Soft Story Retrofit in Santa Monica, CA
Retrofit contractor for Santa Monica's mandatory seismic program. CSLB License #1141734.
Santa Monica passed one of California's widest-reaching seismic retrofit programs in 2017, covering five building categories, with wood-frame soft story buildings the largest group. The city's soft story rules reach further back than most: any wood-frame building built under code standards in place before November 10, 1980 with parking or open space under the units can qualify, not just pre-1978 buildings. If you own an older Santa Monica apartment building, assume you are in scope until the paperwork says otherwise.
Santa Monica's Deadlines Run From Your Order
Under Municipal Code chapter 8.72, each deadline is measured from the date the city served your building’s order:
- 4 years to submit the structural evaluation report
- 5 years to apply for the building permit with full plans
- 8 years to reach final approval, meaning construction done and signed off
The city began serving soft story orders in the program’s first years, so buildings noticed early are hitting the end of their 8-year window now. Final approval is the deadline that matters: a permit pulled is not a project closed.
What a Santa Monica Retrofit Involves
Most qualifying buildings get steel moment frames at the parking openings, new shear walls, and new footings, engineered to the city’s standards and built with tenants in place. Coastal buildings add one wrinkle worth catching early: corrosion and moisture damage at the ground floor, which we repair in the same mobilization rather than leaving it behind new steel.
Santa Monica Soft Story FAQs
It can be. Santa Monica’s cutoff is building code standards in effect before November 10, 1980, later than the 1978 line most cities use. We confirm your building’s status with the city as part of the free assessment.
Construction complete, inspections passed, and the city signing off the permit. The 8-year clock ends there, not at pulling a permit, so owners mid-process need their construction scheduled with the end date in mind.
Work completed and approved by the city before the ordinance can exempt a building, with exceptions for certain structural conditions. We review what was done and what the city has on file before anyone spends money twice.
Why Owners Choose CalPrime
- Licensed, bonded, and insured. CSLB License #1141734.
- One team from assessment through final city sign-off: engineering plans, permits, construction, and inspections.
- Tenants stay in place. We stage the work around parking areas and keep the building occupied.
- A line-item estimate from a free site walk before you commit to anything
Start With a Free Building Assessment
Send us your property address and we will check your building’s status with the city, walk the site, and give you a clear scope and estimate. No cost, no obligation.