Palacios Construction expands seismic retrofit work for older Monterey County homes

Palacios Construction has added state grant-program seismic retrofit services for Monterey County homeowners with older homes, including pre-1980 houses and soft-story properties. The move comes as California homeowners look for lower-cost ways to improve earthquake resilience and qualify for insurance discounts after verified retrofits.

Why it matters: - Older Monterey County homes built before modern seismic codes can be vulnerable at the foundation, cripple walls and garage level during an earthquake. - State grant programs can cover much or all of the retrofit cost for qualifying homeowners, making structural reinforcement more accessible. - A completed retrofit can also support an earthquake insurance premium discount once the work is verified.

What happened: - Palacios Construction completed training and certification for all three federally funded seismic retrofit grant programs administered by the State of California. - The Monterey-based licensed residential general contractor is now listed in the official contractor directories used by homeowners after program acceptance. - The company is offering seismic retrofit services to Monterey County homeowners alongside remodeling, home additions and accessory dwelling unit work.

The details: - Seismic retrofitting can include foundation bolting, cripple wall bracing, soft-story reinforcement and water heater bracing. - Foundation bolting secures a wood frame to its concrete foundation to reduce the risk of sliding off the base. - Cripple wall bracing reinforces short wood-framed walls between the foundation and first floor with structural plywood. - Soft-story reinforcement strengthens living space above a garage or carport using established engineering standards. - Water heater bracing is required for every grant-funded retrofit and must be documented with before-and-after photos. - The most widely available grant program covers owner-occupied, single-family wood-frame homes built before 1980 with raised foundations and cripple walls. - That program offers a base grant of up to $3,000. - Income-eligible households in Northern California can receive up to $7,000 in supplemental funding. - A second program covers owner-occupied homes built before 2000 with living space above a garage or carport. - That program provides up to $13,000, or up to 75% of total retrofit cost. - Engineered plans and a federal review are required before construction starts on soft-story projects. - A third program serves five- to 10-unit buildings with tuck-under parking in cities that have adopted a mandatory soft-story ordinance. - Monterey County cities are not currently eligible for that third program, but Palacios Construction holds the certification if a qualifying ordinance is adopted locally. - Homeowners enter the grant process during open enrollment windows and are selected at random. - Accepted applicants face strict deadlines: 12 weeks for pre-retrofit steps, up to 10 weeks for federal review on soft-story projects, and six months for construction. - Starting work early or missing a deadline can disqualify the grant. - Palacios Construction handles eligibility checks, on-site assessments, program-compliant bids, permit pulls, required photos, retrofit work, final inspection coordination and payment paperwork. - The company’s residential services also include kitchen and bathroom remodeling, full home remodels, home additions, ADUs, JADUs, decks, patios and pergolas.

Between the lines: - The expansion fits a broader shift among California homeowners toward improving existing homes instead of moving. - Older-home remodeling often surfaces structural issues, so combining retrofit work with a remodel or addition can reduce duplicate labor and permitting steps. - California’s earthquake risk and rising remodeling costs are making resilience-focused upgrades more relevant for homeowners weighing long-term safety and budget. - Palacios Construction says its process centers on preconstruction planning, hands-on project management and clear budgeting, with realistic allowances and defined line-item amounts for finishes. - Christian Palacios, the company owner, said many homeowners know their house is older but do not understand the structural implications or the grant process.

What’s next: - Homeowners in Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pebble Beach, Marina, Seaside, Salinas and nearby communities can contact Palacios Construction to discuss eligibility, schedule an assessment and plan seismic work with other projects. - The company directs homeowners to more information about seismic retrofit services and invites contact at christian@palaciosconstructionca.com. - Homeowners seeking earthquake insurance discounts can use retrofit verification paperwork, including a signed form or grant-issued verification number, after final inspection. - Palacios Construction says homeowners who keep approved final inspection records with retrofit documents are better positioned to request the insurance discount without delays.

The bottom line: - Palacios Construction is positioning itself as a one-stop contractor for Monterey County homeowners who want to use state grant money to strengthen older homes against earthquakes while coordinating the work with broader remodels.