Seismic Technologies
About us
Additional DBAs - Cottage Builders
Business highlights
Services we offer
Consultation and engineering on foundation and structural issues, distressed structures rehabilitated & project guidance. MANUFACTURER of seismic retrofit plates for earthquake resistance., floors and buildings leveled, foundation repair, light commercial & industrial buildings, residential, residential earthquake anchor retrofit, retaining walls, seismic upgrading, settlement solutions, structural mending
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 93% | ||
| 3% | ||
| 2% | ||
| 1% | ||
| 1% |
Because we were concerned about the safety of our garage floor, we did some research and found out that the expert to call is an engineering consultant. I then went to Angie's List and read all the reviews. Seismic Technologies stood out with the most and the best reviews. I called and made an appointment in less than a week . The engineer's name was Jay Kushner. Jay was wonderful! He took his fancy tools and his many years of experience and did a thorough inspection. He listened patiently about our concerns of possible compromise of our garage floor. He examined a crack in the floor and explained that it was due to a tree outside. He used a laser and measured the floor and said it was rising rather than falling. He checked the foundation surrounding the garage and found no structural damage to the foundation. He advised us to do nothing and assured us that the floor would continue to be structurally sound. He even sat around the kitchen table after and once again answered all of our questions and concerns. We found him to be a very pleasant, honest and trustworthy person.
Obviously, Seismic Technologies was more focused on the scientific evaluation than on trying to drum up foundation work. Jays' experience and credentials were excellent as was the quality of his work. We recommend Seismic Technologies. The money we paid was well worth it. I would advise anyone who is looking for peace of mind to contact him.
We purchased our house a little over a year ago. At the time of inspection, there were some issues with the chimney and the fireplace/firebox that were addressed and fixed by the owner before we finalized our purchase.
Several weeks ago, we noticed new cracks and issues with the fireplace and some cracks in drywall on either side of the fireplace. We called the company who had done work several years ago to stabilize the chimney for the previous owner. They came to our home, assessed the situation, and then delivered a subtle yet pointed sales pitch based a bit on fear.
We wanted a structural engineer to visit our home to review the fireplace, the chimney, the cracks in some of the drywall, etc. and give us an unbiased opinion. We saw Jay's high rating, and we liked his witty, logical replies to the few less-than-stellar reviews. He made very valid points. We noted that NO ONE seemed to take issue with his knowledge or work ethic. Jay was also recommended to us by two realtors who have used him to inspect foundations, etc. for buyers.
Jay was on time. He was friendly, had a warm sense of humor and was very easy to understand. He spent 3 hours examining our property, looking at the crawlspace and chimney/firebox, taking measurements and answering every one of my 6,547 questions with great patience. His knowledge about the Portland area and our neighborhood in particular was very impressive. He noted that the "fix" suggested by the other company would not likely be a suitable one over time based on the jacks they would use and the type of soil in our neighborhood. He gave us some very practical advice, and when we asked (only when we asked), he referred us to some tradesman who could help us with some necessary projects.
We have two large, rather obnoxious dog who, although crated during Jay's visit, barked at him with ferocious intensity any time he walked by them. Jay was very kind to them and didn't seem bothered at all.
Based on this visit, we are considering hiring Jay to do some seismic retrofitting on our house.
Now that it's all over, I can shout IT WAS A BARGAIN!
Jay did a thorough examination, pinpointed the issues, and provided clear, concise suggestions for correction. I understand it and I know what to do next. AND, the corrections are affordable.
He patiently walked me through the entire process, teaching me a great deal, and increasing my comfort level immeasurably. His knowledge is deep and wide, and he is very easy to work with.
I endorse him without reservation!
After reading all the positive reviews on Angie's List, I decided to have Jay inspect my foundation as we had noticed some new drywall cracks. It was very easy to contact and schedule the work and the quoted price was reasonable.
I was very impressed with Jay's depth of knowledge. He is very personable and explains everything in an easy to understand way which is always appreciated. Jay was able to eliminate our concerns about the foundation and in fact we worked our way up and determined the new cracks are more likely the result of a heavier roof installed a few years ago and do not present any structural concerns.
I would not hesitate a second to recommend Jay.
Jay gave us a clear, easy-to-understand outline of our alternatives, and recommended the least expensive (a $250 dehumidifier!) for at least the next few years. He gave us a recipe for a skim coat that would stick better to the basement walls than the coat that had been applied ten years ago, and was now coming off in large chunks.
We have basement walls from the year 1910, and he told us that we will need to have some significant work done on them - eventually - and he told us how to watch for signs that things were getting more urgent, and what our options would be when we reached that point.
We've lived in our old home for over ten years and we intend to retire here. One day, we will do the major repair work but it was a relief to know that a) it didn't need to be done right away, and b) it won't cost as much as we were afraid that it would when we do get it done.
One more thing: I had reservations about calling Jay because of the negative reviews here - but please don't let them dissuade you from calling him if: 1) you recognize that Jay's expertise is worth paying for - in fact, from that perspective, he's a great value - and 2) you're not looking for a quick fix.
When he came out, we took him around our home pointing out all of our concerns. He spent 3 hours going over everything, inside and out, in living spaces and crawl spaces. He even went over the blue prints the previous owner had left, and explained to us how the house was built, pointing out that the home was built to withstand winds of up to 80 mph (code at the time the home was built) and that it meets current earthquake code (and is even anchored per code).
He took the time to spell out exactly what was happening and why, and put my fears to rest. Bottom line there was no movement and foundation is perfect with no cracks. The cracks on the upper floors are on the south and southwest sides of the house and are wind related. These are surface issues only due to flexing of the walls.
We had initially said we wanted a written report, but in the end because there were no structural issues, he pointed out that since we were only wanting the report for when we sold the home in the distant future, that I should just make notes on what he said. He explained that a written report is only valid for 18-24 months, and so would be useless if we sold the home after that time period. That impressed me because he could have easily said nothing and made an additional $220 for the written report.
My husband and I found Jay easy to talk to and extremely knowledgeable. I would highly recommend him to any of my friends or family.
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