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Foundation forms and rebar set on a cleared hillside lot before a concrete pour

Seismic Retrofitting

Earthquake Brace + Bolt Retrofits

LE Construction is a registered Earthquake Brace + Bolt contractor. Here is what we handle on an EBB job, from the first crawlspace inspection to the paperwork that gets your grant paid.

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Earthquake Brace + Bolt Retrofits

Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) is California's grant program for retrofitting older houses on raised foundations. The program has firm rules: who can do the work, when the work can start, what the permit must reference, which photos are required and what goes into the final paperwork. Missing a step can make a retrofit ineligible for payment.

Our clients' reviews describe the experience: one says Luis set up extra meetings, took charge of the permits and navigated the EBB process so the family got their state check; another calls the program very strict with its rules and says the job was completed quickly with all material cleaned up. This page covers our part of the process. For the program rules and eligibility, see our article on how to apply.

Before you are accepted

Registration opens for a limited window each year, and homeowners register themselves on the EBB website. Before or during that window, we can look at your crawlspace and tell you whether the house fits the program's standard plan: a wood-framed house built before 1980 on a raised foundation with cripple walls 4 feet or shorter. If it does not, we tell you why and what the alternatives are, so you do not wait on a grant that will not apply.

What we do once you are accepted

After acceptance, you pick a contractor from the program's directory. If you choose us, we handle the steps that have deadlines and paperwork attached.

  • Inspection and bid

    A crawlspace inspection and written bid with a cost breakdown, including any sill or framing repairs the retrofit depends on.

  • Permit

    A permit for the retrofit alone, referencing the standard plan the program accepts, obtained within the program's 12-week deadline.

  • Before photos

    The required date-stamped exterior and crawlspace photos, taken before any work starts.

  • Waiting for approval

    No work starts until the program confirms the retrofit may begin. Starting early can make it ineligible.

  • The retrofit

    Bracing, bolting and water heater strapping completed within the program's six-month window, then the final inspection.

  • Final paperwork

    After photos, the finaled permit and an itemized invoice stating who receives the grant payment.

If your house does not qualify

Houses with cripple walls taller than 4 feet, hillside foundations or deteriorated concrete fall outside the EBB standard plan. They can still be retrofitted with an engineered design, without the grant. Houses on a slab do not need a brace-and-bolt retrofit at all. We will tell you honestly which group your house is in.

From our clients

Real Google reviews from LE Construction clients, quoted word for word.

EXCELLENT

5.0 out of 5, based on 17 Google reviews

  • Shawn Whelan

    April 2024 · Google review

    "Luis and Fernando were great to work with all the way through on our Foundation Retrofit. Luis took the time to set up extra meetings and ensure the entire job was done correctly, quickly, and at a great price. He also took charge of all permits and navigating the EBB process to ensure we got our State refund check."
  • Taylor Wilson

    October 2022 · Google review

    "He was easy to schedule and very timely working with the ebb program which is very strict with its rules to qualify. He was able to complete the job quickly, answered all questions, offered up suggestions for future projects, and cleaned up all material and equipment before leaving the job site."

Read all reviews on Google

Get ready for the next registration window

Call us now and we will check your crawlspace, so you know where you stand when EBB registration opens.

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Earthquake Brace + Bolt Retrofits: FAQs

Are you on the Earthquake Brace + Bolt contractor directory?

Yes. LE Construction is a registered EBB contractor, and we hold the California B General Building license the program requires for hired contractors. Homeowners who are accepted into the program can choose us from the directory.

Can you help before I register for the program?

Yes. We can inspect the crawlspace ahead of the registration window and tell you whether the house fits the standard plan. That way, if you are accepted, you already know what the work involves, and if the house does not qualify, you know before you wait on a grant.

Does the EBB grant cover sill plate repairs?

The grant goes toward the retrofit cost, and repairs needed for the retrofit to work, like replacing a rotted sill where bolts will go, are part of the job we bid. The grant amount itself is capped, so larger repairs increase what you pay out of pocket. Our bid lists those repairs separately so you can see them.

How long does the actual retrofit take?

The construction itself on a typical house is usually short, often a matter of days, and happens in the crawlspace. The longer parts are the program's steps: acceptance, permit, approval to start and the final paperwork. We keep track of the deadlines for you.

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