Venice, Los Angeles County
Seismic retrofit and foundation checks in Venice
On a first Venice visit, Aspenwell Construction checks the anchors, straps and hold-downs for rust, then plans the seismic retrofit for LADBS review.
Under a Venice house, the metal gets our attention before the wood does. Anchor bolts, hold-downs and the nails in each strap are thin parts doing heavy work, tying the frame to the concrete, and a lot near the water exposes them to wet, mineral-heavy air. A wire brush on a few bolt heads, a look at the washers, and a note on which pieces were galvanized tell us how much of that steel can stay.
Choosing steel that lasts in wet air
Where hardware has to be replaced, connectors come with a heavier zinc coating or in stainless steel, and the nails or screws that go with them must carry the same finish. Mixing a plain fastener into a coated part sets up corrosion at the joint. Pressure-treated sill lumber also calls for fasteners rated to touch its preservatives. We look at the crawlspace itself as well, because blocked vents and bare, wet soil keep moisture against the wood and the metal. Each upgraded piece is listed in the quote by name and count, beside the labor to install it.
LADBS and the state map along the water
LADBS, the City of Los Angeles building department, reviews the structural plans for a Venice job and sends inspectors to each stage. Before any exterior work is drawn, we pull up the parcel on the state map of the protected zone by the water, because a lot inside that zone can need a development review ahead of the building permit, and a lot outside it does not. Bolting and cripple wall bracing stay under the floor and leave the outside untouched. Brentwood, Mar Vista and Palms file with the same department, while Santa Monica runs its own and Marina del Rey answers to the county.
What we build in Venice
Structural work comes first on this list, and every service starts with a look at the framing and foundation.
Cities close by
Plan structural work in Venice
Send the form and we will arrange a visit, then put the scope in writing.