FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
I'm looking for quotes from a few different contractors. Do you charge for creating plans?
It is absolutely recommended that you shop around when looking for a designer and contractor who can meet your needs and stick within your budget. In order to give you the most accurate estimation of what a final project will cost, a set of design schematics and working drawings will be required. Should you decide to choose ADG to manage your project, the working drawings fee will be deducted from your final costs. Should you choose to use another contractor, the drawings are yours to keep and use as you see fit.
I want a renovation done as soon as possible. How long will it take?
Our timelines will depend on a variety of factors. Upon determining the scope and sequence of the work to be completed, timelines could vary from a few weeks to several months and will also depend on the current workload of the team. We will not take on more projects than manageable at one time in order to ensure the top attention is paid to all clients.
All timelines will be outlined within our initial meeting and we will keep you up to date on any advancements or delays surrounding the project.
do i need a permit?
If you have a specific project in mind, but are unsure if you will require a permit, visit this site to first help determine what you will require:
http://ottawa.ca/en/business/building-permits-and-renovating/what-projects-require-permits
What is required to receive a building permit...
For building permit purposes, the drawings required are often the same for all Ontario Building Code (OBC) - specifically a residential building not more than 600m2 per floor and not exceeding 3 stories in height.
What are some other costs that might be required before I can begin building?
A site plan (extra)
A site plan is required showing the location of the structure on the site with relation to the setbacks. Grading and elevation data may be required. A geotechnical engineer and/or a surveyor may be required and are not included in the scope of work. Additional fees will be incurred for this process.
Engineering (extra)
ADG uses the services of a professional engineer to review all projects. Engineering fees and implementation of engineering to working drawings is in addition to the normal scope of work. Engineering fees will be discussed at the outset and are only an approximation. You may choose to use an engineer of your choice should you wish.
Other potential requirements (by others)
- heat loss calculations HRAI to be provided by your mechanical contractor
- a schedule 2 provided by your septic installer should you require a septic system
- pre-engineered floor joist and roof truss drawings from your manufacturer
- separate permits are required for electrical and plumbing
- entrance permits and culvert installation and inspection may be required
did you know...
what is a blueprint?
A blueprint is a reproduction of a technical drawing using a contact print process on light-sensitive sheets. Introduced in the 19th century, the process allowed rapid and accurate reproduction of documents used in construction and industry. The blue-print process was characterized by light coloured lines on a blue background, a negative of the original. The process was largely displaced by the diazo whiteprint process. The original drawing sheets would be fed into a machine together with special light-sensitive sheets and a tube light would burn an emulsion off the sheets leaving blue lines on a white sheet. This became known as blueline prints. Later this same process would be used to produce black lines on a white sheet called blackline prints. Large-format xerographic photocopiers are used today, so reproduced drawings are usually called "prints" or just "drawings".