Services

In a collaborative environment, we strive to engineer unique design solutions tailored to specific client objectives creating individual project identities. From schematic design through construction, we hold the same high standard for client services with fast response, value engineering and excellent team communication.

Soft-Story Retrofit Design

soft story
San Francisco Building Department has implemented AB-107 – Mandatory Seismic Retrofit Program for Wood Frame Buildings in September 2013. Thousands of property owners have received notices already (or you may find the list on SFDBI.org). They are required to hire licensed engineers to help them screen their buildings, determine their eligibility, and develop timely retrofit measures to satisfy this recent City ordinance.

In a nut shell, if a single story of a building (typically the ground/first story where an open garage occurs) is substantially weaker than the above stories due to a lack of lateral load (earthquake) resisting structural elements, it is considered to be a “soft” story.

We have extensive experience in designing retrofits for wood-framed soft-story buildings. Our services include assessment of the existing structure to determine potential soft-story weaknesses and seismic vulnerabilities and the design of a structural soft-story retrofit scheme that works with the existing layout of the building, resulting in a minimally intrusive solution.

 

Current Soft-Story Retrofit Projects

4640 Balboa Street
2258 Bryant Street
1730 Broderick Street
875 Broadway Street
1196 Broadway Street
100 Carmel Street
1 Coleridge Street
322 Capp Street
513 Capp Street
1070 Church Street
2810 Clay Street
1525 Clement Street
627 Corbett Avenue
26 Crestline Drive
445 Diamond Street
755 Dolores Street
516 Fell Street
345 Fulton Street
620 Guerrero Street
48 Haight Street
1220 Hayes Street

1871 Hayes Street
1029 Hyde Street
507 Hugo Street
1534 Jackson Street
1459 Jones Street
1540 Jones Street
1223 Kearny Street
1450 La Playa Avenue
2006 Larkin Street
1334 Leavenworth Street
700-710 Lombard Street
670 Lombard Street
101 Noe Street
1042 Noe Street
1351 Noe Street
748 Page Street
1238 Page Street
54 Parnassus Avenue
3450 Pierce Street
825 Pine Street

835 Pine Street
966 Pine Street
1163 Pine Street
1163 Pine Street
560 Presidio Avenue
256 Presidio Avenue
430 Scott Street
530 Scott Street
820 Stanyan Street
622 Stanyan Street
2725 Van Ness Avenue
716 2nd Avenue
1-11 3rd Avenue
334 3rd Avenue
595 3rd Avenue
77 7th Avenue
466-470 14th Street
1295 15th Avenue
3490 18th Street
195 26th Avenue
3659-3677 20th Street

plansOur scope of structural engineering and design services covers a wide range of project types including but not limited to:

  • New single and multi-family homes
  • New commercial buildings
  • New civic/municipal facilities
  • Green buildings & sustainable design
  • Restaurants
  • Interior renovations
  • Vertical/horizontal additions
  • Full seismic upgrade
  • Voluntary lateral/seismic stiffening
  • Structural upgrade/repair
  • Soft-story retrofit design
  • Exterior deck design (rear & roof)
  • Balconies
  • Stair replacement/upgrade
  • Foundation repair/replacement
  • Retaining walls
  • Foundation underpinning
  • Slab-on-grade lowering
  • Sidewalks
  • Art & science exhibits
  • Specialty (non-building) structures