California is known for its mild weather and miles of sandy beaches. But, they also have the most seismic activity of any state in the country. If you are a property owner, rather it is an apartment complex or office building, you will want to make sure your building can withstand the damaging effects of an earthquake. This is especially true if your property sits in San Fernando Valley. To make sure your building is safe you may need the service of seismic retrofitters.

These modifications are necessary to make sure your building won’t collapse, or sustain irreparable damage, during an earthquake. Because California is such a seismically active state, it just a matter of when the next quake will strike, not if. As the building owner, it is your responsibility to make sure it is up to current safety codes and not a hazard for your tenants.

To get the job done right, you will want to hire a seismic retrofitter who specializes in soft story retrofitting. When searching for a construction company that specializes in this type of work you will find a number of them listed that cover the Los Angeles area, like Retrofitting 360. Following, are three helpful tips to make sure you hire the right company for the job.

Does the Seismic Retrofitter have the right skill set for the job?
You have a variety of things to consider when hiring your Los Angeles seismic retrofitter. Some of them include how long they have been in business, what is their skill level and how much expertise do they have with soft story retrofitting. The following is a list of skills they will need:

• Experience with your building type
• Experience in seismic retrofits
• Experience with structural repairs and reinforcements
• Experience with installation tactics
• And they should have their own crews to do the work

What do their customers have to say?
Most business owners understand that word of mouth is the best form of advertising. When looking for a seismic retrofitter ask your friends or colleagues if any of them have recently had this type of work done, and what company they used. They can tell you how well the job was performed, whether or not they conducted themselves with professionalism, what you can expect from the process. You can also do an online search to find reviews from former customers of the company you are considering.

The cheapest retrofitter may not be the best.
Considering the size of this type of construction, it may be tempting to just choose the least expensive contractor. However, this is not the type of job where you want to cut corners. Get a few estimates before you decide and make sure they include all the costs for labor, material, permits, and other components involved with the job. You should think of a retrofit as an investment and keep in mind that the cost of the project is not as important as the future savings you will have in case of property damage, repairs or loss of life.

If you are in Los Angeles, or the surrounding area, you will need a professional company to do your seismic retrofitting, consider contacting Retrofitting 360 for more information.