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Introduction
For over 20 years, WeRenovate.com has maintained a well‑established public presence throughout Toronto and surrounding municipalities, earning long‑standing recognition as a trusted one‑stop renovation platform.
Lawrence Ave
&
Yonge St.
Established as a core division of WeRenovate.com, our Architectural Design & Permit Services were built to separately provide professional design and permit approvals for every type and level of renovation inquiry—simplifying the process for contractors by removing the growing challenges of securing permits after a contract is signed.
To support this role effectively, the scope of these services meets or exceeds that of most established architectural firms.
Why We Added Architectural Services to our Platform...
Signing a construction contract before permits are finalized can put both the homeowner and the contractor at serious risk. In this situation, permit costs, permit approval timelines, and even contract terms are often based on assumptions rather than confirmed permit requirements.
In late 2017, we intentionally developed our own architectural services to better protect and support both homeowners and contractors—by ensuring the permit process is fully completed and approved before any construction estimates are prepared.
Design and Construction Working Together
By integrating Architectural Design & Permit Services into our platform, contractors and our Architectural Specialists are able to work together from the beginning, using the same approved drawings and permit information.
About Our Estimating Policy
When a building permit is required, construction estimating will not proceed until a fully approved and stamped Building Permit is submitted.
The permit may be prepared and stamped by a member BCIN‑certified designer, a member licensed structural engineer (P.Eng), or by the client’s own appropriately certified specialist. see Benefits of This Policy
Special Offer...
Architectural Rebate
Notice: Clients who obtain their permit through a
BCIN‑certified member-specialist and proceed with the
project through a Member-Contractor will qualify for an
Architectural Rebate of up to $1,500, which will be
credited against the construction agreement price.
Who is Actually Responsible For The Permit?
Many homeowners are unaware that, in Ontario, building permits are the legal responsibility of the property owner, not the contractor.
And although your selected contractor may apply for a permit or engage an architectural specialist for the project, it is you—the homeowner—who remains responsible for ensuring that the required permit is properly arranged, approved, and in place.
For this reason, the permit process should always remain under homeowner authority and control, rather than be dependent on the contractor selecting his own architectural specialist.
In practice, a contractor may rely on an architectural specialist who is familiar to the contractor but not properly matched to the type, complexity, or scope of the client’s project.
Bad Result...
When a contractor fails to select the most appropriate type and level of architectural specialist for the work involved, this can result in permit delays, required revisions, compliance issues, or rejected applications—creating avoidable problems for both the homeowner and the contractor.
How Our "Permit First" Policy Benefits The Homeowner...
By purchasing your approved Drawings and Permit separately before requesting an estimate from a contractor, you maintain greater control over your renovation project.
With the final drawings and approved permit in hand:
The homeowner can request an estimate from any contractor:
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All contractors must submit their estimates based on the same set of permit-approved drawings
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Contractor estimates become more detailed and accurate.
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The contractor's estimate no longer relies on "guessing" at what may be involved in the permit process and more on a mandated list of permit compliance-approved requirements.
This approach helps homeowners avoid unexpected delays, surprise add‑ons, and pricing disputes that commonly arise when the contractor's estimate price is "locked in" prior to permit approval.
Question:
If I obtain my permit through The Renovation Co-op, will I have to purchase the actual construction from a member-contractor after the permit is approved?
Answer: Absolutely Not!
All architectural services are purchased separately from the construction, and you are never obligated to purchase the construction through our contractor-membership.
That said, please note the following:
Although the client is free to select any contractor of their choosing, if a client hires both a member‑Architectural Specialist and a member‑Contractor through our organization, the coordination between the two becomes substantially more efficient—resulting in clearer communication, faster workflow, and fewer revisions.
In addition, the client is eligible to receive an Architectural Rebate of up to $1,500, which gets credited against the contractor's final price (see Architectural Rebate)
How Our Permit-First System Benefits The Contractor…
When the contractor has access to the completed, permit‑approved drawings before providing an estimate, the contractor is in a much better position:
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The client's project is effectively "ready to roll", without the contractor having to be concerned about permit‑related delays...the permit is already in place.
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The contractor can present his/her best price without having to add in the "guesstimated" cost of potential permit approval timelines.
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The contractor's sub-trades are also able to start immediately (which gives them the ability to give the contractor their best price as well).
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There is no guesswork related to zoning, compliance, or pending municipal decisions...all of that has already been completed.
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Construction pricing can be prepared with greater confidence and accuracy
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Project scheduling and timelines become more predictable
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The type and level of the member-BCIN selected to obtain the building permit has been matched closely to perform the same type and level of service required by the project itself.
Types of Architectural Services We Provide...
Structural Modifications
These are separately stamped drawings that display details related to the removal and/or installation of load-bearing walls, , columns, and foundation-related projects.
Depending on the type and level of the project, a member-BCIN who has been trained and designated for this level of architectural service, or a licensed, Structural Engineer (P-eng).
Surveys
Many homeowners do not have access to a current property survey, even though surveys are often required for permit approval, real‑estate closings, and mortgage financing or refinancing.
If a survey is required for the permit to be issued, construction estimating will not proceed unless a recent survey is provided.
If needed, we will offer our professional Survey Services to support your architectural and permit submissions.
* Municipal Zoning Reviews
Our BCIN‑certified designers conduct zoning reviews and, when required, prepare and coordinate zoning variance applications before permit submission.
When a zoning review identifies non‑compliance, your designer will prepare and submit a Minor Variance application on your behalf to the Committee of Adjustment, which has sole authority to grant zoning relief.
Committee of Adjustment (CoA)
Preparation & Representation
A Committee of Adjustment (CofA) is a municipal body that considers requests for minor zoning relief when a project does not fully comply with zoning requirements.
Your member‑BCIN will prepare and manage the C of A application and upon your request, represent you throughout the hearing process to obtain final approvals and a stamped permit before construction can proceed.
Have you been issued a
Permit Compliance Order?
If you don't act immediately, you could wind up in financial “hot water”.
Regardless of how far the issue has gone, our Permit Compliance Specialists will act quickly to resolve the issue on your behalf.
Note:
Due to mandatory timing requirements imposed within most Permit Compliance Orders, priority will always be given to Permit Compliance Estimate Requests.
Permit Approvals for Basement Apartments
History
In 2019, to address Ontario’s housing shortage—particularly across the Greater Toronto Area—the Ministry of Housing required municipalities to allow secondary residential units within private homes.
Since that ruling, municipalities throughout the province have seen a sharp rise in permit compliance violations related to basement apartment conversions due to one or both of the following reasons:
1- The work was completed without a building permit
2- The work was performed by an unqualified individual
As a result, basement apartment conversions have become one of the highest‑risk types of renovations from a permit‑compliance standpoint.
That is why our organization will not process construction estimates for basement apartments or any other permit‑required projects unless a completed and approved building permit is already in place.
If a client has not already obtained their own approved permit, our Architectural Services division is available to provide the required drawings and manage the permit application process separately, on behalf of the client.
Through this service, we recommend and assign a licensed, vetted member‑BCIN designer, carefully matched to the size, scope, and complexity of the project, to prepare permit‑ready drawings and oversee the full approval process with the municipality.
Once the permit is officially and fully approved, the construction estimating process may proceed, ensuring that compliance issues are addressed upfront—rather than discovered after the contract has been signed.
Toward the end of 2019, Ontario began implementing significant changes to the Building Code, which included changes that allowed for the expansion of legal basement apartments in response to growing housing needs, particularly in large urban centers such as Toronto.
At the same time however, these changes brought stricter compliance standards and a stronger enforcement focus on permits and safety requirements.
For this reason, Basement Apartment Drawings and permit applications should only be prepared and managed by a licensed architectural specialist who regularly delivers this level of architectural service and is familiar with current approval requirements.
