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Accepted! What's Next

Getting Started

Accepted into the ESS Program -  What's Next

Once you have registered and have been notified you've been accepted into ESS, log on to your Homeowner Dashboard. The Dashboard is where you will upload pre-retrofit and post-retrofit photos and documents for approval. The Dashboard will guide you through each step of your retrofit and notify you if you need to provide any additional information.

Once you've been accepted into the ESS program, you will have 90 days to gather pre-retrofit photos and documents, and hire a contractor from the ESS Contractor Directory.

Once ESS notifies you that the pre-retrofit documentation you've uploaded to your Dashboard has been approved, you will have six months (or 180 days) to complete your retrofit.

Steps to an ESS Retrofit

After your registration is complete, and you've been accepted into the ESS program, the entire ESS Retrofit process, from acceptance into the program to receiving your grant, can take as little as four months but will likely take between 6-12 months. To stay on track, you may wish to follow this suggested timeline, below.

STEP ONE: PRE-RETROFIT

Once you have received notification that you have been accepted into the ESS program, you will have up to 12 weeks to submit the required pre-retrofit photos and documents, and choose a contractor from the ESS Contractor Directory.

We recommend you start your search for a contractor immediately after you receive approval from ESS, as the process of obtaining bids and hiring a contractor can be time-consuming. Login and track your progress in your Homeowner Dashboard

Weeks 1-3 ESS

You must choose your retrofit contractor from ESS’s Contractor Directory of licensed contractors, who have completed FEMA P-1100 seismic retrofit training.

If you are going to hire a contractor, schedule appointments

Weeks 4-6 ESS

Meet with contractors, receive and review bids.

  • If the retrofit bid is more than $10,000, you must get more than one bid.
Meet with contractors, receive and review bids.
Weeks 7-8 ESS

Select a contractor.

  • Choose and hire your contractor.
  • Upload contractor(s') bid(s) to your Homeowner Dashboard.
    • If the contractor's bid was over $10,000 and you submitted more than one bid, and you chose the contractor who submitted the higher bid; state the reason on your Dashboard.
Select a contractor and upload bid(s) to your dashboard. If you choose the higher bid, state the reason.
Weeks 9-11 ESS

Get a building permit and upload it to your Homeowner Dashboard. 

  • Important! You or your contractor must get the building permit after your ESS acceptance date. If your permit is dated prior to your acceptance date, you will not be eligible for an ESS grant.
  • Before getting your permit, check your Homeowner Dashboard for specific directions on what wording must be included on your building permit.
  • You or your contractor can get the building permit.
  • You can use our Building Department resources page to help you find the right building department with which to apply for your permit.
As a do-it-yourselfer get an owner/builder permit, or have your contractor obtain a building permit (see Building Permit inset for information that must be included on permit).

By week 12 (earlier if possible) you or your contractor must have uploaded these items to your Homeowner Dashboard for approval:

  • Copy of your building permit
  • Plans/Drawings
  • Photos of house exterior, garage interior, and crawlspace photos if required; (your Dashboard will provide you with specific instructions and examples)
  • Bid(s)
  • Proof of occupancy such as a utility bill, if indicated on your Dashboard that it's required
  • A completed W-9 form if indicated on your Dashboard that it’s required
As a do-it-yourselfer get an owner/builder permit, or have your contractor obtain a building permit (see Building Permit inset for information that must be included on permit).

Important! To remain eligible to receive the ESS grant, do not begin your retrofit construction work before receiving ESS’s approval of your uploaded documents (Step 2).

STEP TWO: APPROVAL OF PRE-RETROFIT DOCUMENTATION

Funding for the ESS program grants comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA must review and approve the Pre-Retrofit Documentation submitted on your Homeowner Dashboard in Step One before you can proceed with the retrofit.

  • FEMA will review your ESS Pre-Retrofit documentation. This step can take up to 10 weeks.
  • ESS will notify you when your documentation has been approved, and that you can move forward with your retrofit.
  • Important! Do not start your retrofit until ESS has notified you that you can proceed.

STEP THREE: THE RETROFIT

You will have six months from the day you received ESS approval to schedule and complete your Earthquake Soft-Story retrofit.

6 Months after EBB approval

After ESS has approved your uploaded pre-retrofit documentation, you will have six months from that approval date to complete your retrofit.

If you are going to hire a contractor, schedule appointments

STEP FOUR: POST-RETROFIT

Within 30 days of completing the retrofit, gather and submit your post-retrofit documentation using the online Homeowner Dashboard.

Retrofit + 30 days

Upload the following post-retrofit documentation to your Homeowner Dashboard:

  • Required photos, as indicated on your Homeowner Dashboard:
    • Five post-retrofit photos of the exterior of your house, with a date stamp.
    • Two post-retrofit photos of the garage area, taken from the same vantage point as your "before" photos.
    • Two photos of water heater strapping.
      • If you have a tankless water heater, take two photos showing the properly installed tankless heater; no strapping necessary.
    • One photo of the crawl space, if your house requires a retrofit of the crawl space in addition to the soft-story retrofit.


      Important! Your Homeowner Dashboard will have exact instructions and examples for what must be included in your photos.

  • An image of the signed building permit after the retrofit is complete and signed off.
  • Your contractor's invoice that includes:
    • Your contractor's business name, address, phone number, and contractor license number;
    • Address where the seismic retrofit was performed;
    • Start and end dates of work performed; and
    • Pricing broken out by labor, materials, overhead, and profit.
  • If the final total amount of your ESS grant is greater than $5,000, and your house is in Flood Zone, you will need to submit a signed, notarized, and recorded  Special Flood Hazard Area Conditions Form (fillable PDF), and a copy of your flood insurance policy.
If you are going to hire a contractor, schedule appointments

STEP FIVE: PAYMENT

Grant payments typically will be mailed within four weeks following final ESS approval of your post-retrofit documentation.

Final Approval + 4 weeks
  • Follow directions on your Homeowner Dashboard for how to complete and submit an electronic Payment Authorization Form.
  • Indicate whether the payment will be sent to you (the homeowner), or directly to the contractor.
  • Grant payments from the ESS program are not subject to federal or state taxation.
EBB Payment

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