Before You Hire A Seismic Retrofit Contractor

No matter who you are, or where you live or work, you can never anticipate when the most common natural disaster earthquake is about to hit you or your building. The California Department of Conservation states that each year, California experiences two or three earthquakes strong enough to cause moderate damage to structures (magnitude 5.5 and higher). Hence, safeguarding yourself and your business employees becomes vital when it comes to building a commercial space that can protect you from the effects of a disaster.

Buildings constructed prior to 1985 need constant inspection to check their strength to withstand the disaster and buildings built before 1975 need a strong seismic retrofit.

Here is an explanation of what a seismic retrofit is.

Seismic Retrofit Definition

A seismic retrofit is nothing but providing a safe resistance to the already existing buildings or houses against seismic activity.

Earthquakes can be life-shattering. Generally, buildings can turn out to be vulnerable to earthquakes. One of the simplest, yet most effective ways to be protected against earthquakes is to stay on a solid foundation that can withstand any harmful threats when a disaster strikes.

Because California is one of the most seismically active states in the country, a retrofitting project is a must for any property owner within the state. The practice of retrofitting buildings also protects them against other natural disasters such as tropical cyclones, tornadoes, and thunderstorms. To do the job right, building owners should hire seismic retrofit contractors who specialize in the type of retrofitting required for their projects.

Hiring The Right Seismic Retrofit Contractor

With the right seismic retrofit contractor, you can rest assured that you are in safe hands. Right from foundation bolting to cable supports, a seismic retrofit contractor is the one you should hire to get the work done.

But there are some criteria you should keep in mind while you hire a seismic retrofit contractor. The most essential criteria are as follows:

1. Check If The Seismic Retrofit Contractors Are Licensed

Seismic retrofit contractors should be listed and licensed by the state authorities.

Before everything else, as part of your research, check authoritative resources to look for firms with the mandatory licenses and qualifications to legally execute a successful retrofitting project. If you want to hire a seismic retrofitting contractor based in San Francisco or other regions of California, the firms that you consider must be able to show that they are licensed, bonded, and insured in California. They need to have deep knowledge and understanding of building codes applicable to this highly earthquake-prone part of the world.

All earthquake retrofitting firms in California should be listed and licensed by the State Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists, the California Contractors State License Board, and the California Architects Board. You can further research firms in these government databases to investigate deeply about their licensing and qualifications.

Check out bpelsg.ca.gov for more information.

2. Interview Shortlisted Seismic Retrofit Contractors

Face-to-face interviews offer a preview of the contractor’s communication skills and readiness to take on a project.

No doubt you will have a bunch of questions regarding your building’s requirements for retrofitting and how effectively the project will pan out. Questioning procedure is an excellent opportunity to gauge your communication compatibility with the contractor and assess their knowledge levels. Do they answer confidently and without hesitation? Is the communication clear and understandable? Even if they need more time to research your building, they must be honest about it.

Here are the basic questions you should ask seismic retrofit contractors:

• Does your company have experience performing earthquake/seismic retrofits?
• What exactly does the seismic retrofitting process involve?
• Will you need to acquire a permit for the building work?
• If my retrofit needs the services of a professional engineer, do you have someone reliable to work with? How much do you charge for a standard engineering plan?
• If no engineering is required, can you provide an approximate square foot price?
• Who will manage the project? Does the project manager have adequate retrofit experience?
• How long will the retrofit project take to complete?
• Do you have past customers that I may contact? (Ask for at least three references and their phone numbers).
• Do you warranty your work? For how long?

3. Contact References Given By Seismic Retrofit Contractors

Past clients are a great source of testimonials that are result-oriented.

Once your shortlisted contractor has provided you with a list of references, spare enough time to call them up and inquire properly about their experience. You can ask former clients questions like:

• Are you satisfied with the overall work that was performed and managed?
• Were the final seismic retrofit costs close to the estimate?
• Did tenants need to be relocated, if yes, then why?
• Did the workers keep the property grounds clean and free of hazardous construction tools or materials?
• Was the retrofitting done efficiently? If not, what are your complaints?
• Was the contractor responsive to your questions?

You can even request these references to email you “before” and “after” snapshots of the building retrofit so you can visualize what the final result looks like. Taking it one step further, conduct an inspection of the site. Check the placement of structural elements and the impact of the earthquake retrofit on the use of the building.

Recommendations from a particular contractor’s client can turn out to be a helpful source to recruit a seismic retrofit contractor. But making sure they have a great number and statistics to prove their worth should also be taken into consideration.

Sometimes just working hard may not be fruitful enough, but providing results in a limited time duration should be the main highlight of a successful contractor.

4. Make Sure The Seismic Retrofit Contractors Are Insured And Bonded

Workers’ Compensation and Liability Insurance Coverage protects you against financial losses incurred by bodily and property damages.

If the owner of a retrofit contracting company has no workers insured under worker’s compensation, that puts you (the building owner) at risk in the occurrence of any job site accidents or injuries. Without worker’s compensation, commercial property owners will be liable for financial coverage associated with injuries/deaths or property damage caused by subcontractors or workers. In case the general contractor fails to pay the construction staff, financial liens will be filed against your property.

Remember that liability insurance coverage for contractors is based on a specific trade classification. Ensure that the company you hire is insured specifically for seismic retrofit work. If not, insurance companies may try to reject claims of injury or death, and liability could be transferred to you.

All contractors are required to have a license bond of $10,000. While a contract bond guarantees both job completion and payment of all labor and materials. This implies that the client will not have to pay more than the stipulated amount of the bond.

5. Look for Someone Who Has Adequate Relevant Experience

Commercial contractors need to be experienced when it comes to safeguarding our buildings and structures.

The field of earthquake retrofit requires a minimum qualification of workers who have produced results in the past. This is not something to be taken lightly because there are chances of natural disasters happening any minute or second of the day or in the future.

They need to be:

• Experienced in your type of building
• Experienced in seismic retrofits
• Experienced in structural repairs and reinforcements
• Experienced in installation tactics
• Experienced in managing and employing in-house crews

6. Test And Evaluate The Seismic Retrofit Contractors’ Skills

The contractor you choose must have a solid foundation of seismic retrofit skills.

A contractor or a specific candidate with a great portfolio showcasing the required skillset can do well for the hired job. A closer look at one’s strengths and flaws can be an effective way to learn more about the professional. The recruitment process is significantly fastened when contractors present themselves with the right foundation of skills, showing that they are well aware of seismic retrofit activities.

You can decide whether a commercial contractor is fit for the job or not through the following ways:

• Request the contractor to present their established record of successfully finished retrofit projects.
• Do not simply accept a listing of projects carried out. Check the details and if possible, contact the owners of one or two of the more recent projects.
• Request the contractor to identify specific issues and the techniques they will use to manage the earthquake retrofit aspects of the project.
• Be sure that they will provide key staff who have the relevant experience and request CVs.
• Where appropriate, interview proposed key staff.

Just like an employer hires an employee, it’s always wise to recruit a contractor by testing their knowledge through various techniques and questions. With the positive results achieved, it is easy to evaluate their skills and knowledge.

7. Seek Recommendations And Reviews Of Seismic Retrofit Contractors

Recommendations from industry professionals and your close ones are the most trustworthy.

More often than not, a seismic retrofit contractor recommended by someone you know can be of great help. When you see the results of the contractor and hear reviews from familiar people, a sense of confidence arises. You can completely depend on that contractor, and this way, half of your work is already done and over with.

Another reliable source for obtaining names of quality retrofit contractors is within the industry. Ask your licensed architect or engineer whom you have worked with in the past for recommendations. They can provide you with contacts of their go-to colleagues with whom they had brilliant working experiences.

8. Prefer Detailed Bids From Seismic Retrofit Contractors

The more detailed the quote, the fewer unexpected costs there will be throughout the project.

With retrofit projects, it is often tricky at the bidding stage for contractors to accurately estimate costs and schedule targets. Experienced seismic retrofitting firms should be able to provide a close estimation of your project’s costs and timeline after evaluating your property and blueprints carefully.

There are many complexities and risks associated with retrofit projects and hence, you should make efforts to confirm all the contractors fully understand what is expected of them. Encourage and answer any questions the bidding contractors may have. Make sure they conduct a site visit along with their key discipline staff.

You should request bids from at least three candidates in order to secure the most competitive price. Award the contract to the company whose bid is based on the project’s entire scope of work, goals, specifications, and other additional requirements.

9. Carefully Scrutinize The Written Contract

The written contract proposed by the seismic retrofit contractor must clearly define all terms and conditions besides the scope of work.

It’s crucial to carefully determine the form of contract to be adopted for your project. Seismic retrofit projects are vulnerable to unforeseen demands arising both in terms of additions to the scope and changes to the working circumstances. For this reason, the use of lump-sum contracts is risky for both parties. Lump-sum contracts should only be considered if the scope and schedule bear a low risk of change.

Whichever contract is used, it is necessary to ensure that all contract documents are well considered. Remember, the proposals received from the retrofit contractor will only be as good as the quality of the contract documents.

Stakeholders must seek legal help to check that their interests and liabilities are accurately documented in a written contract. As a part of your written contract, you should be named an additionally insured. Request your insurance agent and legal representative to review the additional insured endorsement before you sign the contract.

10. Choose Quality At A Reasonable Cost

Save money by hiring a quality contractor.

When selecting a seismic retrofit contractor, it’s tempting to go ahead with the low-cost option. However, this decision might come with a heavy cost of property damages and loss of innocent lives due to the poor earthquake retrofitting. Keep in mind that seismic retrofitting is an important investment, so always choose quality over cost.

Ensure that the cost estimate your contractor provides defines the full scope of the project and encompasses all its components. By adopting proper due diligence methods, your money is saved and you can receive quality results within a limited time and with no effort at all.

When you hire a non-professional, your resources are wasted on nothing and above all, you put your tenants’ lives in danger. Therefore, prioritize hiring a quality seismic retrofit contractor offering top-notch services at reasonable fees.

Conclusion

Seismic retrofitting strengthens your building from the ravages of tragic natural disasters like earthquakes. However, a poorly or incompletely retrofitted commercial structure might actually suffer more damage during an earthquake.

Make it a point to compare and evaluate the experience, ideas, fees, and professional standing of multiple contractors. If these ten pre-qualifiers can vet the candidates, you can be confident that you are hiring the finest and most skilled contractor.

Contact our expert team at Constructive Solutions, Inc. to discuss your seismic retrofitting project and get answers to any questions you may have. We will upgrade your buildings to the highest earthquake-resistant standards.

Relevant Resources:

• How Do You Seismically Retrofit A Shopping Mall?
• Things To Consider During Seismic Retrofitting Project