At Accurate Designs we approach the creative process very pragmatically. Delivering design concepts that can be brought to life in real space and within budget is our area of expertise.

As a standard starting point, we research municipal zoning requirements before our first client meeting so we can begin discussions about the ‘real’ options a client has regarding their project.

We then meet with the client to understand their needs, wants & construction budget and help prioritize them to aid in the design process. We encourage our clients to provide as many examples of homes, projects or decor they like to define a direction for the design. Often, good points of reference come from the client’s neighborhood, magazines or online resources.

If applicable, we also measure the existing dwelling to determine whether any existing conditions can be leveraged within the design.

This is where “Designing Your Home for the Way You Live” comes into play.

Based on these preliminary discussions with the client, zoning requirements and existing drawings (if necessary), a set of design drawings is prepared.

During the design process we factor in the character of the neighborhood, specific lot conditions, natural light patterns and the manner in which each client intends to use the home. A young growing family or a more mature client may have very different  needs for their home.

These design drawings are submitted to the client for their review and comment. The design set is revised as often as necessary to incorporate any client comments to ensure they are 100% satisfied with the final design.  When the design stage is finalized, Accurate Designs will lead the building permit process on our client’s behalf.

We prepare the architectural building permit drawings, and submit them to 3 different disciplines for them to complete their tasks simultaneously:

Floor & roof truss Engineers – which are typically part of a lumber company

Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) designer

Surveyor – grading & servicing

When each of these disciplines have prepared their respective building permit package, a professional Engineer reviews the overall project and applies their stamp to the architectural building permit drawings.  At this point, the complete building permit package is complete and ready for the building permit application.

At this stage our client has two options: First, we can submit the drawing set to the City for a building permit on our client’s behalf, OR we can submit the drawing set to our client’s preferred contractors for them to bid on. We strongly encourage our clients submit the drawing set to contractors for pricing before applying for a building permit. This step ensures that the design is congruent with the established construction budget. If design changes are required this is the right time to make them. This will mitigate against  unnecessary fees and wasted time submitting a revision to the building permit office at a later date.

Accurate Designs takes care of the entire building permit process for our clients. We submit the drawings  and follow up with the municipal examiners to answer any questions they may have or provide additional information they may request.

There are other processes that may be required to obtain a building permit such as Zoning Review, Committee of Adjustment, Ontario Municipal Board, Site Plan Approval, Conservation Authority approval to name the most common. Each municipality has their own unique processes.

Key competitive advantages of working with Accurate Designs include  20 years of expertise in the architectural field, and a strong network of reliable professionals that will be able to support your project on time and within the established budget.