Seismic Retrofit Services Atherton, CA

Homes in Redwood City neighborhoods like Woodside Plaza built before 1980 often sit on foundations with little or no connection to the frame above. During an earthquake, the house can shift and slide off the foundation.

We install anchor bolts at critical points where the frame connects to the foundation. Each bolt is tensioned to securely tie the house down. This single upgrade significantly reduces the risk of foundation failure and structural damage.

Foundation anchor installation—securing frame to foundation in Redwood City home

Cripple wall reinforcement—plywood and steel braces in Emerald Hills retrofit

Many Redwood City homes, especially those in Emerald Hills and Roosevelt, have short walls between the foundation and first floor. These cripple walls are common failure points in earthquakes.

We brace cripple walls with plywood sheathing and steel studs or plates. This prevents buckling and lateral collapse. The bracing ties into the foundation bolts for a complete system.

Homes with large garage openings, living rooms without supporting walls, or second-story additions have soft story weaknesses. These areas can collapse during seismic shaking.

We add shear walls, cross-ties, and moment connections to stiffen these weak points. The reinforcement is designed to distribute lateral forces safely through the frame to the foundation.

Soft story seismic bracing—shear walls and cross-ties in downtown Redwood City home

Unreinforced masonry wall strengthening—anchoring and cross-tie installation

Some older Redwood City buildings contain unreinforced masonry bearing walls—brick or adobe with no internal reinforcement. California code requires these to be anchored and braced.

We anchor walls to floor and roof systems, install cross-ties, and test existing anchors. Commercial properties and older homes benefit most from this retrofit.