Let’s speculate effect of a massive earthquake on RE and CA economy.

[bdc0]

When buying, getting something built with better building codes is good. Is there a time they changed a lot? If so, when? I tried Google, but no luck. I’m sure there are various minor changes, I’m thinking of something such as “two years after the xx earthquake, building codes were upgraded to require more [good stuff]”.

[Scarlett]

Maybe I should stay away from the houses built before mid70s!!! I don’t know why I haven’t thought about it. I am paranoid about earthquakes too, since I survived a big one (not in US). That pretty much excludeds UC, Clairemont, San Carlos.

[Scarlett]

Maybe I should stay away from the houses built before mid70s!!! I don’t know why I haven’t thought about it. I am paranoid about earthquakes too, since I survived a big one (not in US). That pretty much excludeds UC, Clairemont, San Carlos.

[Scarlett]

Maybe I should stay away from the houses built before mid70s!!! I don’t know why I haven’t thought about it. I am paranoid about earthquakes too, since I survived a big one (not in US). That pretty much excludeds UC, Clairemont, San Carlos.

[Scarlett]

Maybe I should stay away from the houses built before mid70s!!! I don’t know why I haven’t thought about it. I am paranoid about earthquakes too, since I survived a big one (not in US). That pretty much excludeds UC, Clairemont, San Carlos.

[Scarlett]

Maybe I should stay away from the houses built before mid70s!!! I don’t know why I haven’t thought about it. I am paranoid about earthquakes too, since I survived a big one (not in US). That pretty much excludeds UC, Clairemont, San Carlos.

[UCGal]

[quote=bdc0]When buying, getting something built with better building codes is good. Is there a time they changed a lot? If so, when? I tried Google, but no luck. I’m sure there are various minor changes, I’m thinking of something such as “two years after the xx earthquake, building codes were upgraded to require more [good stuff]”.[/quote]

I asked my husband (architect) and he said the big seismic building requirements happened in the early 70’s following a big earthquake in San Fernando Valley in 1971.

Our house was built in the 60’s… hubby has been going through, methodically, adding diagonal bracing, sheer walls (plywood replacing sheetrock), more bolts to the foundation and strapping. He’s a bit paranoid. LOL.

A little more digging since you asked for specifics.

1971 was the Sylmar earthquake in the San Fernando. It triggered changes in Hospital and School requirements (including retrofitting). It also triggered LA to go in and require retrofitting of masonry and brick buildings.
http://www.bsc.ca.gov/abt_bsc/abt_hstry.htm

1994 was the Northridge earthquake – that triggered retrofit and new codes required for bridges and connecting structures (notice how the supports for freeway overpasses are now covered in steel.) It also changed the rules for wood framed structures 3 stories or higher. (More steel required if it’s 3 or more stories)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Northridge_earthquake

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/california-building-codes-earthquakes-2592.html

Basically – around the mid 70’s things got a lot more earthquake resistant. And even moreso after 1994.

[UCGal]

[quote=bdc0]When buying, getting something built with better building codes is good. Is there a time they changed a lot? If so, when? I tried Google, but no luck. I’m sure there are various minor changes, I’m thinking of something such as “two years after the xx earthquake, building codes were upgraded to require more [good stuff]”.[/quote]

I asked my husband (architect) and he said the big seismic building requirements happened in the early 70’s following a big earthquake in San Fernando Valley in 1971.

Our house was built in the 60’s… hubby has been going through, methodically, adding diagonal bracing, sheer walls (plywood replacing sheetrock), more bolts to the foundation and strapping. He’s a bit paranoid. LOL.

A little more digging since you asked for specifics.

1971 was the Sylmar earthquake in the San Fernando. It triggered changes in Hospital and School requirements (including retrofitting). It also triggered LA to go in and require retrofitting of masonry and brick buildings.
http://www.bsc.ca.gov/abt_bsc/abt_hstry.htm

1994 was the Northridge earthquake – that triggered retrofit and new codes required for bridges and connecting structures (notice how the supports for freeway overpasses are now covered in steel.) It also changed the rules for wood framed structures 3 stories or higher. (More steel required if it’s 3 or more stories)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Northridge_earthquake

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/california-building-codes-earthquakes-2592.html

Basically – around the mid 70’s things got a lot more earthquake resistant. And even moreso after 1994.

[UCGal]

[quote=bdc0]When buying, getting something built with better building codes is good. Is there a time they changed a lot? If so, when? I tried Google, but no luck. I’m sure there are various minor changes, I’m thinking of something such as “two years after the xx earthquake, building codes were upgraded to require more [good stuff]”.[/quote]

I asked my husband (architect) and he said the big seismic building requirements happened in the early 70’s following a big earthquake in San Fernando Valley in 1971.

Our house was built in the 60’s… hubby has been going through, methodically, adding diagonal bracing, sheer walls (plywood replacing sheetrock), more bolts to the foundation and strapping. He’s a bit paranoid. LOL.

A little more digging since you asked for specifics.

1971 was the Sylmar earthquake in the San Fernando. It triggered changes in Hospital and School requirements (including retrofitting). It also triggered LA to go in and require retrofitting of masonry and brick buildings.
http://www.bsc.ca.gov/abt_bsc/abt_hstry.htm

1994 was the Northridge earthquake – that triggered retrofit and new codes required for bridges and connecting structures (notice how the supports for freeway overpasses are now covered in steel.) It also changed the rules for wood framed structures 3 stories or higher. (More steel required if it’s 3 or more stories)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Northridge_earthquake

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/california-building-codes-earthquakes-2592.html

Basically – around the mid 70’s things got a lot more earthquake resistant. And even moreso after 1994.

[UCGal]

[quote=bdc0]When buying, getting something built with better building codes is good. Is there a time they changed a lot? If so, when? I tried Google, but no luck. I’m sure there are various minor changes, I’m thinking of something such as “two years after the xx earthquake, building codes were upgraded to require more [good stuff]”.[/quote]

I asked my husband (architect) and he said the big seismic building requirements happened in the early 70’s following a big earthquake in San Fernando Valley in 1971.

Our house was built in the 60’s… hubby has been going through, methodically, adding diagonal bracing, sheer walls (plywood replacing sheetrock), more bolts to the foundation and strapping. He’s a bit paranoid. LOL.

A little more digging since you asked for specifics.

1971 was the Sylmar earthquake in the San Fernando. It triggered changes in Hospital and School requirements (including retrofitting). It also triggered LA to go in and require retrofitting of masonry and brick buildings.
http://www.bsc.ca.gov/abt_bsc/abt_hstry.htm

1994 was the Northridge earthquake – that triggered retrofit and new codes required for bridges and connecting structures (notice how the supports for freeway overpasses are now covered in steel.) It also changed the rules for wood framed structures 3 stories or higher. (More steel required if it’s 3 or more stories)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Northridge_earthquake

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/california-building-codes-earthquakes-2592.html

Basically – around the mid 70’s things got a lot more earthquake resistant. And even moreso after 1994.

[UCGal]

[quote=bdc0]When buying, getting something built with better building codes is good. Is there a time they changed a lot? If so, when? I tried Google, but no luck. I’m sure there are various minor changes, I’m thinking of something such as “two years after the xx earthquake, building codes were upgraded to require more [good stuff]”.[/quote]

I asked my husband (architect) and he said the big seismic building requirements happened in the early 70’s following a big earthquake in San Fernando Valley in 1971.

Our house was built in the 60’s… hubby has been going through, methodically, adding diagonal bracing, sheer walls (plywood replacing sheetrock), more bolts to the foundation and strapping. He’s a bit paranoid. LOL.

A little more digging since you asked for specifics.

1971 was the Sylmar earthquake in the San Fernando. It triggered changes in Hospital and School requirements (including retrofitting). It also triggered LA to go in and require retrofitting of masonry and brick buildings.
http://www.bsc.ca.gov/abt_bsc/abt_hstry.htm

1994 was the Northridge earthquake – that triggered retrofit and new codes required for bridges and connecting structures (notice how the supports for freeway overpasses are now covered in steel.) It also changed the rules for wood framed structures 3 stories or higher. (More steel required if it’s 3 or more stories)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Northridge_earthquake

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/california-building-codes-earthquakes-2592.html

Basically – around the mid 70’s things got a lot more earthquake resistant. And even moreso after 1994.

[UCGal]

Scarlett –
my husband, being from the east coast (Philly), was SUPER paranoid about earthquakes when we moved here. He has since 100% changed his paranoia to fires.

There are things you can do to retrofit an older house. We haven’t spent much at all… (of course Hubby is doing the work.) It’s mainly just fixing things if we open a wall for some other reason.

That said – some of the classic mid-century features are things you need to consider for seismic… walls of bricks or stone around a fireplace wall… Hubby took out a lot of our brick around the fireplace to remove the weight – and then put wire and stucco over the remainder (more tuscan than mid-60’s now)… so that if an earthquake happens that brick won’t come landing in our living room and konk someone in the head.

As I said – my husband has shifted his previous paranoia from earthquakes to fire. (We’re right above San Clemente and have a deep canyon off shoot near our house). So now it’s about fire hardening the house… smaller screens on the soffit vents, nothing flamable right next to the house…

You can ALWAYS find a reason to decide against a house or neighborhood. But a lot of the issues can be addressed.

[UCGal]

Scarlett –
my husband, being from the east coast (Philly), was SUPER paranoid about earthquakes when we moved here. He has since 100% changed his paranoia to fires.

There are things you can do to retrofit an older house. We haven’t spent much at all… (of course Hubby is doing the work.) It’s mainly just fixing things if we open a wall for some other reason.

That said – some of the classic mid-century features are things you need to consider for seismic… walls of bricks or stone around a fireplace wall… Hubby took out a lot of our brick around the fireplace to remove the weight – and then put wire and stucco over the remainder (more tuscan than mid-60’s now)… so that if an earthquake happens that brick won’t come landing in our living room and konk someone in the head.

As I said – my husband has shifted his previous paranoia from earthquakes to fire. (We’re right above San Clemente and have a deep canyon off shoot near our house). So now it’s about fire hardening the house… smaller screens on the soffit vents, nothing flamable right next to the house…

You can ALWAYS find a reason to decide against a house or neighborhood. But a lot of the issues can be addressed.

[UCGal]

Scarlett –
my husband, being from the east coast (Philly), was SUPER paranoid about earthquakes when we moved here. He has since 100% changed his paranoia to fires.

There are things you can do to retrofit an older house. We haven’t spent much at all… (of course Hubby is doing the work.) It’s mainly just fixing things if we open a wall for some other reason.

That said – some of the classic mid-century features are things you need to consider for seismic… walls of bricks or stone around a fireplace wall… Hubby took out a lot of our brick around the fireplace to remove the weight – and then put wire and stucco over the remainder (more tuscan than mid-60’s now)… so that if an earthquake happens that brick won’t come landing in our living room and konk someone in the head.

As I said – my husband has shifted his previous paranoia from earthquakes to fire. (We’re right above San Clemente and have a deep canyon off shoot near our house). So now it’s about fire hardening the house… smaller screens on the soffit vents, nothing flamable right next to the house…

You can ALWAYS find a reason to decide against a house or neighborhood. But a lot of the issues can be addressed.

[UCGal]

Scarlett –
my husband, being from the east coast (Philly), was SUPER paranoid about earthquakes when we moved here. He has since 100% changed his paranoia to fires.

There are things you can do to retrofit an older house. We haven’t spent much at all… (of course Hubby is doing the work.) It’s mainly just fixing things if we open a wall for some other reason.

That said – some of the classic mid-century features are things you need to consider for seismic… walls of bricks or stone around a fireplace wall… Hubby took out a lot of our brick around the fireplace to remove the weight – and then put wire and stucco over the remainder (more tuscan than mid-60’s now)… so that if an earthquake happens that brick won’t come landing in our living room and konk someone in the head.

As I said – my husband has shifted his previous paranoia from earthquakes to fire. (We’re right above San Clemente and have a deep canyon off shoot near our house). So now it’s about fire hardening the house… smaller screens on the soffit vents, nothing flamable right next to the house…

You can ALWAYS find a reason to decide against a house or neighborhood. But a lot of the issues can be addressed.

[Author]

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