Cripple wall bracing on a home inspection

What does missing cripple wall bracing mean on an inspection report?

It means the short wall in your crawl space, between the foundation and the first floor, has no cripple wall bracing, the plywood that resists sideways shaking. Get a seismic retrofit contractor's written bid before your inspection deadline, and ask the seller to cover it as a repair or a credit. California's Earthquake Brace + Bolt program puts the stakes plainly: "If they collapse during an earthquake, so will your home."

Key takeaways

• California's Earthquake Brace + Bolt program puts a typical retrofit by a licensed contractor at $3,000 to $7,000.
• A hillside lot or a brick foundation calls for a structural engineer, not only a contractor.
• If the seller says the house was already retrofitted, ask for the permit and the final inspection sign-off.

What is a cripple wall, and does my house have one?

A cripple wall is "a short wood stud wall that sits between the top of the foundation and the underside of the first-floor framing," in a structural engineering firm's words. Its purpose is to raise the floor and create the crawl space. Most are between 18 inches and 4 feet tall. Bracing means attaching plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) along those walls. The job comes paired with new bolts into the foundation.

You likely have one if the house sits on a raised foundation with a crawl space rather than a concrete slab. A University of California, Davis research project notes that homes built before 1960 were typically built this way. Your inspector's photos from the crawl space settle it.

Some people call it a pony wall, though that name can also mean a half wall that holds nothing up. Cripple studs are a different thing: short studs above or below a window or door opening. This finding is about the crawl space wall.

How serious is an unbraced cripple wall?

Serious enough to take to a professional before your deadline. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says "damage due to vulnerable cripple walls, particularly taller cripple walls, can be significant and costly to repair." It adds that "homes with cripple wall damage are usually identified as unsafe to occupy." The UC Davis researchers describe "a vertical drop of the building causing fracture of sewer, water and gas lines."

FEMA also says "not all homes with cripple walls require earthquake strengthening." Homes already adequately anchored and braced, or in regions of low seismicity away from active faults, "may not need additional work." Its advice for anyone unsure: "A design professional (such as a licensed engineer) should be consulted if there is any uncertainty in the need for strengthening."

How much does cripple wall bracing cost?

FEMA calls plywood bracing and new anchor bolts "relatively simple and inexpensive measures." The published figures differ mostly by scope and by whether the house sits on a hillside.

Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional quote.

The program says cost depends on the house's size and location, the contractor's fees, and how much work is involved. Some foundations need more extensive work, which raises the price.

Who do I call before my deadline?

Call a general contractor who does seismic retrofits. FEMA tells homeowners to "seek and engage general contractors who specialize in this type of work," and recommends a licensed contractor over doing it yourself. In California, the Brace + Bolt program keeps a directory of licensed contractors trained by FEMA. They typically check whether a house qualifies for its grant for free, as part of an estimate.

Call a structural engineer instead for a hillside house or a brick or crumbling foundation. The engineering firm lists both as beyond the standard plans, and its crawl space visit also looks for rot, termite damage and signs the wall has moved. Fixr puts a seismic retrofit engineer's assessment fee at $100 to $300. A full structural evaluation of a hillside or brick foundation costs more.

Structural engineer inspection before buying covers what that visit includes. For getting either one out fast, see how to get repair estimates during the inspection period.

What should I ask the seller for?

Ask for the total on the contractor's written bid, and attach it. Name the scope: brace the cripple walls, bolt the sill to the foundation, and connect the top of the wall to the floor above. The engineering firm quoted above calls that last connection "the one most often missed by non-engineers," so check the bid includes it, along with the permit fee.

Say the house is 2,000 square feet. Fixr says most homeowners pay $7,000 to brace and bolt a house that size, and the table shows $1,000 to $3,000 more to anchor the wall to the floor above. Until the bid arrives, your line reads: "Brace cripple walls, bolt the sill to the foundation and anchor the wall to the floor above, licensed seismic retrofit contractor, $3,000 to $10,000 depending on scope, plus permit fee (Earthquake Brace + Bolt and Fixr figures in the table)." Swap in the bid total, permit fee included, the day it arrives.

What to ask for after a home inspection shows how this line fits with the rest of your list. The buyer repair request letter template has the wording.

• Ask for a credit if you want to pick the contractor and control the work after you move in.
• Ask for the repair if you want it done before you own the house. Then get a copy of the signed-off permit before closing. FEMA says "building permits are always required when performing the work described in this advisory."

A seller's claim of past work needs the same paper. If that work went through Brace + Bolt, also get its verification number.

What if the seller says no?

Then decide whether to pay for it yourself or leave. Most inspection contingencies let you cancel inside the window. Your contract sets the exact dates and terms, so confirm with your agent or attorney. When to walk away after a home inspection walks through that choice.

If you stay, the Brace + Bolt program offers qualifying California homeowners up to $3,000 toward the retrofit. Income-eligible households can get a supplemental grant that "may pay up to 100 percent of the cost of the retrofit as long as funds are available." Registration opens for a limited time each year and covers wood-framed, pre-1980 homes with a raised foundation. Treat it as money you might get after closing, never as part of your ask.

Will a retrofit lower my earthquake insurance?

In California, it can. The California Earthquake Authority offers "up to a 25% discount" on its earthquake premium for houses that meet its criteria and have been retrofitted. The work has to be verified on its retrofit form, or with a Brace + Bolt verification number. Ask your insurance agent before your deadline what paperwork they need.

Does bracing make the house earthquake-proof?

No. FEMA says its standard bracing plans are "intended to reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of potential damage in future earthquakes." Other weak points, such as a room over a garage, are separate items for the contractor or engineer.

How do I know what the rest of my report is worth?

The retrofit bid covers the crawl space, but your report has other lines. If the cripple wall is one finding among many, upload your inspection report to Kept and spend your remaining days on the retrofit contractor's visit.

Sources

• FEMA, Earthquake Strengthening of Cripple Walls in Wood-Frame Dwellings (P-1024 RA2)
• California Residential Mitigation Program, Earthquake Brace + Bolt retrofit
• California Earthquake Authority, premium discounts
• UC Davis, seismic behavior of level and stepped cripple walls
• JMV Consulting Structural Engineers, cripple wall bracing and foundation bolting
• Fixr, earthquake retrofit cost
• Wikipedia, Pony wall
• Wikipedia, Wall stud