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Is my building earthquake-safe? How to find out, what to look for and who to ask

What the age of a building tells you about its earthquake resistance, the building types most at risk, warning signs to look for, where to find official seismic ratings and what owners, tenants and buyers can do.

Updated , 3 min read

In short

  • The year a building was designed matters: older seismic codes, or none at all, mean higher risk.
  • The types most at risk are unreinforced masonry, older non-ductile concrete frames and 'soft-story' buildings with open ground floors.
  • Many cities publish lists of assessed or retrofitted buildings; a structural engineer's assessment is the only definitive answer.
  • Whatever the result, securing furniture and knowing what to do in the first seconds reduces injuries dramatically.

In most deadly earthquakes, people aren’t killed by the shaking itself but by buildings that fail. The good news is that whether your home is at high risk isn’t a total mystery: the building’s age, type and condition say a lot, and in many places official information exists if you know where to look. This guide is general; for Romania, where official seismic risk classes and “red dot” buildings exist, see the Romania country page.

What the building’s age tells you

Seismic design codes have improved after almost every major earthquake. As a rough guide:

  • buildings designed before any seismic code in your country (often before the 1960s in Europe, and before the 1930s–1970s in much of the US, depending on the region) carry the highest risk;
  • buildings from the first generation of codes often underestimated the shaking or the need for ductile detailing;
  • buildings designed to modern codes (in Europe, Eurocode 8 and national equivalents; in the US, recent editions of the International Building Code) perform far better, though “code-compliant” means designed to protect lives, not to remain undamaged.

Age is a clue, not a verdict. A newer building with illegal alterations can be more dangerous than an older one that has been retrofitted.

The building types most at risk

  • Unreinforced masonry: brick or stone walls with no steel reinforcement, common in older town centers.
  • Older non-ductile concrete frames: concrete buildings from before modern detailing rules, which can fail suddenly.
  • Soft-story buildings: an open ground floor (parking, shops, big windows) beneath heavier floors.
  • Buildings with later additions: extra floors or attic apartments added without strengthening the structure.

Warning signs

  • cracks in columns, beams or structural walls (not just plaster), especially X-shaped or widening cracks;
  • ground-floor shops where walls or columns have been cut or thinned;
  • long-term leaks that have rusted the reinforcement (spalling concrete, exposed steel);
  • visible tilting, or doors that no longer close after a past earthquake.

Report any of these to the building manager or owner and ask for an engineer’s assessment.

Where to find official information

  • Your city or municipality: many publish lists of buildings that have been assessed, ordered to retrofit or already strengthened.
  • The building’s own documents: owners’ associations and landlords may hold structural drawings and past assessments.
  • Schools and hospitals: in many countries, seismic assessments of public buildings are published or available on request.

What owners, tenants and buyers can do

  1. Owners and associations: commission an assessment from a licensed structural engineer and ask the local authority about retrofit programs and grants.
  2. Tenants: ask about the building’s age, assessment and retrofit history before signing.
  3. Buyers: include the seismic history in your due diligence, and check whether home insurance covers earthquake damage.

Whatever the answer

Frequently asked questions

My building isn't on any list. Does that mean it's safe?

Not necessarily. Lists usually include only buildings that have been assessed or that fall under a specific retrofit program. Many older buildings have never been evaluated. The construction year, the structure and any alterations give you first clues; a structural assessment gives the real answer.

What is a soft-story building?

A building whose ground floor is much weaker than the floors above, typically because it's open for parking, shops or large windows with few walls. In an earthquake, that floor can collapse first. Several California cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, have required many such buildings to be retrofitted.

As a tenant, what can I ask before renting?

Ask the landlord or agent when the building was built, whether it has had a seismic assessment or retrofit and, in cities with official ratings, what rating it has. In Bucharest, for example, buildings in the highest risk class are publicly listed and some are marked with a red dot.

Can a shop cutting through a ground-floor wall really matter?

Yes. Ground-floor walls and columns carry the weight of the whole building and resist the earthquake's movement. Any structural change needs a design, an engineer and a permit. If you suspect unauthorized work, report it to the local building authority.

Sources and further reading

Preper is for general education and does not replace instructions from your local authorities or advice from a doctor. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

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