Building inspection

Building inspection, or yapı denetim in Turkey, is the process of checking that a building complies with the regulations, its approved drawings and technical standards, from design through to occupancy. In Turkey this work is carried out by licensed building inspection firms acting on behalf of the state. Their working conditions and responsibilities are set by the relevant law and regulation.

What the inspection firm checks

Before the permit, the firm reviews the drawings. During construction, it checks critical stages on site such as foundations, formwork, reinforcement and concrete pours. Samples of materials like concrete and steel are taken and tested in a laboratory. The firm’s engineers and architects record the work in their own disciplines and report any breaches to the authority. The reports prepared at completion form part of the occupancy permit process.

Its relationship with the site

Building inspection does not replace the responsibility of the contractor or the site engineer; it is an independent layer of control on top of theirs. For architects, the lesson is simple: every change made on site has to be reflected in the inspection records. Moving a wall or enlarging a window without updating the drawings comes back as a problem at occupancy stage. If a revision is needed during construction, update and approve the drawings first, then build.