How do I know if the building I want to live in is built properly or not?

First of all you must check is there any As-built drawings certified by a Structural Engineer and/or any other warranties provided by the contractor. If you are able to find those documents, most of the time your building will be safe.

Secondly you can check it physically. There you can check following

1. Soil quality and the foundation -  Check whether the type of foundation provided is suitable for soil condition or . Also check for the foundation failures. Foundation is the most important part of a building.
2. Then check the superstructure. carefully check the slabs, beams, walls and columns. check whether is there any cracks appeared. If there are cracks appeared decide whether they are structural cracks or other cracks (mostly thermal cracks). You have to worry about structural cracks. But thermal cracks can be repaired easily and they are not critical.
3. Also concern about the finishing of the building. 
4. Then roof shall be checked. If it is a tile roof or sheet roof, you have to examine the roof supporting frame. If roof slab provided, you can simply check as described above (2).

These are the major items you should go through. In addition to that you have to check the sewerage and drainage systems.

I would primarily start with the health issues, such as properly applied DPC membranes to prevent indoor rising damp. The drainage around the abode should function perfectly, thus stopping water from attacking the foundations and stagnating. Perfect waste water or sewage evacuation is a must. Check that the surrounding walls insulation is adequate. Double glazing facade doors and windows is a must. It is highly recommended that cooling/heating cost factors be reduced to a minimum. Therefore a reversible (preferably inverter) heat pump system should do the trick, especially in parts of the continent where all four seasons are existant. Central A/C is not a must and could be efficiently replaced by individually controlled elements (either wall-mounted or consoles). All electrical works, including any or all control panels should be looked into by a certified electrical contractor. All sanitaryware should be clear of calcium deposits. It is preferable that the hot water be generated by the above heat exchanger. With regards to the structure itself. Look carefully for any unusual cracks (especially those that are wider than a milimeter). Should your home be semi-detached, it would be preferable for it to be so, but with your garages touching rather than the living premises. Roofs should be checked for leakage, and gutters cleared from any items that would create blockages.

Swimming pool? The pump should be in perfect order. Skimmers should each (if more than one) have individual outlets / taps leading to the pre-filter, making it easier in case of eventual repair. A robot should preferably be used as it would roll up the walls and climb up stairs, if any. Timer should allow you to filter your pool at any time you decide.

I hope this answers your question.

I think the most important thing check the infrastructure as possible. Like a cracks or water. All of these based on the soil under the building. There are some well-known examples of structural failures that resulted from a lack of soil knowledge. One of the most famous is the Leaning Tower of Pisa. In addition to managing drainage