Measures To Take During A Soft Story Retrofit For Commercial Property

Earthquakes are no laughing matter. They can be destructive and even life-threatening. If you have a commercial property in earthquake zones, then a soft story retrofit may be needed. This involves reinforcing various structural elements for earthquakes in particular and it will go according to plan if you take these measures.

Make Sure a Professional Assessment Occurs First

There are going to be some properties that need a soft story retrofit and then others that are perfectly fine in the condition that they're in. You need to find out where your building stands in regards to vulnerabilities to earthquakes, which is where a professional assessment will prove helpful.

Find a company that specializes in soft story retrofitting and have them thoroughly assess major structural aspects of your commercial property. Then if they see vulnerabilities that could pose safety risks, they can inform you and show what would make a positive impact on earthquake protection.

Verify Soft Story Retrofit Plans are Code-Compliant

If you do end up hiring a professional company to inspect your commercial property's vulnerability to earthquakes and a soft story retrofit is deemed appropriate, they will provide plans on what things need to change. Maybe it's adding more load-bearing walls or incorporating more durable materials around the foundation.

Either way, you need to verify the soft story retrofit plans are code-compliant. Then you know the right things are happening to your building and you won't have to deal with regulatory issues later on whenever your commercial property is inspected by professionals. 

Look For Durable Structural Support Systems

The most common way to complete a soft story retrofit for a commercial building is to add more structural support systems. It's paramount to make sure these systems are durable because it will make this renovation worth the time and money that goes into it.

You may not know much about structural support systems for commercial properties, but a structural engineer does. That's why it's a good idea to consult with one during this process to make sure the right materials are being used by the company carrying out this process.

If it's pivotal to have a soft story retrofit executed because your commercial property is vulnerable to earthquakes, then go through each stage carefully and with the right insights in mind. Then it won't be difficult to carry out this structural upgrade successfully and subsequently reduce accidents related to earthquakes.  

For more information, contact a company that offers soft story retrofit services. 

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