If you own any commercial buildings in Los Angeles, California, then you know that earthquakes are a natural occurrence. In order to keep your tenants or employees safe, you may need a seismic upgrade to your building. These include apartment complexes, resorts, or office buildings. There are a number of companies in Los Angeles, but which one is right for you? Here are the four steps you should take to help you answer that question.

1. Come Up With a Short List It may be tempting to search Google and commit to working with the first result on the list, but more research is needed to find out about earthquake retrofitting contractors that suit your commercial building needs. Make a list of the companies that most interest you, but keep it short. Keeping your list small will help you find the best company for your building, too many options are often overwhelming.

2. Ask for expertise While there are no formal qualifications for seismic retrofitting, your earthquake retrofit contractors should have extensive experience and training, with a thorough knowledge of the process, materials and local regulations involved in commercial retrofitting.

3. Get Some Recommendations or Find Feedback The best way to find out how nice a business is by telling your friends or colleagues. Talking to other commercial building owners about which contractors they have worked with and what their experience has been like can be an excellent way to identify the best option for your needs. Be sure to find out what the experience of the other customer was like, or what they thought about the work that was done.

4. Think ROI, Not Price Tag This type of construction project is expensive, it doesn’t get around. But don’t dwell on the initial out – of-pocket costs, think of the retrofit as investing in your future. While it may be tempting to hire a company with the lowest price, that doesn’t always mean they’re going to do the best job. The whole idea behind the renovation of the earthquake is to ensure that your building remains standing during the next, or future, earthquakes, without costing you a fortune in repairs, or even in lawsuits by one of your tenants or employees who have been injured or killed. During your initial phone call, be sure to find out what is included in the quote.

To get started today or for more information, please contact us today to schedule a FREE on-site inspection by our team of soft-story experts or call us at 888.690.1561