The Salt Lake City Fix The Bricks Guide: Requirements & Qualifications
- srcustommasonry
- May 5
- 4 min read
The numerous historic communities in SLC are a major part of the city’s charm, but without modern construction, these homes are at risk of damage during an earthquake. The Salt Lake City Fix the Bricks program is a public safety initiative designed to protect homeowners and neighborhoods from the devastating effects of earthquakes. Focused on retrofitting older homes built with unreinforced masonry, the program helps reduce the risk of structural collapse during seismic events.
If you live in a home that was built before 1975, you may be eligible for financial assistance for a seismic retrofit. Read on to learn more about Fix the Bricks in Salt Lake City and how to apply. If you’re looking for a contractor for your seismic retrofit, S&R Custom Masonry can help. We’ll reinforce your masonry to provide peace of mind in case of an earthquake.
What is the Salt Lake City Fix the Bricks Campaign?
The Salt Lake City Fix the Bricks campaign is a program initiated by Salt Lake City to improve the earthquake resilience of older homes constructed with unreinforced masonry. Although there haven’t been any high magnitude earthquakes in recent years, the Wasatch Front is at major risk of a 6.75 or greater magnitude earthquake in the next 50 years.
Homes built before 1975 are particularly susceptible to collapse during seismic events because they don’t have any internal steel reinforcement. Fix the Bricks in Salt Lake City offers financial assistance to eligible homeowners, covering up to 75% of the costs of a seismic retrofit.
Who Qualifies?
In order to qualify for a Salt Lake City seismic retrofit, you must meet the following criteria:
Be a resident of Salt Lake City
Own a home made of unreinforced masonry that was built before 1975.
Program Requirements
The Fix the Bricks in Salt Lake City program provides financial assistance of up to 75% for seismic retrofits. The requirements of the program include:
Your home must be an Unreinforced Masonry (URM) structure.
Your home must have been built before 1975.
The building must be a residential home, either single-family or a qualifying multi-family.
You must own and live in the home.
The home must be in Salt Lake City.
The work must be performed by approved contractors familiar with URM retrofits.
What Is an Unreinforced Masonry Home?
An Unreinforced Masonry home is a type of building constructed with brick, block, or stone walls that do not have internal steel reinforcement. These homes were commonly built before modern seismic codes were established and are vulnerable to earthquakes.
Characteristics of a URM home include:
Walls made of brick or block with no steel reinforcing bars (rebar) inside.
Often built with mortar that has degraded over time.
May lack proper anchorage between walls, floors, and the roof.
Chimneys are often tall and unbraced, posing a collapse risk.
Foundations may be shallow or made of stone/concrete without reinforcements.
URM homes are dangerous in earthquakes. The walls may crack, separate, or collapse under side-to-side seismic forces. Roofs and floors can pull away from walls, causing the home to collapse, and chimneys can topple, endangering anyone nearby.
How to Apply
If you own a URM home built before 1975 in SLC, you can apply for a Salt Lake City seismic retrofit through the city’s Housing Stability Division’s website. Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. Because of high demand and limited funding, new applicants are placed on a waitlist, with current wait times at around 10 years. When you’re off the waitlist, staff from the program will contact you with the next steps.
What Are the Priorities?
Currently, the Fix the Bricks program has two priorities: roof-to-wall connections and chimney bracing reinforcements. Both securing the roof to the walls and reinforcing chimneys can prevent collapse during an earthquake.
How Much Does It Cost?
The cost of a seismic retrofit depends on the size of your home, the complexity of the job, and whether or not your home needs any historical restoration. The average total cost for a Salt Lake City seismic retrofit for a 2,500 sq. ft. home is around $20,000. The program covers up to 75% of that cost, which would leave about $5,000 for you to cover. Retrofits for smaller homes may range between $7,000 and $12,000.
Salt Lake City Fix the Bricks Conclusion
If you’re living in an unreinforced masonry home in SLC, you’re in danger of your home collapsing during a major earthquake. Fix the Bricks in Salt Lake City offers financial assistance for reinforcing your home to make it earthquake-safe. The program has a long waitlist of up to 10 years, but it’s worth it for the peace of mind.
If your home needs a seismic retrofit, you need masonry contractors you can trust. At S&R Custom Masonry, we’ll work with you to reinforce your home so you stay safe in an earthquake. With years of experience across the Wasatch Front, we offer expertise and a dedication to quality craftsmanship. Contact us today for an estimate!
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