We know that the projects we work on are a huge decision and commitment for our clients. So, we figured, why not shed some light on the questions we are asked most often.  

We take care of the design & drafting for your project.  It will be up to you to shop the drawings around to various contractors. We work closely with several contractors and are happy to provide a recommendation for your project.  Whichever contractor you end up choosing will be the one who actually builds it for you. 

We work closely with engineers on almost all of our projects.  Depending on the overall design of your home, some projects may require a lot of engineering, others may only require a little (sometimes even none).  These are additional fees that get added at the end of the project since it is impossible for us to predict the required structural design when providing you with a quote.

Yes, you can break your project down into separate phases (ie: build an addition, then a year later add that covered rear deck and finish your basement).  There are typically additional charges to split the drawings up like this, but it’s a great way to reduce upfront construction costs and we get asked to do this often.  We do encourage our clients to think of the overall concept first, then split it up when ready to begin the first phase.  That way, we all know what the overall vision is and what the end result will be. 

We get asked about this often, but we like to stick with what we’re passionate about: and that’s designing houses!  We only take on residential projects that are 3 storeys or less and under 600m2 (6458 sqft).

If your finished basement is part of a larger project (ie: addition, full house renovation, etc.) then we can include that in the scope of work.  We don’t usually take on finished basements on their own.

If your kitchen renovation is part of a larger project (ie: addition, full house renovation, etc.) then we can include that in the scope of work.  We don’t usually take on Kitchen renovations on their own.

We insist on reproducing your house digitally using our system.  There are too many liabilities for us to use and sign-off on someone else’s drawings.  Even if you already started the process with someone else, we would essentially start over and use those drawings for reference only.  The benefit to having your own drawings is that it will likely speed things up for us since we have something to reference at the very start of the process.

You do not need to choose a contractor before you start.  In fact, by using our process you will end up with a set of “Pricing Drawings” at which point we’ll encourage you to shop it around to multiple contractors so you can compare their price, timelines, and feel them out.  By doing so, you will truly be comparing “apples to apples”, which is very important on such an investment! We have a number of contractors within the Fergus and Wellington regions that we can recommend.

 HVAC designs are required on all new builds and sometimes on renovations & additions as well.  This can vary from City to City.  If your HVAC supplier does not provide this service, we can certainly request an HVAC design for your project from one of our consultants. 

 A BCIN (Building Code Identification Number) is a unique number that is required on all drawings submitted for a building permit in Ontario.  The purpose of the BCIN is to ensure that construction in Ontario is safe and code-compliant.  If you are having a house designed, both you and the Municipality would want some sort of reassurance that the design work is being carried out by someone qualified to do so.  Someone with a BCIN number that has been registered with the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing would have passed the appropriate exams and deemed to be qualified.  BLR Drafting & Design Inc. is a design firm registered with the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and consists of qualified BCIN designers under the categories of “House” and “Small Buildings”. 

Short answer: give yourself as much time as possible when it comes to planning your project.  Staying two or three seasons ahead of your actual construction start date is ideal.  We realize that this is not always possible so here’s a more specific breakdown: 

For Custom Homes & Cottages:  our process typically takes 3 to 4 months (from start of concept to signed permit drawings ready to submit to the Municipality)

For Renovations & Additions:  our process typically takes 4 to 5 months (from carrying out our initial site-measure to signed permit drawings ready to submit to the Municipality).  There are more steps with Renovations and Additions, specifically the first step which is to measure your house on site and produce “As-Built” Drawings.