Finding your Budget
Starting to develop plans should happen at the beginning of everything. One of the first things is to establish what can be built on the site. Information like how big,…
Construction FYI
Securing a Builder
I strongly suggest enlisting the services of a qualified builder to see if your ideas are within budget or not. It is too easy to go over a budget without…
Home Show
The 2017 Home Expo of Victoria will be held at West Shore Parks and Recreation between April 21-23. Although AJB will not have a booth set up, we will be…
Site Surveys
A site survey is a drawing of a particular property done by a registered British Columbia Land Surveyor. The information it includes is vital to many types of jobs.
Engineering
Why and when you need an engineer can sometimes be a little confusing. A good rule of thumb is: if the design is working outside of Part 9 of the…
Do You Need an Architect?
More often than not, in the residential home design industry, you will not need an architect. Architects are qualified professionals who work in tandem with engineers and other professionals to…
Fast Tracked Spec Homes
AJB Home Design is proud to offer a fast track system of providing quality spec style homes in order to cater to the builder or developer.
Why You Need a Building Permit
I am an Architectural Designer/Draftsmen. You would be hiring me to supply you with a custom group of drawings called the Architectural Blueprints.
The Blueprints
Each project is unique. Because of this, in order to secure a Building Permit Application each municipality requires a custom package of drawings and documentation from multiple sources regarding all…
Secondary Suites
This article is written to tell you some of the most common items and issues that must be addressed in order to get your secondary suite ready for renting out.
Hello, and thank you for considering AJB Home Design (AJB) for your project.
I am an Architectural Designer/Draftsman. I have been supplying architectural blueprints for over 25 years. You would be hiring me to supply you with a group of custom drawings called Architectural Blueprints. They are meant to work with other drawings and documents to help secure a Building Permit for construction. The objective is to work together to get as close as possible to achieving your needs and wants. With a mix of your ideas and my suggestions, we create a working Architectural Design. This Architectural Design is developed and confirmed by you through progressive revisions and refinements called the Preliminary Drawings. Once the Preliminary Drawing stages are completed, I finish the drawings and present them to you for proofing and final approval. I then convert them into Construction/Permit Drawings ready for construction and help to secure a building permit.
The price for my services is governed by how complicated the project is, how many drawings are required in the Blueprints and in what capacity I am hired. I supply a written quote for my services in a Quote/Contract.
At this, the starting point, everything is only in your head. You need to start getting things down on paper. This is the start of your homework (no pun intended). Create or get a copy of the existing floor plans. They are possibly available at your city hall record. Contact them and inquire what they have and get copies of all drawings and past permits. If they have nothing on file then you can enlist the services of a measuring company. The same companies that supply floor plans to real-estate companies. Once you have floor plans you can start playing with your ideas.
I strongly suggest enlisting the services of a builder to see if your ideas are way over budget or not. Understand that a builder will not give a firm quote on the project until they have finished working blueprints in hand and have gone over a checklist of what you want. Instead, they will give a ballpark estimate only. That is all you should need for purpose of designing. Now it is common to start talking with a builder at the beginning of the idea stage, get design estimates and pick their brain until the plans are ready. The rub is when, after all that time and work they put into helping you, they don’t get the job, for whatever reason. Usually the reason a builder would spend that much time, energy and maybe money on helping a potential client , was because of an unwritten and unspoken hope that they would get the job. So in the spirit of fairness to both parties and to get the most help from a prospective builder might I suggest the following.
- Offer to pay them by the hour for their knowledge and help. They may say no but at least you can brain pick with a clear conscience that you’ve been straight with them. Builders like that.
- Also be upfront about the fact that you will be getting prices from at least 2 other builders before you decide on a builder. If they get the job they will probably reimburse you the money anyway.
The Blueprints are the most important document and are the heart of the project. They are essential because they are the bridge between your ideas and all the other groups of people and trades that will be involved in your project. The Blueprints aid the municipality in confirming that your project meets present BC Building Code standards and is compliant with their ever-changing zoning bylaws and regulations. Then they can approve your Building Permit Application, give you an Approved Building Permit and then construction can fully begin. My drawings are not the only drawings and paperwork required in this package. Other items like a Site Survey, Engineer’s Stamped Drawings or a Hazmat Report are just some examples. My Blueprints are used for securing a Building Permit Application, construction, project cost estimating, material estimating, etc. They are also used by: suppliers, all trades and other professionals required for this project. Also to be used in conjunction with drawing supplied by others.
Each project is unique. Because of this, to secure a Building Permit Application, each municipality requires a custom package of drawings and documentation from multiple sources regarding all aspects of the project. The Blueprints have specific standard project information in a quality required, expected and accepted by a municipality to successfully apply for a Building Permit Application. Not to be mistaken as an Approved Building Permit. The Blueprints are also used by other government agencies, different groups of professionals, financial institutions, construction trades and product suppliers in the course of their work. The Blueprints supply specific information to meet certain standards for and by each of these groups.
It’s important to note that the blueprints are not fixed in stone. Changes can be and usually are done during construction.
It’s best to check with the building inspector for confirmation and their possible additional requirements.
The blueprints use symbols to represent items in general (i.e., beams, counters & cabinets, appliances, plumbing fixtures, etc.). Specific information on such items comes from other sources (i.e., engineers, mechanical, electrical, etc.).
The following items are in the area of general information and will be labelled on the construction/permit drawings as follows.
- 1) Dimensions for the location of walls on floor plans are: From the outside face of an exterior wall to the center of an interior wall. Unless otherwise noted.
- 2) Kitchen Layout: The location of basic counters/cabinets, sink and appliances will be shown.
*Final layout, style, type and accessories are as per client and supplier.
- 3) Plumbing Fixtures: Proposed location of cabinets and fixtures will be shown.
*Final styles, types and accessories are as per the client and others.
- 4) Interior custom built-in cabinets and shelving systems: Location is shown.
*Final design, type and style are as per client and supplier.
- 5) Exterior & interior guard railing for decks and stairs. Location shown.
*Final type, style and any required documentation are as per client and supplier.
- 6) Location of beams, posts and bearing. Proposed locations are shown.
*Final types, sizes, locations and required documentation are as per the structural engineer and client.
- 7) Window & Doors: Location & size will be shown.
*Final type, style and colours are as per client and supplier.
- 8) Roofing: Type will be shown.
*Final type, style and colours are as per the client and others.
- 9) All Proposed Exterior Trim: Will be shown & tagged.
*Final design, material types and accessories are as per client and other
- 10) Basic mechanical, heating, ventilation etc.: Proposed location of items will be shown.
*Final systems used, location, calculations and required documentation are as per client and suppliers.
- 11) Show smoke alarms and fans for bathrooms & stoves in their approximate proposed locations.
*Final systems used, location, calculations and required documentation are as per client and suppliers.
Do you need a Building Permit? The short answer is 95% of the time…..YES. The old days of flying under the municipal radar are over. Getting a building permit is very important for several reasons. The negative repercussions have entirely overshadowed the old reasons for not getting one. You may think that you will save money by not getting the proper permits. The following reasons are to explain why that is no longer true.
- Legal Liability:
If someone is injured because of something to do with the unpermitted work done, the insurance company could try not to pay the claim. They would probably win. This leaves you solely responsible and legally unprotected. The same concept goes for property damage from construction or forces beyond anyone’s control, such as fire or earthquakes. All in all, by doing things illegally, you are not covered in case of unforeseen circumstances.
- Stop Work Order:
If the municipality is notified that you are building, or have built, without a permit, it is legally obligated to inspect the claim. If the claim is true, they will put a “Stop Work Order” on your project. They will make you get drawings done, apply for necessary permits, watch you like a hawk and give you a hefty fine with a timeline to get moving toward fixing the problem. Also, if things have been built without best practices in mind or not to code, you will have to ensure that the work done is done properly. There have been cases where people have had to tear down entire additions and begin from scratch, losing tens of thousands of dollars because the work was inadequate. The city does not care about cost when it comes to stopping work orders. They will make you prove that the work is done properly and force you to bring it up to code if it is not. Regardless of the outcome, rectifying it all will cost a fair bit of money and time.
- Workmanship:
With no proper inspections, you can’t know if the materials and workmanship are done properly. How can you be sure the builder is constructing your project with proper spans, beams and loads? This leaves you in uncertain danger for the foreseeable future because you will never know if your project will last or if it will fall down, maybe with you inside. You are essentially trusting your life into a person’s hands that is comfortable working illegally, and that’s a red flag worth considering.
- Legal Recourse:
Without a permit, you have very little legal recourse if you have to sue the builder or specific trades for bad or incomplete work. Not having a permit does not help your case at all; in fact, it may hinder it. If your project falls down from bad construction practices or if your builder decides to leave mid-way through, what can you do? The answer is not much.
- Selling the House:
If you go to sell the house, you will have to declare any and all work that has been done without a permit. This will devalue your property and create difficulties in the process of selling your house. A potential buyer does not want to purchase a house that could be, in their eyes, a ticking time bomb of expenses from inadequate work that they had no part in. If you do not declare the work when you sell, the new owner could file a lawsuit and have a strong case against you.
More often than not, in the residential home design industry, you will not need an architect. Architects are qualified professionals who work with engineers and other professionals to design complex new buildings legally. According to the Architect’s Act, architects are required for all high-rise projects, large commercial spaces, large multi-unit complexes, and other projects that the Architect’s Act determines. Architects are highly skilled professionals. However, they are costly and unnecessary for most residential home designs, small commercial spaces and small multi-unit townhouses. Architects are not required to design a new custom home as long as the home’s footprint does not exceed 5000 square feet. That means the house size is on the property, not the living space. A house’s footprint exceeding 5000 square feet is considered a large mansion, rare in Victoria and most cities.
Architects are coordinating professionals with vast knowledge and experience coordinating various aspects and parties on a particular project. Depending on the size and scope of your project, this may not be the service you require. If that is the case, most cases do not need an architect. Residential home designers like us are qualified to design residential homes, small commercial spaces and small multi-unit townhouses, as well as other projects. We do it for less money, with more input from our clients, and we get it done quickly because we are not bogged down with large complex projects, respectfully.
In conclusion, your new custom home, your small commercial space or your multi-unit townhouse with 4 units or less does not require an architect. A qualified designer such as us can design those projects perfectly and legally.
If someone is injured because of something to do with the unpermitted work done, the insurance company could try not to pay the claim. They would probably win. This leaves you solely responsible and legally unprotected. The same concept goes for property damage from construction or forces beyond anyone’s control, such as fire or earthquakes. All in all, by doing things illegally, you are not covered in case of unforeseen circumstances.
A site survey is a drawing of a particular property done by a registered British Columbia Land Surveyor. The information it includes is vital to many types of jobs. If you are building a new custom home, adding or changing anything that will change how the building sits on the site, you will need a site survey. You may also need one if the city determines you need one, regardless if you are changing something that will change how the building sits on the site.
The drawings show the size of the property, the location, size and height of all buildings on the property, as well as the location of any easements or locations of other specific items. Site data and geodetic datum heights are essential information in a site survey. Geodetic heights are the heights above sea level of particular points on the property. Because there is no zero point, the sea level is always used as the zero point, and all heights are based on that zero point. We require that information to put them on many areas of our plan for proper heights for construction and building permits. Without geodetic heights, we cannot convey to the builder how high the building and its various levels will be, and the city will not issue a permit on a set of plans that do not have them.
If you have any questions about site surveys or are unsure if you need one, you can call us, and we can determine if one is needed for your project. We have links to a land surveyor that we often use, including the necessary items. We can give you his information if you request; however, we are more than happy to use any survey given to us as long as it has the appropriate information included.
Most municipalities require engineered stamp drawings for any and all construction. Especially additions & renovation and accessory buildings. With the exception of new construction, all staying within part 9 of the BC Building Code &/or using the Bracewell System with applicable drawings.
Our drawings are permit ready, but an engineer, a 3rd party, must sign off on the project before you take it in for the permit. The engineer will take our drawings and supply an edited copy with their requirements and information for additional work. You will submit a copy of our drawings and a separate copy of engineered stamped drawings to the city. Engineering is not something that AJB Home Design supplies. We have structural engineers we can refer. They are not part of our permit-ready drawings, and they are to be hired by you, and they will invoice you separately. We usually use the same structural engineers for most projects, but if you would like to use your structural engineer, we are perfectly able to send your engineer our drawings to stamp.
The following is a list of some upgrades that the city may require during the building permit application and construction.
These upgrades may be required to bring the project to present-day building code and/or zoning bylaws.
The rule of thumb is if you don’t touch it, you probably won’t have to bring it up to code.
Upgrading existing or all new to meet present day code.
- Water supply pipe from existing ½” to 1”
- Electrical main & meter
- Storm drains (Dye test)
- Heating
- Plumbing
- Ventilation
- Sewer/Septic
- Landscaping
The “While we’re doing, this lets do this too.” factor (Add ons)
- New: Roofing
- New: Exterior finishing
- New: Exterior painting
- Upgrade: Windows, Doors, Skylights
- Upgrade: Insulation