Reinforcing the building or demolishing and rebuilding?

The decision for reinforcement cannot be made without examining the load-bearing system of the existing structure, material properties, ground data, irregularities and damage status. Relevant engineering work; It should reveal with which interventions the structure can achieve the targeted earthquake performance, the effect and applicability of the intervention on the foundations and carrier system.

Methods such as column sheathing, curtain addition or foundation intervention are not solutions on their own. The result of the interventions in the overall building behavior should be calculated; The feasibility and controllability of the manufacturing within the current use should be evaluated. The role of the architect is to make visible the effects of these technical interventions on the plan, circulation and living spaces.

• Carrier system and current project information
• Material, soil and damage data
• Targeted performance and calculation method
• Solving foundation and superstructure interventions together
• The application can be audited in the field

Decision thresholdThe retrofit offer should not be included in the price comparison without proving technical suitability.

A method name or preliminary price does not replace the engineering project prepared specifically for the structure.

According to the current statement of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, if the risky building is to be strengthened instead of demolished, it must be determined that it is technically possible to strengthen it within the demolition period given to the owners. The written consent of four fifths of all flat owners must be obtained as stated in Article 19 of the Flat Ownership Law; A reinforcement project must be prepared and a permit must be obtained within the scope of zoning legislation.

Strengthening is not completed only with the decision report. After the application is completed within the period and inspection conditions determined by the administration that issued the license, an application is made to the relevant directorate to remove the risky structure indication in the land registry. Files with court decisions, different ownership structures or protection status should be handled by independent lawyers and competent administration.

The priority of the retrofit project is structural performance. Inadequate plumbing, waterproofing, fire safety, elevator, accessibility, energy performance, parking and planning problems in the old building are not automatically solved with the same intervention. Additions to load-bearing elements can make some rooms smaller, narrow the circulation, or affect the façade and plumbing layout.

For this reason, the retrofit scope and the simultaneous renewal scope should be budgeted separately. Structural project, architectural adaptation, mechanical and electrical installations, fire precautions, finishing works in common areas and independent sections should be seen in a single coordination plan. Otherwise, the price that seems low in the first contract may turn into a lot of additional work during implementation.

The option of demolishing and rebuilding gives the opportunity to install the entire structure, from the carrier system to the installation, within the framework of the current project. In return, the demolition, new project, license, construction, temporary housing and financing processes are broader. The number of flats, independent section areas and common areas of the new building are shaped according to the current zoning plan, plan notes, drawing distances and other legislation.

It is not a guarantee that the area or protrusions used today by the existing building will be preserved exactly as they are in the new project. The current zoning conditions of the parcel, the need for abandonment or unification, common areas such as parking lots and shelters, and the project standard should be considered at the feasibility stage. Contractor offers are only meaningful when compared based on the same zoning and project acceptances.

• Current zoning status and plan notes
• Parcel area, drawing distances and construction conditions
• Common areas, parking lots, shelters and technical volumes
• Independent sections that will fall to the owners and contractors
• Project, license, eviction, rent and construction schedule

The decision table should not include only the bid price of the contractor or reinforcement company. Project and permit, technical research, evacuation, rent, moving, financing, installation and finishing works, unexpected expense reserve and post-delivery maintenance should be processed in the same timeline. The scope and assumption under which each figure is given should be written.

Even if retrofit is technically possible, the building may have reached the end of its functional life, the plan may be impractical, or the cost of simultaneous renovation may be high. Reconstruction, on the other hand, may increase financing and delivery risks while providing a more qualified result. The right decision brings together the technical evidence specific to the building and the life and financial priorities of the owners in the same file.