Eagle Rock, Los Angeles County
Sill plate repair and seismic bolting in Eagle Rock
Aspenwell Construction probes the sill plate under an Eagle Rock house, replaces soft wood, then bolts and braces the base for LADBS inspection.
The sill plate gets more of our attention than any other piece of an Eagle Rock house. That flat board rests on top of the concrete stem wall, and the weight of the walls, floor and roof passes through it on its way to the footing. On a built up urban lot, leaks from plumbing, gutters or a neighboring yard can reach it, so its condition decides how the retrofit gets fastened.
Probing the sill before any bolt goes in
Under the floor we press an awl into the sill every few feet and mark where it sinks. Firm wood can take new anchors straight away. A soft run comes out in full, and a new length of treated wood is set in its place before anything is fastened, since an anchor can only clamp what is solid. Each existing anchor is checked for a loose nut or a missing washer, and square plate washers go on where the old ones are small. Cracks in the stem wall near an anchor are measured, since that concrete has to hold when the frame pushes sideways.
Bracing, plan review and the inspection
With the sill sound and bolted, plywood is nailed to the cripple studs between the floor and the foundation, turning each short wall into a braced panel. Posts under the main girder get metal connectors at top and bottom. Plans for Eagle Rock go to LADBS, since the neighborhood lies inside the City of Los Angeles, and its inspector looks at the anchors and nailing while they are still exposed. Glendale, South Pasadena and Pasadena each keep their own building departments, and Altadena falls under the county, which matters for an address close to a city line.
What we build in Eagle Rock
Structural work comes first on this list, and every service starts with a look at the framing and foundation.
Plan structural work in Eagle Rock
Send the form and we will arrange a visit, then put the scope in writing.