I don’t write a lot of vendor reviews, so it is a reflection of how happy I am with the work done by Secure Seismic that I am motivated to write this one.
Secure Seismic just completed a seismic retrofit of our 1924 basement. Daryl responded quickly to my call and we didn’t have to wait long for him to come and inspect our basemen. I obtained 2 other bids. His was not the lowest, but it was the clearest and most complete. And the lowest bid included a number of exemptions that would have left us open to last minute additional charges. Also Daryl’s bid included connecting the rim joist to the sill plate. The low bidder did not include those connections, which I believe is required by code.
Daryl walked me through all that needed to happen. He clearly knows his stuff and was happy to explain the technical aspects of the project and whatever else I needed to know. We resolved on the spot any contingencies like the condition of the concrete in the foundation, what sheetrock he would need to cut, how he would work around some water lines in the way, and how he would protect the wood trim in the stairwell. He said it would be a two day job.
I received an email in about 5 days and was connected with Nicole to arrange scheduling and payment. She was friendly and professional and very responsive throughout. Secure Seismic is busy enough that we had to wait a couple of months to start the work. All 3 bidders were on about the same timeline. Your experience may vary depending on the season and the economy but don’t wait til the last minute if you need to get this work done.
The crew showed up exactly on time. Daryl was with them. He did not stay for the whole job, but he was there to walk them through the plan and to be sure my wife and I were comfortable. The crew were quite professional and experienced. They brought their tools in through the back door to minimize walking through our house; laid down tarps to protect furniture and floors; removed as little drywall as possible, and answered any questions we had at the time. The noise was manageable – there was sawing, drilling and torque driving lots of bolts, so it’s not the most peaceful way to spend a couple of days. But it’s nothing like a roofing job, and the house didn’t shake. We were able to stay at home the whole time.
We have finished wood trim in the stairwell, which goes down along the foundation wall. Other companies wanted to tear out the wood or pay extra to work from the outside and remove siding – and leave it to me to replace. Daryl said he would take care of it as part of the job. And his team did just that – they made very clean cuts in the wood trim with a reciprocal saw to accommodate the plates. They were able to use flat plates at this location. They then replaced the cut wood over the plates and caulked the seams. I just need to paint, and the cuts will barely show. I am so grateful for this professionalism.
The crew finished early afternoon on the second day. They cleaned up thoroughly and said goodbye. The plates are a bit shocking at first, but we are getting used to them. And the peace of mind is worth it.
I highly recommend Secure Seismic.