How to manage drawing revisions on a construction site

What is a drawing revision, and how is it different from a permit amendment?

A revision is a change to an approved drawing sheet (pafta) that is reissued as a new version. Most site revisions start with a clash: a riser hits a beam, a door swing hits a column, the finish in the room schedule does not match the plan. The architect fixes it, the sheet comes back with a new version, and the site builds to that version.

In Türkiye there is a second, formal track: the tadilat projesi (amended permit drawings). It is needed when a change alters the drawings attached to the building permit (ruhsat). Those drawings go to the municipality or provincial directorate for approval and the permit is updated. Every permit amendment is a revision, but most revisions never leave the project team: a grout colour, a ceiling detail or a joinery position is an internal revision.

Sort a change into the right track on day one. An internal revision can close in days. A permit amendment needs designer signatures, review by the yapı denetim firm (the licensed third-party building inspector every Turkish project must appoint) and the authority's approval, and the affected work waits until then.

When does a change need an amended permit in Türkiye?

Under the Planned Areas Zoning Regulation (Planlı Alanlar İmar Yönetmeliği, art. 4/(y)), any change that affects the load-bearing structure, the construction area, floor area ratio, footprint, the number or area of independent units, common areas, the use, or the permit drawings is a "major alteration" and needs a permit. Zoning Law 3194, art. 21, exempts plaster, paint, joinery, floor and ceiling finishes, electrical and plumbing repairs and other non-structural alterations. Art. 59 of the same regulation also exempts interior design changes and room schedule changes that do not affect the structure or fire safety.

Who raises and who approves a revision on site?

The person who finds the problem raises it, the şantiye şefi (site manager, the legally responsible engineer on a Turkish site) filters it, and the designer decides. Field engineers, foremen and subcontractors raise requests with a photo and a measurement. The site manager approves or rejects them with a reason. The architect or the structural, mechanical or electrical designer answers and, if needed, issues a new sheet version. The project manager or client representative signs off anything with a cost or time impact. Keep one rule: everything going to the architect passes through the site manager, and everything coming back is written and versioned.

What goes into a revision log?

A revision log (revizyon föyü) is one numbered list of every revision on the project. Each line answers: what changed, on which sheet and version, who asked, who approved, which work is affected, and what it costs in money and days.

The rows are examples. Never leave "approved by", "affected work" or "cost" blank: an empty cell is later read as "no impact".

Rev A/B or dates: how should versions be named?

Consistency matters more than the scheme. Letters (Rev C) are short but hide the date. Numbers (R02) sort well in file names. Dates end the "which one is newer" argument on site but cannot separate two issues on the same day. A practical combination is sheet number, revision code and ISO date in the file name (A-101_R03_2026-11-12), plus one line per version in the title block revision table. Never send drafts to site.

What happens when superseded drawings stay on site?

Building from the wrong sheet is the most expensive revision failure: formwork, pipework or tiling done to an old version is usually spotted only when the next trade starts, and then demolition, wasted material and lost labour arrive together. Keep a distribution list of who holds which printed sheet, swap prints against it, stamp or collect old copies, do not treat PDFs in messaging groups as a source, and check the crew's sheet version before pours, screeds and tiling.

How do you tie a revision to cost and schedule?

Ask two questions when the line is opened: how much extra work, and which activity does it extend. Note the log number on the budget line and agree extra work with the subcontractor in writing; on Turkish public contracts, extra work is capped by Law 4735, art. 24. If the affected activity is on the critical path, the finish date moves; otherwise the delay is absorbed up to its total float. See the schedule and critical path guide and the progress payment guide.

What is the step-by-step flow?

1. Site finding. Mark the location, photo and measurement; stop the affected work if needed.
2. Site manager approval. Real revision or misread drawing? Approve and forward, or reject with a reason.
3. Designer answer. Technical answer, and a call on internal revision versus permit amendment.
4. New version. New code and date, title block table updated, version written in the log.
5. Distribution. Everyone on the list gets it; cost and time go into the budget and schedule.
6. Old sheet removed, line closed. Old prints collected or stamped, work checked against the new version.

Checklist

• Every revision has a number, date, sheet and version.
• Requester and approver are written down; no verbal approvals.
• Permit-level changes are flagged and not built before approval.
• Title block tables match the log.
• Old prints collected or stamped.
• Cost in the budget, time in the schedule, extra work agreed in writing.

How does this work in Santix?

In Santix a revision request is a pin on the drawing: the field engineer marks the spot and adds a photo or voice note. It goes to the site manager for approval, then to the architect, who replies with a note and, if needed, uploads a new version of the sheet; the site manager closes it. Each step sends a notification. When a new version is uploaded, pins move to it with their drawing coordinates kept, and you can overlay two versions to compare them. Santix does not calculate cost or time impact for you: you update the budget and schedule yourself. More on the revision tracking page. The app interface is in Turkish.

Sources

• Zoning Law No. 3194, arts. 21, 29, 32
• Planned Areas Zoning Regulation, arts. 4/(i), 4/(y), 58, 59
• Building Inspection Law No. 4708, art. 2
• Public Procurement Contracts Law No. 4735, art. 24

Legislation checked on 13 November 2026.