Living Space Over Garage House Retrofit
This house has one or more floors of living space over an attached garage. Its vulnerability to earthquake shaking comes from its position atop the garage beneath it, which lacks structural soundness, as it:
- Is typically a sizable open space, functioning like a crawl space within a raised foundation house, with walls not braced to resist earthquake motion, and
- Has one or more large doors that are not properly retrofitted to withstand earthquake shaking.
Garage-door openings can be retrofitted by installing new plywood sheathing or steel panels on each side of the garage door. Some garage doors require a steel frame to be properly retrofitted for earthquakes.
Is a retrofit over garage house worth it?
These types of older houses in California’s hazard areas are vulnerable to collapse and other major damage from earthquake shaking. In the event of a large earthquake, this could mean devastation in communities across the quake’s shake zone.
If your home is damaged, you may not be able to live inside it while repairs are made. And remember, while you may be able to take out loans to repair or rebuild, you’ll have to pay to live elsewhere all while still paying your mortgage.
Cost benefit analysis
For a house over garage retrofit, the cost varies, but new garage footing is often around $10,000 to $15,000.
Think of it this way: by spending about $10,000 up front on a retrofit to strengthen your property now, you’re investing in the long-term resilience of your biggest investment, which is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It’s peace of mind for the safety of your family, and confidence in the strength and security of your home.
Ready to take the next step?
Adequately preparing a living space over a garage requires an engineered retrofit. You should hire a licensed structural or civil engineer to advise on your retrofit efforts.
We have the resources for you, including what questions to ask and how to pay for the retrofit.
Take the next step on strengthening your house today.