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The job title varies. In Ontario you'll meet building designers registered with the province, in Quebec technologists in architecture, and everywhere drafting services that turn sketches into clean, dimensioned drawings. For a large share of houses, the law lets these qualified people prepare the plans; beyond certain limits, or when the structure changes significantly, an architect or an engineer has to be involved.
Below you'll find what a designer typically draws, where the legal line with architects falls in Ontario and Quebec, what goes into a permit set, how to handle comments from the permit office and how to brief a designer so the first draft is close to right.
House plans, additions, permit drawings and as-built drawings: what an architectural designer prepares
Most mandates fall into a handful of categories. Some homeowners need a complete design from scratch; others already know what they want and only need drawings that a permit office and a contractor can work from.
- New house plans: a custom design or an adapted stock plan, drawn to suit your lot, its orientation and local zoning.
- Additions and second storeys: drawings that tie new construction into the existing house, usually coordinated with an engineer for beams and foundations.
- Garages, garden suites and accessory buildings: smaller projects that still need a site plan showing distances to the property lines.
- Interior alterations and basement units: new layouts, walls removed or relocated, and exit and fire separation details where a second unit is planned.
- Permit drawings for decks, porches and similar work: a short, focused set for straightforward projects.
- As-built and existing-condition drawings: an accurate measured record of the house, used as a base for renovations, insurance, a sale file or a future permit.
When a designer can prepare your drawings and when an architect or engineer must be involved
The limits come from provincial law and are explained in more detail on our architects page. In short, Ontario's Architects Act exempts, among others, houses of up to three storeys with one dwelling unit, or two attached units each built directly on grade, and independent designers who draw them must be qualified and registered with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, which issues a Building Code Identification Number (BCIN). In Quebec, the Ordre des architectes du Québec explains that a detached single-family house stays exempt if, after the work, it has no more than two storeys, one basement level and a total gross floor area under 600 square metres, with a limit of 300 square metres for semi-detached and row houses and small buildings of up to four units.
Engineering is a separate question. Removing a load-bearing wall, adding a storey, cutting a large opening, underpinning or building on poor soil usually calls for a structural engineer's design, whoever draws the rest. Municipalities may also ask for an engineer's seal on specific elements such as engineered beams, retaining walls or foundations, so ask the permit office early what it will require for your project.
Architectural technologists and drafting services in Quebec: who does what
In Quebec, most plans for houses within the exemptions are drawn by technologists in architecture, often trained in a college architectural technology program, and by drafting services. Some technologists belong to the Ordre des technologues professionnels du Québec and use the title technologue professionnel; others work independently or inside a builder's office. The Ordre des architectes du Québec has also consulted on a regulation to share certain activities reserved to architects with professional technologists, so the rules can evolve: ask each professional what they're authorized to sign and confirm with your municipality.
- Technologist in architecture: prepares plans and construction details, checks them against the code and often handles the permit application for exempt buildings.
- Drafting service: turns your sketches or a contractor's instructions into clean drawings, usually with less design input and less code review.
- Architect: required once the building exceeds the exemption limits, and a sound choice for complex sites or ambitious designs even below them.
- Engineer: designs and seals the structure, the foundations and, where needed, the mechanical systems that the technologist then shows on the plans.
What a permit drawing set contains: site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections and details
Each municipality publishes its own checklist, and the set for a small deck is far thinner than the one for a new house. Most residential sets, though, are assembled from the same kinds of sheets.
- Site plan: the lot, existing and proposed buildings and their distances to the property lines, usually based on a survey or, in Quebec, a certificate of location.
- Existing and proposed floor plans: room layouts, dimensions, doors, windows, stairs and the walls being removed or added.
- Elevations: each face of the building with heights, roof slopes, window placement and exterior finishes.
- Cross-sections and wall sections: the build-up of foundations, walls, floors and roof, including insulation and the air and vapour barriers.
- Structural information: beams, lintels, joists, posts and footings, with an engineer's design where one is required.
- Construction notes and schedules: code references, door and window schedules, and the energy-efficiency information the code calls for.
- Supporting documents: application forms, zoning information and, for some projects, drainage, tree protection or heritage documents requested by the municipality.
Working with your municipality's permit office: plan review, comments and revisions
Once the set is submitted, a plans examiner reviews it for completeness and for compliance with the building code and the zoning bylaw. Receiving a list of comments asking for missing details, clarifications or corrections is normal, not a sign of a bad designer. Agree in advance whether the designer's fee covers answering those comments and resubmitting, because an incomplete or unclear file almost always slows the permit down.
Decide early who deals with the municipality. Many designers file the application and answer the examiner on your behalf, which keeps technical questions with the person who drew the plans. If you apply yourself, keep the designer available for revisions, and make sure any change decided on site, such as a moved window or a different beam, appears in revised drawings before the building inspector's next visit.
How to brief an architectural designer so the first draft is close to right
The quality of the drawings depends heavily on what you bring to the first meeting. A designer who has to guess will draw something generic, and every round of changes after that costs time.
- Property documents: a survey or certificate of location, any old plans you have, and photos of every room and every facade.
- A written program: the rooms you need, how you use the house today, what isn't working and what must stay.
- Reference images and rough sketches, even imperfect ones, to show the look and the layout you have in mind.
- A realistic budget range, so the designer doesn't draw something no contractor can build with the money available.
- Constraints you already know about: a septic system or well, easements, a heritage designation or condominium rules.
- The scope of the mandate: design and permit drawings only, or also construction details, answers to contractor questions and site visits.
Architectural Designers: frequently asked questions
Can an architectural designer draw plans for a second storey?
Often, yes, as long as the finished house stays within your province's exemptions and an engineer designs the structural changes. Adding a storey changes the height and the floor area of the house, so check the limits before you hire.
What's the difference between permit drawings and construction drawings?
Permit drawings show enough for the municipality to confirm the project meets the building code and the zoning bylaw. Construction drawings add the details and specifications a contractor needs to price and build accurately. Some designers deliver both in one set, so clarify which one you're paying for.
Do I need as-built drawings before renovating?
Not always, but for an older house with no plans on file they remove a lot of guesswork. Measured drawings of the existing house give the designer, the engineer and the contractor the same starting point, and permit offices usually want existing and proposed layouts side by side.
How do I check that a designer is qualified in Ontario?
Ask for their BCIN and the categories it covers, such as House, and whether they practise as an independent designer or through a registered design firm. The Ontario government's page on registered building practitioners explains who must be qualified and registered.
Will the designer apply for the building permit for me?
Many do, and it's worth writing into the mandate along with the number of revision rounds included. The person who drew the plans is best placed to answer the examiner's questions quickly and accurately.
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Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Reviewed by Zubair Afzal on September 10, 2026. How we write and check our guides