An older house often sits on its foundation held by gravity alone and a handful of rusted bolts, with a short cripple wall between the foundation and the floor that has no lateral bracing. In an earthquake that wall can rack over, or the house can slide off the foundation entirely. Anchor bolts or retrofit plates tie the mudsill to the concrete, and new structural plywood sheathing on the cripple walls stops the wall from racking.
Framing connectors tie the floor framing itself to the sill, completing the load path from roof to foundation. We also handle related categories: a soft-story building where a garage opening or tuck-under parking leaves the ground floor weak, chimney bracing or removal, and strapping a water heater so it cannot tip and shear a gas line.
A completed retrofit dramatically reduces the chance the house comes off its foundation - it does not make the house earthquake-proof and it does not eliminate damage. Many jurisdictions run grant programs that offset part of the cost, and a signed-off retrofit can qualify the property for an insurance premium reduction; we will point you to what applies in your city.
