Frequently Asked Questions

The Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) program is administered by the California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP) — a joint powers authority created by the California Earthquake Authority and the Governor's Office of Emergency Services. It provides financial rebates to eligible homeowners who retrofit their wood-frame houses built on raised foundations.

The standard rebate starts at $3,000. Enhanced tiers go up to $6,000, and qualifying households may receive full coverage of retrofit costs. The exact amount depends on your home's risk profile, location, and income tier.

Your home must be a wood-frame house built on a raised foundation (crawl space), constructed before 1980, located in an eligible California ZIP code, and be your primary residence. You must also apply during an open registration window for your area.

Applications are submitted through the official EBB portal at crmp.org during open registration windows. Quake Fix can guide you through the entire process — contact us for a free consultation.

Yes — a responsible adult must be present when the city inspector visits. We'll coordinate the inspection date with your schedule and give you advance notice.

Permit timelines vary by city and county. We proactively follow up with the building department and keep you updated. Delays are common in high-volume jurisdictions but rarely exceed 6 weeks.

Seismic retrofits are generally exempt from property tax reassessment in California under the seismic safety exclusion. We recommend confirming with your county assessor.

If a correction is required, we address it at no additional cost to you and reschedule the inspection. This is rare — our work is designed to meet or exceed code requirements.

Use the "Forgot Password" link on the login page. A reset link will be sent to your registered email address. If you no longer have access to that email, contact CRMP support directly.

Yes — log in and navigate to Account Settings to update your phone number, email, or mailing address. Property address changes require contacting CRMP support.

Go to the Documents tab in your dashboard and click "Upload Document." Accepted formats are PDF, JPG, and PNG. Each file must be under 10MB.

"Under Review" means your application is being evaluated. "Approved — Awaiting Contractor" means you're in the queue for contractor assignment. "In Progress" means work is scheduled or underway. "Inspection Pending" means installation is complete and awaiting city sign-off. "Rebate Processing" means your payment is being issued.

Absolutely. We guide all of our clients through the portal setup and application process. If you run into any issues, contact us and we'll walk you through it step by step.

No — you can stay home. The crew works entirely in the crawl space and along the exterior foundation. Your living areas are not affected.

Yes, there will be drilling and hammering, primarily in the morning during foundation bolting. Most homeowners find it manageable. The loudest work is typically done by midday.

Our crew is experienced with tight crawl spaces. If access is unusually restricted, we'll discuss options during the pre-installation site visit — well before installation day.

Typically 2–4 technicians depending on the scope of work. All crew members are licensed, insured, and background-checked.

Light rain doesn't stop us — most of the work is under the home. If severe weather is forecast, we'll contact you the day before to reschedule if needed.

We use Simpson Strong-Tie and equivalent code-approved hardware on every job — including L-90 angle clips, URFP foundation plates with ½" Titen HD anchor bolts, and SDS structural screws. All hardware is ICC-ES listed and meets or exceeds California building code.

A cripple wall is the short wood-framed wall between your home's concrete foundation and the first floor. In pre-1980 homes, these walls are often unbraced and can rack and collapse sideways during an earthquake, dropping the house off its foundation.

A hole is drilled through the wood mudsill into the concrete foundation. A ½" Titen HD anchor bolt is driven into the concrete, and a URFP plate is fastened over it, clamping the sill plate firmly to the foundation and preventing the house from sliding.

No — all hardware is installed in the crawl space and along the interior face of the foundation wall. Nothing is visible from inside your living areas or from the exterior of your home.

Yes. Quake Fix holds California Contractor License #1128944 (Class B — General Building), is bonded for $25,000, and carries workers' compensation insurance. You can verify our license at cslb.ca.gov.

Yes — we are a pre-approved contractor in the CRMP network. That means we've been vetted by the state program and are authorized to perform EBB-funded retrofits.

Most retrofits are completed in a single day. Larger or more complex homes may require two days. We'll give you a clear timeline during your free consultation.

Yes — we offer a free, no-obligation consultation for all homeowners. We'll assess your home, explain the program, and walk you through the entire process from application to rebate.