Greater Ottawa Area’s Drafting & Design Practice
Architectural drafting, permit drawings, and structural reports for homeowners, contractors, and developers across the Greater Ottawa Area. P.Eng licensed engineers behind every set of drawings.
What We Do
Full architectural drawing packages prepared to City of Ottawa standards. Stamped, sealed, and submission-ready. We handle the paperwork so your contractor stays on site.
Second-storey additions, rear additions, garage conversions. We design within your zoning envelope and flag minor variance requirements before they become surprises.
Secondary unit drawings compliant with Ottawa’s residential intensification policy. Egress windows, ceiling heights, fire separation — done right the first time.
Detailed site plan submissions including grading & drainage, servicing, landscaping, and stormwater management — prepared for municipal site plan approval.
Minor variance and consent applications with supporting grading reports, drainage plans, and survey interpretation. We act as your agent through the full CoA process.
Load calculations, beam sizing, foundation assessments, and engineer-stamped letters for lenders and building officials. P.Eng sign-off included.
About the Practice
Building Doctors is a Greater Ottawa Area drafting and design practice built on one principle: homeowners and contractors deserve drawings that actually get approved — without revision cycles or three-month waits.
Behind every set of drawings is a Professional Engineer licensed in Ontario, with hands-on experience in geotechnical assessment, site grading, and municipal planning. We’ve worked the City of Ottawa permit desk from both sides of the counter.
Our Work
Permit drawings, additions, structural packages, and site plans delivered across the Greater Ottawa Area.
From front elevations to foundation plans — our drawings give contractors exactly what they need to build, and inspectors exactly what they need to approve.
Client Education
Ottawa planning and permitting can be confusing. Here’s what every homeowner and developer should understand before breaking ground.
A minor variance is permission to deviate from a specific requirement of your municipality’s zoning by-law — a small change to a building setback or parking requirement. It grants a certificate of permission so you can obtain a building permit even if your property doesn’t comply precisely with the by-law.
Approval rests with your City or Township’s Committee of Adjustment. Fees typically range from $600–$800. Once submitted, a site visit is conducted and neighboring property owners within 60 metres are notified. A 20-day appeal period follows before a building permit can be released.
We can act as your agent — filing the application, attending the Committee meeting, and guiding you through any appeal.
Before obtaining a building permit for many development projects, you may need site plan approval. This ensures your project complies with municipal bylaws and meets the requirements of relevant agencies.
What Clients Say
Our permit came back approved without a single revision request. The drawings were the most complete set the inspector had seen in months.
I needed a basement permit fast. Building Doctors had the full package ready in under two weeks. No delays, no surprises.
The structural letter satisfied both my lender and the City. That combination is rare. I’ve been referring them to every contractor I know.
From the Desk
The most common reasons building permit applications come back incomplete, and what your drawing package needs to get approved on the first submission.
Under Section 45(1) of the Planning Act, every variance is measured against four criteria. Understanding them before you apply changes your odds significantly.
The City of Ottawa updated its residential intensification policies. Here’s what homeowners need to know before converting a basement into a legal secondary unit.
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