How Much Does an Earthquake Retrofit Cost in 2025?

This article was updated using automation technology and thoroughly reviewed for accuracy by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.

On average, most homeowners spend between $3,489 and $8,676, or $6,082, on earthquake retrofit costs. That works out to an average of $3 to $7 per square foot. In some cases, prices can range from as low as $800 to as high as $15,000.

Older houses and properties located near fault lines benefit the most. If you live in an earthquake-prone area, retrofitting your home is one of the smartest safety investments you can make. Plan your budget early and hire a qualified professional to keep your family and foundation secure.

Earthquake Retrofit Cost Factors

Most retrofit quotes break down into two main buckets: labor and materials. Here’s a closer look at the cost factors that impact your earthquake retrofit total. 

Cost per Square Foot

Plan on spending $3 to $7 per square foot, labor included, to retrofit your house for an earthquake. At the low end, a basic universal foundation plate installation covers it. On the higher end of the earthquake retrofit cost spectrum, you can expect more complicated work like building a cripple wall or installing plywood or shear walls.

Materials

Materials make up roughly 30% of the total seismic retrofit cost. One common material expense is wall bracing, which costs between $1,000 and $2,500.

Location

You only need to consider a seismic retrofit if you live in an area prone to earthquakes, mainly located on the West Coast. Costs can vary depending on the city you live in.

Labor

Labor accounts for 60% to 90% of the total retrofit price tag. The actual amount varies depending on your home’s needs. For example, if you only need bolting without plates or a new cripple wall, most of the price comes from labor. However, if you require plates, a new knee wall, and sheathing, more money will be allocated for materials.

Earthquake Retrofit Costs by Task

Bracing and bolting walls run between $500 and $3,000 or more, depending on the method your pro recommends. The methods vary depending on the architecture of your home. Let’s explore some common seismic retrofitting methods below.

Anchoring a Mudsill

Anchoring a mudsill costs between $1,000 and $3,000. This process places anchor bolts through the mudsill—also called a sill plate—and into the stem or cripple wall. This technique is commonly used in homes with brick foundations or crawl spaces and is designed to prevent the wall and mudsill from slipping off the foundation.

Cripple Shear Wall Bracing

Bracing cripple shear walls costs between $1,000 and $2,500. This process uses plywood sheathing and 2-by-4 blocking to reinforce the cripple wall. Cripple walls are short walls that close off the crawl space in your home. Older homes are prone to collapsing during earthquakes when they aren’t braced.

Cripple Wall Bolting

Bolting cripple walls costs between $1,000 and $3,000. Instead of anchoring to a mudsill, the crawl space walls are bolted to the floor above. This process still involves bracing cripple walls.

Seismic Retrofit Costs by Foundation Type

Your home’s foundation type can affect the overall earthquake retrofitting cost. Slab foundations are the most affordable option for retrofitting, with costs as low as $1,000, whereas brick, post-and-pier, and wood foundations can all lead to seismic retrofit costs of $10,000 or more.

Basement 

Except for older homes, areas with a lot of seismic activity don’t commonly have basements. Homes built on a basement foundation cost between $3,000 and $5,000 to seismic retrofit. Materials for a basement foundation earthquake retrofit include plywood, bolts, and metal wood connectors. The contractor will anchor the house to the basement for optimal earthquake protection.

Brick 

The average seismic retrofit cost for a brick foundation starts as low as $2,000 but can easily surpass $10,000 if the bricks and mortar are in poor condition. The brick must be mortared to the mudsill, which then must be anchored to the house. The project will require more labor and materials if the mortar isn't correctly connected to the mudsill.

Footing and Stem Wall 

Earthquake retrofitting a house with a footing and stem wall foundation costs between $3,500 and $7,000. A home with a footing and stem wall foundation uses a wood-framed base floor filled with concrete. Because your local foundation installation contractor must install foundation plates beneath this concrete floor, it could involve high labor costs.

Post and Pier 

An earthquake retrofit for a house on a post and pier foundation costs between $3,000 and $10,000 or more. A post and pier foundation is an older style of construction that uses spaced piers with posts attached to them. Instead of floor joists spanning the foundation (either to the mudsill or a stem or cripple wall), these regularly spaced posts hold up the home. Retrofitting a post and pier foundation requires tying the posts to the piers and then the house with T-straps or another anchoring material.

Slab 

The earthquake retrofit cost for a home on a slab foundation can range from as low as $500 to as high as $3,000. Houses built on slabs don’t have crawl spaces or cripple walls, meaning labor is minimal. The house merely needs to be anchored to the slab.

Wood 

Retrofitting a house on a wood foundation is expensive, costing from $5,000 to $10,000 or more. Wood foundations aren’t ideal for areas prone to seismic activity. If your home is situated on a wooden foundation in an earthquake-prone area, the contractor may recommend replacing portions or the entire foundation.

Earthquake Retrofit Costs by House Type

In addition to the foundation, your house type can impact your overall earthquake retrofit costs. Below, we'll explore some unique home types where retrofit costs may not align with the standard house type.

Mobile Home 

An earthquake-resistant bracing or engineered tie-down system for a mobile home costs between $3,000 and $25,000. The systems use one of three methods:

• Primary support column (PSC) earthquake anchoring costs $3,000 to $9,000.

• An earthquake-resistant bracing system (ERBS) costs between $2,000 and $5,000. These use anchors in the ground with tie-down straps.

• Pouring a slab foundation with footings costs between $5,000 and $25,000. This isn't a common option, but it provides excellent protection.

Manufactured Home 

Depending on the foundation type, manufacturers can use either a mobile home or a traditional home strategy. To use home methods for bracing, you'll need a foundation or basement.

• Foundation installation costs $5,000 to $15,000.

• Installing a basement costs between $50,000 and $150,000.

Soft Story Home

Retrofitting a soft story home costs anywhere from $10,000 to $80,000. For apartment buildings, property owners can expect to pay $80,000 to $350,000 or more.

A soft story is any multistory building with a large opening where a shear wall for structural support would normally be located. The most common example of residential homes is a second story over a garage or carport. You’ll need to reinforce the area around the garage doors and often the adjoining walls to carry more weight and make them more rigid.

Hillside House

Retrofitting a house on a hillside for seismic activity can increase the average earthquake retrofit price. Expect to pay anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. Homes built into a hillside tend to have weaker support structures that can't withstand seismic activity, as well as a house built onto a flat area.

Does an Earthquake Retrofit Increase Home Value?

In quake-prone regions, a retrofit almost always increases resale value. Buyers appreciate the added safety, lower insurance costs, and the fact that they won’t have to tackle the retrofit themselves. All of these benefits mean earthquake retrofitting can have a drastic impact on your home’s value.

Budgeting for Earthquake Retrofitting

Retrofitting isn’t cheap, but the right strategy can keep costs in check. Use these money-saving tips:

• When possible, opt for less expensive materials, such as wood frames over more expensive metal ones.

• Invest in a skilled and experienced engineer to ensure high-quality work that will last a long time.

• Consider tax write-offs and incentives—many cities and states offer rebates and other financial incentives for earthquake retrofitting.

• Consider less expensive techniques, such as mudsill anchoring, as an alternative to more comprehensive and costly measures.

• See if you can get together with neighbors who also want earthquake retrofitting for possible group discounts from a local foundation repair contractor.

How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data

No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. After a project is complete, we survey real customers about the costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.