No, our packages only include our design fees. All disbursements and city fees are at the client's expense. City fees are typically charged on a per square footage basis along with other misc fees. It is difficult to predict how much they will be ahead of time.

All of our designs and drawings are stamped by a professional engineer. Depending on the project, you might also need an architect's stamp (this is not included).

We typically require a 50% retainer prior to commencing work, the next 30% upon completion of designs and all outstanding amounts upon obtaining applicable permits. This could vary depending on the type of project.

Yes our firm has a BCIN. BCINs are for non-engineers & architects who want to provide design services. It is a designation which can be obtained by taking a few courses targeted at specific sections of the Ontario Building Code. Engineers & architects are exempt from needing a BCIN because we spent years studying & working to obtain our licenses.

Our guarantee is that we don't get fully paid until you get your building permit. This way you can rest assured that we will do our best to help you get your building permit. The exception is if you choose to abandon the project or if we advise you that the permit is not possible you still proceed.

This depends on the city. We typically take around 2 weeks for our design. The city can take up to 20 working days to do their first round of reviews. If there is a deficiency, they have up to another 20 days. As such, we typically advise our clients to prepare for 8-10weeks (thought it can be shorter or longer).

This requires a longer answer which we will later write an article about. But to quickly answer, an engineer will be able to take care of pretty much every aspect of smaller jobs (ie. restaurants, offices, retail, etc...). An architect will usually have to retain an engineer even for smaller jobs (they can't do HVAC, plumbing, etc.. which are required on most jobs). As such, it is faster and more cost-effective to hire an engineering company. With that being said, large projects over 600sm or usually require architects. If your goal is aesthetics or custom-home design, it is also better to hire an architect.