• Strength. Confidence. Peace of Mind.

    J. David Ford Construction specializes in all residential seismic retrofitting, foundation repair, replacement, and structural repairs. With over 30 years experience in the Bay Area, J. David Ford has the knowledge, experience and resources to provide you with the highest quality work at the greatest value.

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SERVICES

Seismic Retrofitting

J. David Ford Construction offers a full range of seismic retrofitting services to East Bay residents.  A sound seismic retrofit will prevent the tremendous damage that can be caused by a strong earthquake.

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Foundation Repair & Replacement

A seismic retrofit is only as strong as the foundation upon which it is installed.  J. David Ford has the knowledge and experience to repair and/or replace concrete foundations in conjunction with a seismic retrofit.

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Structural Repair

As homes age and are exposed to the elements, the likelihood of structural damage increases.  J. David Ford knows the importance of addressing and preventing conditions that lead to significant damage.

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About J. David Ford

J. David Ford started his training as a teenager working as a carpenter in the construction industry.  After working in all aspects of remodeling and new home construction, he became a licensed General Contractor in1977.  Dave works closely with engineers and Home Inspectors and is recognized by his colleagues as one of the leading structural and seismic contractors in the East Bay...

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People Trust Us To

Protect Their Home
  • J David Ford was a great choice for our retrofit work. We interviewed a few contractors, but easily David was the most informed and helpful. And he and his team are just great people, good to work with. I felt 100% satisfied with the work they did. His depth of experience was clear as he walked us through the different options, and at every step of the way he was right on top of the job, what...
    David K.
    Berkeley, CA
  • At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I, too, cannot recommend Dave Ford highly enough. He's the kind of contractor you usually only dream about: knowledgable, accountable, involved in the details, easy to reach, willing to explore multiple options and truly enjoys sharing and helping the customer through what can be some upsetting and confusing situations: drainage and foundation...
    Margan M.
    Oakland, CA
  • Superb:  We highly recommend  and are  grateful for the excellent work  David  Ford did to structurally reinforce and earthquake -proof our home.  Not only was the job done on time, on budget, with integrity and  professionalism but communicaton was sterling.  David  is a pleasure to work with and he had a great working relationship with the structural engineer so that problem solving and...
    Barbara L.
    Oakland, CA
  • Dave Ford is by far the best contractor I have ever worked with. I hired him to do a seismic upgrade of our Oakland Hills home. Besides being very knowledgeable about what needed to be done, he was key in getting the engineer (Monty Stott) to finish the plans before the next big one hits the east bay!   Dave is a real gentleman with tons of integrity, way beyond you see in most people much less...
    Paul B.
    Oakland, CA
  • Service with integrity:  I'll second all these favorable reviews.  Dave Ford is extremely experienced, hard working, and a great communicator.  We did a soft story retrofit in a very tight spot (in a garage with little room to encroach onto).  He was patient and able to work with the city permitting process and the engineer (Dan Szumski) through some changes required by the city.  I would highly...
    Yoriko K.
    Palo Alto, CA
  • We interviewed a few earthquake retrofitting contractors before we chose David.  He was by far the most knowledgable and the best recommended of the contractors we considered.  He referred us to a great engineer who was reasonably priced, professional, and prompt.  David's team came and did the work as promised, on time and within budget.  All of the work was reviewed with us and explained in...
    Kathy O.
    Oakland, CA
  • David came out and spent a considerable amount of time helping us to understand a basement drainage issue. Other contractors had charged us to come out and look and provide little help, but David was thorough and smart and really helpful and he didn't charge us for his time which is unusual these days. I will definitely be recommending or using him in the future - he clearly has tons of...
    Rudy P.
    Berkeley, CA
  • I also can't say enough good things about Dave Ford & his crew- we just finished a retrofit on our home (split level, built in 1928 which is 1 mile from the Hayward fault) and I'm already sleeping better at night. We received numerous quotes from other well recommended contractors, but Dave came in the lowest and had the best references. He worked around our schedule and did the job quickly...
    Sarah H.
    Oakland, CA

Is Your Home Vulnerable?

Many homes in the Bay Area were built before Building Code standards for seismic strength were enacted.  Engineers have identified many well-known structural deficiencies that can be corrected with a sound seismic retrofit.  Studies and past experiences have demonstrated that wood frame homes that have been retrofitted can escape the devastating damage from an earthquake.

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FAQs

How do I know if my house needs retrofitting?
Do I need to hire an engineer in order to earthquake retrofit my home?
What are the main components of a seismic retrofit?
How disruptive will the earthquake retrofitting work be?