I highly recommend Sound Seismic for anyone looking to do an earthquake retrofit. Leif was knowledgeable and down to earth and gave an accurate estimate. He shared a lot of information that we found helpful in that they were all facts without talking us into giving him business. We felt like we could really trust him. And from there, all of the work was streamlined and sequenced seamlessly when John, Monty, and Dylan took over. The drywall folks were really great too. They were all very respectful and communicative of roadblocks and how they were mitigating them. Good people with quality work! read more

We're so grateful to Sound Seismic for working with us to quickly schedule a seismic retrofit to our home when we were flooded. The flood resulted in a 2-foot flood cut of all of our downstairs sheetrock - no better time to go full in and get the retrofit we'd always wanted. In the chaos between the flood mitigation and the ongoing challenges of the rebuild, Sound Seismic was a calm in the storm. They were highly responsive to our need, great communicators, professional, and did terrific work with no surprises. I wish every contractor was this good. read more

Sound Seismic did a great job retrofitting our house. Our house is over 100 years old and has a lot of "bespoke" architecture. Sound Seismic added plywood stabilizers and additional supports, and handled all the necessary licensing, permits, and approvals. At the end, they provided us with the certificate of inspection from the city, which will be useful to us should we ever need to sell the house. They also went above and beyond by cleaning up the dark and dusty areas near where they were working, which was not necessary but very appreciated! read more

This company has earned its 5-star reputation. We have had a ton of work done on our century-old house. I've interviewed more than 60 contractors in the past 2 years and hired more than a dozen, for everything from drywall to plumbing and roofing. My coworker recommended this company to me. She was very happy with their work, and so am I. I will also say that I was pleasantly surprised to find that a seismic retrofit was not as crazy expensive as I'd heard it could be. Yes, it still cost more than our new roof, but for peace of mind and safety for our family, it seemed well worth it. Sound Seismic is among the very best of the contractors I have hired. Their communication and front-line operation is outstanding. They are organized, they answered all my detailed questions, they show up on time, and they provide updates along the way. They found creative ways to access parts of our basement from the unfinished sides of walls to reduce the intrusion and the amount of drywall and painting that would be required after the work was done. Monte and Dayton were our carpenters and they were great. They wore masks during the work, and we really appreciated that as we continue trying to minimize our COVID exposure. An unexpected package arrived while we were out of town, and Monte was so kind in moving it inside for us since he was already working on site. I wouldn't have felt comfortable asking a less friendly contractor, and it's a testament to him that I correctly guessed he'd be glad to do us this small favor. I'm no engineer, but as far as I can tell, all the carpentry was done well and there were no stray nails or messes to clean up afterwards. After most of the construction work we've had done by other contractors, there was a fair amount of cleanup we as homeowners had to do after the crew left. Not so in this case. The Sound Seismic team did a great job on the project and the cleanup. They spent an entire day just on draping and floor protection, including building a little enclosed booth in our bedroom to keep debris collected because we were planning to sleep in the room where the construction was happening. My only advice to others: If you're thinking of doing a retrofit, do it BEFORE you remodel or finish your basement! We did not know of the proper sequencing because we're new homeowners, and it was a little sad for us to have to cut open walls we had finished out less than a year ago. But, better to do it right and get it done than to not do it at all. read more

Sound Seismic did the earthquake retrofit on my 1910 home. They were easy to work with and very professional. Great communication, on-time, kept the workspace tidy. They handled all the inspection process and gave me peace of mind that we made our home more resilient in the case of an earthquake. read more

Really enjoyed working with them on the seismic retrofit of my 1950's Atomic Ranch style home. They were super clear in all of their communications and timelines. Work was done beautifully and completed on schedule. Highly recommended. read more

I was 100% satisfied with Sound Seismic. I'd been procrastinating having my home retrofitted because the basement was finished so I knew it would be involved and expensive. Spending so much time at home during the pandemic prompted me to finally take action. I decided I wanted a full-service retrofit company complete with permits and paint-ready drywall, even though this would cost more than other options. From the initial walk-through up to the final inspection, Sound Seismic was completely professional. They accommodated our request for a reschedule. The job started on time and was completed early. They cleaned up completely. The subcontracted drywall crew was excellent and, when I asked, even did a few small drywall repairs elsewhere in the house for a small additional charge. Afterward I took a close look and found a detail that had been overlooked in the drywall work. John Crowell, the lead on our project, came over that evening and fixed it himself. I highly recommend Sound Seismic. read more

Sound Seismic did an excellent job in our home! Their communication was consistent and clear, they were very neat, clean and respectful during the work, and now we feel confident that we've taken steps to protect our home and ourselves as well as we can. I would highly recommend them. read more

Sound Seismic was great! From the quote, to the communication, through to the execution they did a great job and were respectful and easy to have in my home, even in the midst of a pandemic! I would recommend them to anyone. read more

These guys know their business well and hopped right on it when they got down to it at our place. They completed their work exactly as they had estimated, both in terms of cost and duration. This work requires much ripping and sawing of drywall and plaster, but Sound Seismic went to great lengths to control dust and debris. A few tricky spots emerged which could have meant additional demolition of finished carpentry space, but these guys figured out how to work around it and avoid significant additional costing. John was our chief contact throughout and was understanding and easy to work with throughout. Recommend Sound Seismic without hesitation to anyone looking for peace of mind afforded by knowing their house will have basic structural stability in the event of a significant earthquake. read more

Once upon a time, I used to run across the street through traffic. I used to use my hair dryer near the bathtub. I even ate food from restaurants with questionable health code compliance. I lived a wild and crazy life with no concern for mortality. But that was in the before time. Now I have children. And, while I would run through traffic *for* my children, I no longer seem capable of engaging in any other risk taking behaviors. Which is why, when I read the article in the New Yorker (entitled "The Really Big One: An earthquake will destroy a sizable portion of the coastal Northwest. The question is when." Catchy, yes?), I immediately called Sound Seismic and panicked into their voicemail. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who had read the article because there was, understandably, quite a wait for services. Someone did come immediately to do an estimate for the project, and we were able to schedule a seismic retrofit for several months out. They even called a few weeks early to tell us of a cancellation and offer us an earlier spot. Which we took... because panic. I can't say enough positive things about this company. Every single day, the lead on the project would knock on the basement door and ask if I wanted to see the progress they'd made that day. He'd then explain what all the whosiwhatsits they had installed would do in the case of The Big One. It only took four days to bolt our house to the foundation and stabilize all sheer walls. So now I can rest easy in the knowledge that while I'm busy blow drying my hair in the closet, my family home will be safe from the next Big One. read more

This is the second home I've worked with Sound Seismic in doing earthquake retrofit. Both experiences have been extremely positive. The staff is pleasant and professional. All appointments were kept on time, the project started at the agreed upon time for the agreed upon amount. Although my project didn't experience any problems, the potential problems were laid out for me ahead of time. The project manager, John, was great to work with. I would certainly work with this company in the future should there be a need. I've also recommended Sound Seismic to family membes read more

We hired Sound Seismic to retrofit our older Seattle house. We were thrilled with the service, communication, and professionalism of the company, especially our two contractors, Monty and Angelo, who went above and beyond to transform what might have been a daunting house project into a positive experience. They were excellent at communicating, sending us detailed, thoughtful texts daily to let us know their arrival and departure times, and though the work is loud (not their fault, of course- that's the nature of the project), they worked SO clean that I didn't noticed dust anywhere upstairs. They were also extremely warm and friendly that my daughter baked them cookies one day. I highly recommend this company, not just for the peace of mind a retrofit provides, but for the wonderful experience they provide. read more

This is one of those projects that could easily stay on the to-do list forever, but really shouldn't. I'm so glad we finally got this retrofit done! Leif did a thorough inspection, talked to me at length about my options, provided a clear estimate, handled all of the permitting and managed the installation in our cramped crawl space on some of the hottest days of the year. He also provided a referral for a seismic gas shutoff from a separate contractor, and followed up with a certificate to file with my insurance company. The whole process was seamless, and I learned a lot along the way. Thanks Sound Seismic! read more

For some time we wanted our home assessed for earthquake preparedness and we were unsure where to turn. Sound Seismic was (yet another) perfect recommendation through the Home Owners Club. Prior to this we were put off by many companies pushing fear and emotional negativity through websites splatted with dramatic images of houses falling down - and worse. Sound Seismic were *nothing* like that. Their assessor came out to review our needs, check our house, and explain recommendations. The entire process was very clear, upfront and honest. We received detailed drawings from their engineer. The company also dealt directly with the city for permits and arranged all peripheral needs for the on-site workers. The manager and on site workers were fantastic... and how they worked!! As worked progressed, we were supplied with photos. Updates were regular and we were informed of schedule changes or any items they may have spotted along the way related with the foundation and crawl space. Communication was wonderful, clear, and kind. Never forget that last point - kindness goes a long way and they were incredibly respectful. read more

We wanted to have the necessary earthquake retrofitting done to qualify for earthquake insurance. This included the installation of sill blocking, anchor bolts attaching the mudsill to the foundation, framing as necessary for shear panels, metal framing angles for first floor / pony wall attachment, insulation in the pony wall stud cavities, and structural plywood shear panels. We also had them install a Northridge automatic gas shutoff valve. After talking to our insurance company and doing research on the Internet, we found Sound Seismic to be highly recommended. I contacted Leif and setup an appointment for him to perform an evaluation and estimate. Leif arrived at the time scheduled and provided very detailed information regarding what is involved and required by the city. He even later sent me a PowerPoint presentation he had put together providing more details on earthquake retrofitting. When the estimated start date got closer, I had to contact Leif a couple of times to confirm the start date. Once the official date and time were set, Matt from Sound Seismic showed up on time and went right to work. He estimated the project would take 2 to 3 days, which turned out to be accurate. Matt was very good at providing progress updates throughout the duration of the project and after the first inspection was complete. The crew also did an excellent job cleaning up after each day and keeping dust to a minimum. After the second inspection was complete and the project signed off by the city, I asked the inspector his opinion of Sound Seismic, and he said they are one of the best, which just strengthened my confidence in the quality of work performed. read more

We went with Sound Seismic to retrofit our 1946 North Seattle bungalow. They did an extremely good job and the cost was significantly lower than other bids. Our job was complex enough that it needed to be engineered by an independent structural engineer. The total cost / bid from Sound Seismic included the engineering as well as permitting. Sound Seismic went and got the permit themselves, and they coordinated the engineering for us. This was a huge help to us. We did all of the prep for the job (removing drywall and clearing the space as much as possible) and when it came time for the job to be done, the fellow who came to do the work was extremely sweet, professional, worked quickly, cleaned up perfectly, was thorough and exacting. He had it done in two days (our basement is roughly 800 sf). The work looks impressive. Everything done to the engineered specific details. Nails on the sheer-walls spaced perfectly, anchors are straight and exactly spaced, anchor bolts were the extra long ones that the engineer specifically said to use. He did a fantastic job. Of course the job was loud and our cats hated us for a day or so, but at least it was over with in only two days. We would highly recommend them. read more

While we ended up not using Sound Seismic, I wanted to give them a shout-out because of the professionalism and courtesy with which they dealt with me recently by phone. We wanted to have our house retrofit and despite being crushed with inquiries and requests resulting from the recent New Yorker article on earthquakes, they got back to me promptly and scheduled a time to visit. They were up-front and transparent about costs, including the cost needed to provide an accurate estimate. When we later discovered (before they came out) that (fortunately) our house had already been retrofit, they sounded genuinely pleased that we were covered. My suspicion is that if they handle their actual work with the same degree of quality that they handle just phone calls, emails, and estimates, they're going to do right by you. read more

They did a great job retrofitting my mid-century rambler. Highly recommend. Fair price, easy communication throughout the process and completed in record time. read more

I wanted to send you a quick note to thank you and your crew for a job very well done. Each of the guys who worked here, Matt, David, Manny and Chris, all were courteous, professional and a pleasure to work with. They all went out of their way to clearly explain what the plan was for each day, pointing out potential issues when they arose in an easy to understand way. They even installed some spray insulation foam that my husband and I had planned on installing ourselves - not a huge thing but little things like that leave big lasting impressions. All in all, a very positive experience working with you. We will happily and without reservation recommend you to our friends who need earthquake retrofitting. read more

Sound Seismic did an excellent job with our retrofit. From the initial quote and explanation of the process to scheduling and executing the work. These were the best contractors we have used to date. They are timely, communicative and extremely clean. We received multiple quotes for this work. We felt that Sound Seismic's quote was much more thorough (although the competitor could have started work much sooner). We decided to wait and go with Sound Seismic. I have very glad we did! Cannot recommend them enough! Mark and his team are excellent! read more

Sound Seismic did a superb job on my 1919 home. When they came to give me an estimate they arrived very prepared, with public records. They were knowledgeable, and didn't attempt to "upsell" me with unneeded work. They quoted me a very reasonable price for the work. The worker was prompt, courteous and exceptionally neat. (Laying down floor protection and using plastic sheeting to isolate the work area.) All the work was completed nicely, and they handled everything, including city permits, making the whole job simple for me and thorough. read more

Sound Seismic did a very professional job. From giving an estimate to following up on prep work, the final job and the clean up after, they were on schedule with very skilled professionals for each part. The final job was very precise, clean and on time. Retrofitting is a messy job, Sound Seismic made it easy for me. I would highly recommend them. read more

Sound Seismic was very professional and easy to work with throughout the entire process including an initial visit and estimate, scheduling the work, obtaining necessary permits, completing the work and following up. Mark, Aidan and Leif were all personable and knowledgeable. The crew seemed to work efficiently and were very courteous and tidy. I would recommend Sound Seismic to anyone wanting a retrofit of their home. read more

Sound Seismic retrofitted our house, and I can honestly say I wish all companies were like them. From my first call until the project was completed I can only say every single person we felt with was beyond nice, knowledgeable and professional. The work was completed on time(early actually) and well done. They covered everything and took good care of what was in the basement. read more

Sound Seismic might be the most dishonest company I have dealt with since moving to the Puget Sound 35 years ago.I hired them through the Homeowner's Club ( a pre-Angie's List referral org) around 1999 to do a earthquake retrofit on my Madrona home. I paid them a $2500 deposit. They were "so busy" the work had not been started by the time of the Nisqually Quake in 2001. They came out to assess any earthquake damage to my foundation (which proved to be fine), but then offered to repair interior damage to two walls and a ceiling. They gave me a written estimate of $1200 - $2500 to plaster and paint a living room wall and ceiling and hall wall and ceiling. The plasterer and painter did an excellent job. However, I almost fainted when SS presented me with an invoice for $12,000. Since they were unwilling to reduce the bill, I contacted the Howeowner's Club who informed me the written estimate had fine print on the back of the estimate form that stated I was agreeing to a "time and materials" contract. Since I had never been informed that the estimate was a contract, nor the terms of the contract, the Homeowner's Club negotiated a bill of $7,000 which I paid. After this experience, I decided I no longer trusted Sound Seismic and I asked my General Contractor, Moriarty & Matzen, who had remodeled my kitchen and bath when I purchased my home, to review the SS retrofit contract. M&M were members of the Seattle Master Builders Association. They told me the SS contract was "the worst they had ever seen" from a customer's perspective. All rights were given to the company, none to the customer. They advised me to terminate the contract. When I attempted to do this, SS refused to return my deposit. They claimed they had completed "plans" for the work. Once again, the Homeowner's Club negotiated an agreement. Only one-half of my deposit ($1200) was returned, but I was given the "plans." The "plans" turned out to be one 8.5"x11" piece of white paper with a hand sketch of my basement interior. In hindsight, I believe I should have taken SS to small claims court to have gotten my full deposit returned. These people are dishonest crooks and I would suggest you stay far away from them. read more

We did a retrofit for our 1960's house. Leif came out for a quote and gave us a very thorough explanation of the anticipated earthquakes, what our crawlspace and foundation looked like and showed us diagrams of how they would retrofit it. We had to have structural engineering, but they take care of everything, including permitting, inspection, securing the water heater and a shut off valve. They were very professional and easy to contact through email and phone. Easy to pay with credit card. They also started the retrofit earlier than scheduled and did it within two days. Would definitely recommend. read more

I hired Sound Seismic for a full earthquake retrofit. I was really happy with the crew. They arrived on schedule, took care of all the permits and city inspections, and cleaned up thoroughly. The work looks to be great quality and it gives me peace of mind to have had these reinforcements completed. read more

Matt and his work crew just left and did a wonderful job of retrofitting my 1940's era house. They were all a pleasure to work with, from my initial contact with the owner, Leif Jackson, and all of his staff. They took care of the paperwork with the City of Seattle and always explained what I could expect to happen at each stage of the process. I feel much more secure in my home and that I can "ride out" anything Mother Nature throws my way! If you are thinking of retrofitting your home, give Sound Seismic a call. Jim Braden, Wedgewood Neighborhood read more

Sounds Seismic did the Earthquake retrofitting for my 1919 craftsman home on Capitol Hill. They were extremely knowledgeable, and worked fast and efficiently, within proposal and estimated time. An excellent job overall! I will do business with this company again and can only highly recommend them to anyone looking for earthquake retrofits or general remodels. read more

Sound Seismic did an excellent job retrofitting our house. They started on time, and completed the retrofit of our crawl space in one day. While they inadvertently left one of our heating ducts detached, once we became aware of it and I advised them of the issue, they quickly came back to the house to remedy the problem. read more

We had Sound Seismic retrofit our craftsman home to qualify for earthquake insurance. They were very professional and did their best to make the process as painless as possible. During the work they found some rot under our porch which they fixed (at a very reasonable charge) and they also improved one of the supports under the frame of our house (which they did at no charge). Overall we were very satisfied with their work and recommend them. read more

We turned Sound Seismic down after getting an estimate from Leif. Not because we saw anything negative - we just weren't sure we wanted to go through with the seismic retrofit. Quite a while later, we changed our minds. Leif agreed to go with his original (now expired!) estimate. He and his crew were highly professional and did their work quickly and well. They were especially careful to avoid tracking dirt into our home and carpets, which we appreciated. It was a real pleasure to deal with Leif. If only all businesses were like this.... read more

Sound Seismic did a seismic retrofit on our home & we are very pleased with their work. The whole experience was very professional. Leif was a great communicator, and kept us updated on the schedule. Matt did a fantastic job with the work. He left our basement cleaner than he found it, and the project passed final inspection without any problems. With all the terrible contractors we've had through our home, it was nice to work with a company that was reliable, honest, and tidy. They made the process so easy for us, and we are very pleased. We highly recommend Sound Seismic. read more

Lief and his crew at Sound Seismic were/are fabulous!!! I have been thinking about retrofitting my house for years but did not want to spend the money. Carried expensive earthquake insurance for 20 years but I finally realized "what good would the coverage be if the house crumbled with me in it". I got a couple bids for the entire retrofit, anchors, bolts, braces and Sound Seismic was priced right in line. I have a huge turn of the century home. With an engineer behind the work, they started in. Every day clean up occurred and I was informed of each step as it went along. They were actually in and out very quickly. No extra charges added. Old house could mean rotten wood. They were honest in telling me that there was none. OK come on folks - we are at the mercy of contractors. Anyway I was very pleased with their work, their respectful attitude and their profession ways. Even better - I can sleep at night knowing that if the BIG ONE comes, I will be far more protected. They did a lot ( A LOT) of securing of my house. read more

After reading through all the other reviews, (including the plethora of filtered ones) I really have little to add. They are really professional. They're efficient, clean and more than happy to educate. I've recommended them offline to several neighbors who have followed through and are happy with their work too. read more

I worked with Sound Seismic three different times and they were great every time. The first two times I had them shore up two different floor supports that were subsiding. Leif, who is the main contact, was very nice, helpful and flexible. He did a great job talking us through what would be done. The guys who did the work were great too. They did a a really beefy job and went the extra mile to make sure I was satisfied. They accidentally knocked down my mail box with their truck and before I could mention it they had re-installed it sturdier than it ever was before. I was so happy with their work on this fairly small stuff, that I decided to hire them to do a whole earthquake retrofit. Again, they were just great to work with. They did everything when they said they would and how they said they would. Very nice company to work with. I'm happy to be a little better prepared for the next big quake! read more