Two recently updated ASTM International standards for seismic risk assessment of buildings, intended to increase the quality of SRA reports, could also cause an uptick in inspection costs. For the first time, the SRA standards mandate that the field assessor who visits the building is an experienced, licensed civil or structural engineer. The requirement will increase the cost of a report and may result in a shortage of qualified engineers to perform SRAs, say some report providers.

“This is a significant step that will provide guidance and, ultimately, will allow the provider community to behave more consistently from firm to firm. But it does require more work, and the price will go up,” says Joe Derhake, CEO of Partner Engineering and Science, which is a provider of the reports.