $3,370 and $8,610 in earthquake retrofit costs, ranging from $500 to $15,000 or more, depending on your type of home and foundation and retrofitting method.
If you have a slab foundation, you can expect to pay on the lower end, between $500 and $3,000. If you have a wooden foundation, that cost jumps to $5,000 to $10,000. A hillside home, not as vulnerable to earthquake damage, typically costs between $5,000 to $10,000 to retrofit while a soft-story home ranges from $10,000 to $80,000.
It is not advisable to try to retrofit your home without the expertise of a professional. These projects usually require a consultation with a structural engineer and a plumber for any gas-related adjustments. Working with a professional earthquake retrofitting contractor is the best way to ensure that any structural work done to your home will help protect you and your family.
First, you can expect the project to be loud. If you have pets, you might want to take them to a friend's house during the day so they are not disturbed by any of the loud noises. In addition, you’ll need to provide the retrofit team access to areas of the house that will need to be worked on, meaning you’ll need to relocate personal items, clear clutter, and make pathways for the crew. Once the project is complete, a local building inspector will conduct a final inspection to ensure that the retrofitting is up to code.
Earthquake retrofitting can increase your home value, making it a great return on investment. This feature is especially valuable in areas prone to earthquakes. Besides the increased safety value (not only for your family but for the next family who moves in), earthquake retrofitting also helps lower homeowners insurance rates. In addition, having your home earthquake retrofitted can make it easier to get a home loan since they are considered lower risk.
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
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