Rolling Hills, Los Angeles County
Living at home through a Rolling Hills retrofit
Can you stay home during a Rolling Hills seismic retrofit? Aspenwell Construction explains what happens under the floor and what you notice upstairs.
Can we keep living in the house while the retrofit is done? That is worth asking before you call about a Rolling Hills home, and for bolting and cripple wall bracing the answer is generally yes. The work happens below the floor, reached through the crawlspace hatch, so kitchens, baths and bedrooms stay in use. What you notice upstairs is drilling noise and people coming and going through one entry point.
What a work day looks like
At the start of each day we open the hatch, lays a protective path from it to the work area, and sets up lights and ventilation below. Holes for new anchors are drilled through the sill into the foundation, and that is the loudest stretch of the job. Plywood panels are cut outside and passed in, so sawdust stays out of the living space. If a beam has to replace a bearing wall inside, that part does touch the rooms above, and we plan it with you as its own phase, with the affected area closed off and dust barriers hung.
Moisture, hardware and the review
The survey also records rust on existing hardware and soft spots at the sill, since moisture under a floor this close to the water works slowly on both. A connector made for wet exposure needs sound wood to fasten into, so soft sill is replaced before new bolts go in. The drawings then go to the city or county office that issues building permits for Rolling Hills. Its inspector checks the bolts and panels before the crawlspace is closed, and any remodel or addition that follows is built on a frame already tied down.
What we build in Rolling Hills
Structural work comes first on this list, and every service starts with a look at the framing and foundation.
Plan structural work in Rolling Hills
Send the form and we will arrange a visit, then put the scope in writing.