Does Big Stone Gap, VA need an earthquake retrofit?

USGS's ASCE 7-16 seismic design model - the same standard building codes use - places Big Stone Gap in Seismic Design Category C: Moderate seismic hazard. Code adds irregular-building restrictions and requires bracing of some nonstructural components (e.g. tall shelving, water heaters) in addition to structural detailing. That puts Big Stone Gap in the 75th percentile nationally for seismic hazard - higher than 75% of the 4,875 US cities USGS was checked against here.

Big Stone Gap by the numbers

USGS's underlying values for Big Stone Gap: 0.167g peak ground acceleration, 0.285g at short period, 0.089g at 1 second. Within Virginia alone, Big Stone Gap ranks 1 of 63 cities by seismic hazard - the 100th percentile in-state. Big Stone Gap has a population of about 5,087.

Bracing and bolting: the actual cost

A full earthquake retrofit typically runs $5,000-$10,000 nationally (around $7,000 typical), driven mainly by house size and foundation type, not by Virginia specifically. California's Earthquake Brace + Bolt grant, which covers a large share of this cost, is a California-only program and does not apply in Virginia.

Earthquake insurance for a Big Stone Gap home

A Big Stone Gap homeowner cannot buy a standalone earthquake policy in most cases - it is added to an existing homeowners policy as an endorsement, so the place to start is a regular home-insurance quote.

Where Big Stone Gap's figures come from

Big Stone Gap's Category C and every number above trace to USGS's own ASCE 7-16 Design Maps service - see the methodology guide. See the category explainer for what Category C does and doesn't tell you about Big Stone Gap.