Custom home built from architectural plans before and after in Ottawa by Dream Touch Renovations
Ottawa BCIN-Certified Architectural Drawings · Permit Plans · Schedule 1 Sealed · Residential & Commercial

Ottawa architectural drawings.
BCIN-certified. Drawn by people who actually build.

Building permit drawings Ottawa, home addition plans, secondary suite designs, coach home plans, custom home drawings, and commercial tenant improvement documentation. Schedule 1 designer sealed for City of Ottawa submission. Drawn by a working general contractor, so permit drawings Ottawa approve faster, structural realities are factored in from day one, and your build doesn't get derailed by drawings that look right on paper but don't work in real construction.

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BCIN
Certified · Schedule 1
2–6 wks
Typical turnaround
Fixed-fee
Written proposal before work
0+
Ottawa projects
Free design consult
No deposit required.
Permits + drawings
In-house engineering.
20+ yrs in Ottawa
Since 2005 across every sector.
Flexible financing
Trusted Ottawa brokers.
BCIN-certified · Schedule 1 designer · Ontario Building Code Ottawa-experienced

What "BCIN-certified" actually means, and why it matters for your Ottawa project.

BCIN (Building Code Identification Number) is a designation issued by the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to qualified professionals authorized to prepare and submit permit drawings under the Ontario Building Code. Without a BCIN, drawings cannot legally be submitted for permit approval in Ontario, except by licensed architects or engineers. Most Ottawa permit drawings are prepared by a BCIN designer Ottawa rather than an architect, because BCIN-qualified work is faster, more cost-effective, and sufficient for residential renovations, additions, secondary suites, custom homes, and most small commercial projects. A BCIN certified designer Ottawa is the standard for Ontario Building Code drawings Ottawa work.

Dream Touch's BCIN-certified design team prepares permit-ready architectural drawings for City of Ottawa submission across every residential category: additions, secondary suite and ADU plans, coach home and custom home plans, basement legalization, and deck and garage permit drawings, plus most small commercial categories. Schedule 1 designer forms indicating our BCIN are submitted with every drawing package, satisfying City of Ottawa Building Code Services requirements. For scopes legally requiring an architect's seal (very large commercial, multi-storey commercial, certain high-occupancy buildings), we coordinate with OAA-licensed architects.

Dream Touch's unique advantage, and the reason most clients return for second projects, is that our architectural drawings Ottawa are prepared by people who actually build. Plans drafted by pure drafting firms sometimes look perfect on paper but reveal structural impossibilities, code conflicts, or constructability issues mid-build, leading to costly change orders. Our building permit drawings Ottawa are reviewed by working general contractors before submission, eliminating most issues at the design stage. That's the difference between typical residential drafting Ottawa work and what we deliver.

Five client tiers. Five distinct drawing scopes.

Who Ottawa BCIN-certified architectural drawings serve.

Different projects need different drawings. Investors building income properties have very different requirements than homeowners adding a sunroom. Here are the five client tiers our BCIN-certified design team serves most often, with the specific building permit drawing packages each typically requires. Every tier receives Schedule 1 designer documentation and architectural plans prepared by people who build.

Highest Growth Tier · 2025
01 / Investors & Bill 23

Investor & Bill 23 Plans Ottawa

Investors converting single-family homes to duplex conversion plans Ottawa, triplex, or fourplex configurations under Bill 23. Secondary suite plans Ottawa, ADU drawings Ottawa, multi-unit conversion docs. The most regulatory-complex residential category, and the fastest-growing Ottawa segment in 2025.

Typical drawings

Site plan with zoning compliance · Existing-conditions drawings · Proposed floor plans (per unit) · Fire separation details · Egress diagrams · Utility separation · Schedule 1 BCIN documentation

Cost drivers
Unit count, fire separation, zoning
Turnaround
4–6 weeks
Multi-unit →   Coach homes →
02 / Addition planners

Home Addition Drawings Ottawa

Homeowners building second storey addition plans, rear extensions, side additions, garage conversions, or major bump-outs. Architectural plans Ottawa for permit submission, structural coordination, and contractor execution.

Typical drawings

Site plan · Existing floor plans · Proposed floor plans · Elevations (all four sides) · Sections · Roof plan · Construction details · Schedule 1 BCIN documentation

Cost drivers
Footprint, structural scope, elevations
Turnaround
4–8 weeks
Home additions →
03 / Custom home builders

Custom Home Plans Ottawa

Homeowners building brand-new homes on infill lots, country properties, or post-demolition rebuilds. Full new home architectural drawings Ottawa packages from concept through construction documentation, house plans Ottawa at their most comprehensive.

Typical drawings

Site plan with grading · Foundation plan · Floor plans (all levels) · Elevations · Roof plan · Building sections · Wall sections · Construction details · MEP coordination · Schedule 1 BCIN

Cost drivers
Levels, custom detailing, MEP coordination
Turnaround
8–14 weeks
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04 / Small contractors

Drafting for Ottawa Contractors

Small renovation contractors and trades needing permit drawings for client projects without in-house drafting. Turnkey residential drafting Ottawa services, white-label-friendly, fast turnaround for client deadlines.

Typical drawings

Project-specific scope · Permit-ready drawings to your specification · Coordination with your structural and trades · BCIN sealed for direct submission

Cost drivers
Drawing scope, revision rounds
Turnaround
1–4 weeks
Partner with us →
05 / Commercial

Commercial Permit Drawings Ottawa

Restaurant, retail, office, healthcare, and small commercial tenant improvement drawings Ottawa. Permit-ready drawings for City submission and tenant improvement allowance documentation.

Typical drawings

Existing-conditions · Proposed floor plans · Demising and partitions · Reflected ceiling plans · Egress and life-safety · Mechanical coordination · Schedule 1 BCIN

Cost drivers
Floor area, life-safety, mechanical scope
Turnaround
3–6 weeks
Restaurants ·  Retail ·  Healthcare ·  Office
What you actually receive

What a complete Ottawa permit drawing package contains.

Building permit drawings Ottawa are not a single document. They're a coordinated set of plans answering every question Ottawa Building Code Services will ask. Here's what's included in a standard residential renovation drawing package prepared by a BCIN certified designer Ottawa.

Site Plan

Maps property, building footprint, lot dimensions, setbacks, and proposed-work location relative to property lines. Required for any project changing the footprint.

Existing Conditions Drawings

As built drawings Ottawa documenting every wall, opening, structural element, and utility location. The foundation for any renovation drawing, so proposed work integrates accurately with existing conditions.

Proposed Floor Plans

Top-down floor plan drawings Ottawa of every floor: walls, doors, windows, fixtures, dimensions, room labels. The most-referenced drawing during construction; every trade works from these.

Building Elevations

Side-on drawings of each exterior face (front, rear, both sides) showing heights, materials, window/door locations, and exterior finish indications. Required for additions, exterior modifications, and new construction.

Building Sections

Cut-through drawings showing the building sliced open: wall assemblies, floor structures, roof construction, ceiling heights. Critical for permit reviewers to verify structural and code compliance.

Construction Details

Zoomed-in drawings of specific construction conditions: wall-to-floor connections, window flashings, structural connections, waterproofing assemblies. Prevents construction errors and code violations.

Schedule 1 BCIN Documentation

Required form indicating the Schedule 1 designer Ottawa who prepared the drawings. Submitted with every permit application, satisfying Ontario Building Code Services requirements.

Coordination Documentation

For projects requiring structural, mechanical, or specialty consultants, architectural drawings coordinate with their drawings, and we manage that coordination so submitted packages are complete and consistent.

How drawings actually happen

From first sketch to permit-stamped plans, six steps.

Every Dream Touch architectural drawings Ottawa project follows the same six-step process. Transparent timing at every stage. You know exactly what's happening, when.

01

Initial Consultation

Discuss your project, scope, intended use, and timeline. We confirm what drawings your project requires and quote a fixed fee.

60 min · Free
02

Site Measurement

On-site measurement of existing conditions for renovations and additions. New builds proceed directly to design from your site plan and survey.

1–2 days
03

Conceptual Design

First drafts of floor plans and key elevations. You review, request changes, and we iterate until the design matches your intent.

1–3 weeks
04

Detailed Drafting

Full package developed: complete plans, elevations, sections, details, and construction documentation. Coordination with structural engineer or other consultants if required.

2–4 weeks
05

Schedule 1 & Permit Prep

BCIN documentation completed, drawings stamped, package assembled for City of Ottawa submission. We submit on your behalf or hand off to your contractor.

3–5 days
06

Permit Submission Support

During City of Ottawa review (4–10 weeks), we respond to reviewer questions and revision requests directly. Most BCIN-prepared packages approve without revision; when revisions are required, we manage them at no additional fee.

Ongoing
What drives architectural drawing pricing in Ottawa

How Ottawa drawing fees are built, no surprises.

Most Ottawa drafting firms quote project-by-project, and so do we. Every package is priced with a fixed written proposal after the initial consultation, so you see exactly what is included before any work begins. What follows is not a price list but the scope and cost drivers behind each project type, the same factors that shape how much do architectural plans cost Ottawa and BCIN designer Ottawa fees.

Project Type
What Drives the Fee
Typical Turnaround
Deck or simple structure permit
Single drawing scope, minimal coordination
1–2 weeks
Garage permit drawings Ottawa
Footprint, foundation, zoning setbacks
2–3 weeks
Basement finishing permit
Layout complexity, egress, mechanical
2–4 weeks
Legal basement apartment plans Ottawa
Fire separation, egress, code legalization
3–5 weeks
Bump-out or small addition
Structural tie-in, elevations, site plan
3–5 weeks
Major rear or side addition
Footprint, structural scope, four elevations
4–7 weeks
Second floor addition plans
Load path, existing-structure review, sections
5–8 weeks
Coach home plans Ottawa / ADU
Full standalone package, zoning, servicing
4–7 weeks
Duplex conversion plans
Unit separation, fire rating, egress
4–6 weeks
Triplex / fourplex conversion plans
Unit count, life-safety, Bill 23 compliance
6–10 weeks
Custom home plans (full package)
All levels, custom detailing, MEP coordination
8–14 weeks
Small commercial permit drawings Ottawa
Floor area, life-safety, partitions
3–5 weeks
Mid-size commercial drawings
Occupancy, mechanical scope, ceiling plans
6–10 weeks

Every package includes up to 3 rounds of revisions, Schedule 1 BCIN documentation, and permit submission preparation. Structural engineering coordination, when required, is a separate scope quoted directly by the engineer. Custom and complex projects carry broader scope; we provide a fixed written proposal after our initial consultation so you understand exactly what is included. BCIN designer cost Ottawa questions answered honestly in the first call.

What makes Dream Touch drawings different

Drawings prepared by people who actually build them.

Most Ottawa drafting firms are pure drafters: they prepare drawings, hand off, move to the next project. Their drawings are usually code-compliant and look great in a PDF. But they sometimes miss details that only become obvious when someone is actually swinging a hammer: structural connections requiring unrealistic carpentry, plumbing routes that conflict with floor joists, mechanical penetrations that violate fire separations, beams sized for dead load but wrong for finished assembly weight.

Our BCIN-certified designers work alongside our construction project managers. Every drawing is reviewed for constructability before it goes to permit. The result: fewer change orders during construction, fewer permit revisions during review, fewer surprises when your contractor (whoever you hire) arrives on site.

We don't just draw. We draw assuming someone will build it next month, and we plan for that. Whether you hire Dream Touch, another GC, or manage subtrades yourself, the drawings work. That's the goal.

If you eventually hire Dream Touch to build the project, your drawing fee is credited against your construction contract. The plans, in effect, become free.

Specialized drawing categories

Specific Ottawa drawing services we provide.

Beyond the standard residential and commercial categories, we prepare drawings for specific project types that require specialized knowledge.

As-Built Drawings Ottawa

Existing-conditions documentation of buildings, used for renovations, lease verification, sales documentation, or insurance purposes. Laser-measured for precision; delivered as 2D CAD-ready drawings.

Floor Plan Drawings Ottawa

Marketing floor plans for real estate, leasing, or pre-sale documentation. Clean, presentation-ready 2D plans suitable for MLS listings, marketing brochures, or investor pitch decks.

Site Plans & Grading Plans Ottawa

Property site plans showing building footprints, setbacks, lot dimensions, and grading. Required for additions, new builds, and most City of Ottawa permit applications.

Compliance Reports & Code Reviews Ottawa

Ontario Building Code compliance reports for renovations, change-of-use applications, or pre-purchase due diligence. Identifies code conflicts and required upgrades before construction or purchase.

Heritage District Drawings Ottawa

Specialized drawings for projects in Ottawa heritage conservation districts (the Glebe, Centretown, Sandy Hill, Westboro). Coordinated with Built Heritage Committee design review process.

Variance Application Drawings Ottawa

Drawing packages for Committee of Adjustment variance hearings, required when proposed work doesn't meet zoning by-law (lot coverage, setback, height). Includes context drawings showing existing neighbourhood character.

Common questions

Ottawa architectural drawing questions, answered.

The questions we hear most often when Ottawa homeowners, investors, and operators are exploring architectural drawings Ottawa and building permit drawings Ottawa services, from Westboro and The Glebe to Manotick, Kanata, Orleans, and Barrhaven.

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Drawing fees depend on scope, not square footage alone. A simple deck or shed permit is a single drawing with minimal coordination; a full custom home or multi-unit conversion involves multiple levels, structural review, life-safety detailing, and MEP coordination. The main cost drivers are project complexity, number of units, structural coordination, and revision rounds. We give you a fixed written proposal after the initial consultation, so you see exactly what is included, with no hourly billing surprises.
Simple permits (decks, sheds, garages) take 1–3 weeks for preparation. Standard residential renovation drawings take 2–5 weeks. Major additions and custom home plans take 5–14 weeks. Add 4–10 weeks for City of Ottawa permit review after submission. Total project-to-permit timelines run 6–22 weeks depending on scope.
Yes. Our team includes BCIN certified designer Ottawa professionals authorized to prepare and submit permit drawings Ottawa under the Ontario Building Code. Schedule 1 designer documentation included with every drawing package. For projects legally requiring an architect's seal (very large or high-occupancy commercial), we coordinate with OAA-licensed architects.
Either works. We submit on your behalf (application, documentation, reviewer back-and-forth) or hand off the sealed package for you to submit through MyServiceOttawa. Homeowners often prefer the latter to save service fees; investors and contractors often prefer the former for time savings.
Most BCIN-prepared packages approve without revision on first submission. Occasional revisions are usually clarifications or minor code interpretations, included at no additional fee within standard scope. Major scope changes mid-review are quoted separately if required.
For most residential renovations involving structural changes (load-bearing wall removal, additions affecting foundation or roof, second storey addition plans), yes. Structural engineering is a separate scope, and we coordinate with engineers on every project requiring structural review. The engineer quotes that work directly, so it is itemized separately from your drawing proposal.
Yes. Bill 23 conversions are one of our highest-volume categories in 2025: duplex conversion plans Ottawa, triplex, and fourplex configurations including coach home additions. Scope: site plan with zoning verification, existing conditions, proposed floor plans per unit, fire separation, egress diagrams, utility separation, and Schedule 1 BCIN documentation.
Yes. Secondary suite plans Ottawa (legal basement apartment plans Ottawa) registered as Secondary Dwelling Units (SDU) with full Bill 23 and By-Law 2008-250 compliance. Includes life-safety (fire separation, egress windows, smoke alarm interconnection), kitchen and bathroom plans, separate entrance documentation, and SDU registration paperwork support.
Yes. Pre-purchase compliance reports and feasibility drawings for properties where you're evaluating renovation potential before committing. Identifies code conflicts, structural realities, and zoning constraints before you lock into a property that can't accommodate your vision.
Both. Permit drawings include construction-grade detail any qualified contractor can build from: wall sections, structural details, dimensional drawings, and material specs. Complex builds benefit from Issued for Construction (IFC) drawings beyond the permit set; optional add-on.
Excellent. Your drawing fee credits toward your construction contract. The drawings effectively become free. Most cost-effective path: drawings by people who will build them, integrated estimating, single point of contact, no separate drawing fee.
Call 613-862-4555 or request a quote online. Initial consultations are free (60 minutes, in person or by video) and include scope discussion, drawing requirements clarification, and a fixed-fee quote within 5 business days. No deposit required for the quote; deposit collected when you commit.
Also explore

Architectural drawings connect to every Dream Touch service.

2D & 3D Renderings

Photorealistic visualization paired with permit-ready drawings. See your design and submit your permit from the same package.

Explore →

Home Additions

Major additions where architectural drawings are the foundation of every successful project.

Explore →

Multi-Unit Dwellings

Bill 23 duplex, triplex, and fourplex conversions where drawings drive every approval.

Explore →

Coach Homes

ADU and laneway house projects requiring specific Bill 23 drawing packages.

Explore →
Your project starts with the drawings

Request a Drawing Quote.
5-business-day fixed-fee quote.
BCIN-certified · Schedule 1 sealed.

Tell us about your project: scope, location, intended use, timeline. Free 60-minute consultation, fixed-fee quote within 5 business days. No deposit. No commitment. Drawings credited back if you eventually build with Dream Touch. Projects across Westboro, The Glebe, Hintonburg, Centretown, Sandy Hill, Manotick, Kanata, Orleans, Barrhaven, Nepean, Alta Vista, Stittsville, Riverside South, Findlay Creek, Carlsbad Springs, Manor Park, Old Ottawa South, Vanier, Carleton Place, Embrun, and Russell.

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BCIN-Certified Schedule 1 Designer 20 Years of Ottawa Projects Est. 2005 Drawn by Builders