Building Renovation & Seismic Strengthening

Not every at-risk building has to be demolished. Where the performance analysis concludes "can be strengthened", building strengthening brings the existing structure up to the Turkish Seismic Code (TBDY 2018) without demolition — and usually without residents moving out. Savaş Grup A.Ş. delivers analysis, strengthening design, permits and execution under one contract, with façade, services, thermal insulation and interior renewal completed in the same project. On a typical apartment block the works take 3–6 months, and 6–9 months in total from analysis to handover.

Strengthen or Rebuild?

The right decision rests on the seismic performance analysis of a licensed institution. If the report says "demolition required", rebuilding is the only route; if it says "can be strengthened", these criteria apply:

We walk through the decision table with examples in strengthen or rebuild in Ankara. If the decision is to rebuild, our urban renewal solutions team takes over under the same contract structure.

Strengthening Methods We Apply

• Added reinforced-concrete shear walls — new walls and foundation ties on the existing frame; the most common and most effective method.
• Carbon-fibre (CFRP) wrapping — ductility increase in columns and beams; fast, applied without vacating; not sufficient alone for heavily damaged members.
• Column and beam jacketing — strength increase by enlarging sections.
• Steel bracing and frame reinforcement — economical for masonry and low-rise concrete buildings.
• Foundation strengthening — footing enlargement, micro-piles or grouting where the ground is problematic.
• Soft-storey and short-column correction — the typical weaknesses of blocks with ground-floor shops.

Scope: From Analysis to a Renewed Building

• Core samples, rebar detection, ground data; performance analysis report and provincial-directorate process
• Strengthening (structural), architectural and services design; municipal permit
• Floor-by-floor work programme; phasing that lets residents stay
• Strengthening works with independent building inspection
• Building renewal: façade and external insulation, roof, waterproofing, services, lift, common areas
• Testing, reporting and removal of the "at-risk building" annotation from the title deed

Process and Timeline

1. Preliminary review (1 week) — existing drawings and building data.
2. Performance analysis (3–5 weeks) — licensed institution report.
3. Owners' decision and contract — quantity-based proposal, progress-payment plan.
4. Strengthening design and permit (1–2 months).
5. Execution (3–6 months) — shear walls / CFRP / jacketing; renewal works in parallel.
6. Inspection and handover — inspection report, annotation removal.

For a typical 8–10-storey block the total is 6–9 months; rebuilding the same building takes 18–24 months.

Three Points Often Confused

• Loss of floor area: added shear walls usually take 1–3 m² inside a flat; CFRP takes none. We plan accordingly.
• Support: the Ministry's strengthening loans and rent support also apply to strengthening, but Istanbul's "Half on Us" covers demolition and rebuild only — see Istanbul urban renewal 2026.
• As safe as a new building? The target performance level is set by TBDY 2018; a properly designed strengthening delivers the safety level the code requires. Our engineering criteria are summarised in modern engineering for earthquake-safe housing.

Why Savaş Grup?

• One contract: analysis, design, permits, strengthening and renewal in the same team.
• No-evacuation phasing: in most projects residents stay in the building.
• Transparent quantity-based proposals and progress-based payments.
• 27+ years, ISO 9001: certified quality control on strengthening and renewal projects, with concrete and CFRP application records.

Where We Work

From our Istanbul base we work across Türkiye — above all with owners' assemblies in Istanbul, Ankara (Çankaya, Keçiören, the Etimesgut cooperative estates) and İzmir. Share your building's performance report, or let us commission it together; we will prepare a free comparative budget for both options and your proposal.