What a retrofit costs, by scope

A full earthquake retrofit (any technique) typically runs $5,000-$10,000 nationally, about $7,000 for a common single-family job, or $3-$7 per square foot. The narrower scope California's grant funds - cripple-wall bracing plus foundation bolting - runs $3,000-$7,000, sourced from multiple 2026 contractor-cost guides and cross-checked against Bay-Area-specific figures for this exact scope.

Brace + Bolt eligibility, the parts a city page can't check

The grant requires: wood-framed house on a raised (not slab-on-grade) foundation, built before 1980; a ZIP code that is currently participating in the program (participation is set by the California Geological Survey and changes by registration cycle, not something this site's per-city dataset tracks); and, for the supplemental award, household income at or under $89,040/year. A slab-on-grade house does not qualify at all, regardless of city or ZIP.

Why this site doesn't quote a per-city grant amount

ZIP-level participation changes by registration cycle and this dataset is built at the city level, so a page can say California generally, never confirm a specific ZIP code is currently open - checking the current registration window directly is the only way to know before applying.

Where to go next

See the range this plays out across: Caruthersville, MO, Noblesville, IN, Marathon, FL.

How QuakeRetrofitCheck Reports Your City's Seismic Data · What a Seismic Design Category Actually Means (and Doesn't)