Full text index · Ontario
RCI Consulting prepares architectural, structural, HVAC and plumbing permit drawings for residential and commercial projects across Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area and Ontario. This page is the plain-text version of the service list: each of the 15 packages, what it covers, the published price, and the time it takes — readable without a browser running any scripts.
$750 flat
Legal secondary suite permit drawings for a self-contained basement apartment. The package covers fire separation, egress windows, a separate entrance and the mechanical design the suite needs to pass review. A separate entrance is quoted on its own, because cutting one depends on the house.
From $750 starting price
Permit-ready drawings for finishing a basement as living space rather than as a second unit. Covers egress compliance, lighting, moisture control and insulation details — the four things a basement review turns on. The final figure depends on the floor area and how much of the existing structure has to be documented.
$1,750 flat
Permit drawings for a detached backyard dwelling — a garden suite, laneway suite or coach house. Covers zoning and setbacks, foundation design and separate utilities. HVAC design is included at this price, which is unusual; most suites are stalled by mechanical drawings arriving separately.
From $1,750 quoted per project
Full architectural and structural design for new custom homes, second-storey additions and rear additions. Additions start at $1,750; larger custom homes are quoted per project because the drawing scope tracks the size and complexity of the build.
$900 flat
Engineered deck and porch drawings covering footings, beams, railings and connection details. These are the four items a deck review checks, and the reason an unengineered sketch gets returned.
From $1,750 starting price
Drawings for load-bearing wall removal and open-concept renovation, with the engineered beams and columns that carry the load once the wall is gone. Also used for interior alterations that change how a space is occupied.
$900 flat
Detached garage permit drawings covering zoning and setbacks, foundation, framing and electrical. Where the lot is already tight on coverage, the setback check is what decides the footprint before anything is drawn.
Quoted per project
Commercial kitchen, ventilation and dining permit drawings coordinated with health and fire code requirements. Restaurant files are where timelines usually break, because the kitchen, hood and exhaust scope has to agree with the dining layout before submission.
Quoted per project
Office fit-out and tenant improvement drawings addressing egress, accessibility, HVAC and electrical — the four items a leasehold review is assessed against.
Quoted per project
Educational facility renovation and expansion drawings meeting life-safety and AODA accessibility standards. School work also carries board and institutional standards on top of the building code.
Quoted per project
Storefront and retail interior permit drawings with merchandising flow, lighting and code compliance. A change of use is often the trigger here, not the construction itself.
Quoted per project
Salon and spa drawings with the specialized plumbing, ventilation and electrical design the trade requires. Wash basins, chemical exhaust and dryers are what separate a salon file from a plain retail fit-out.
Quoted per project
Automotive service bay and workshop drawings with exhaust extraction, drainage and structural design. Floor loading and fluid handling are reviewed alongside the building permit, so they belong in the drawing set from the start.
From $750 residential
Permit-ready HVAC and mechanical drawings — heating, ventilation, air conditioning, exhaust, duct sizing and routing, plus mechanical equipment schedules for building permit approval across Toronto, the GTA and Ontario. Residential packages start at $750; commercial mechanical work is quoted per project.
From $750 residential
Residential and commercial plumbing permit drawings — water supply, drain-waste-vent, gas piping and fixture layouts for homes, plus riser diagrams, backflow prevention and washroom systems for businesses. Residential packages start at $750; commercial plumbing is quoted per project.
Every service above is also offered in each of the 44 municipalities we serve, and each of those pages names the building department that reviews the file and the local rule that decides what can be built there. The full list of city and service-in-a-city pages is on the service area index.
All figures are in Canadian dollars and cover the drawing package only. Municipal permit fees and construction are separate. The four flat prices below are the same figures stated on each service page and in that page’s structured data.
| Service | Price (CAD) | Pricing basis | Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basement Second Unit | $750 | Flat — separate entrance quoted on its own | View |
| Garden Suite | $1,750 | Flat — HVAC design included | View |
| Decks & Porches | $900 | Flat | View |
| Detached Garage | $900 | Flat | View |
| Basement Finishing | $750 | Starting from | View |
| Custom Homes & Additions | $1,750 | Starting from — larger custom homes quoted per project | View |
| Interior Alteration & Renovation | $1,750 | Starting from | View |
| HVAC | $750 | Starting from — residential | View |
| Plumbing | $750 | Starting from — residential | View |
| Restaurants, Office Space, Schools, Retail Space, Spa & Hair Salons, Mechanic Shop | Quoted per project | Free consultation, then a written quote | View |
These are the same terms published on the service pages and in the site’s business data.
These answers are the same ones published on the FAQ page and on Guides & Resources.
Mostly yes, with one caveat. The Ontario Building Code applies province-wide, so the code requirements in every guide — egress, fire separation, structural loads, ventilation — read the same whether you are in Toronto, Mississauga, Ottawa or Barrie. Zoning, setbacks, height limits and submission standards are set by each municipality instead, which is why the guides flag the local rules that vary. We design to the specific building department reviewing your file rather than sending a generic package that gets bounced back.
The figures are typical Ontario ranges for the project type described, and the flat package prices in the table above are our own published fees, not third-party estimates. Ranges shift with material costs and municipal fees, so treat them as a planning budget rather than a quote. Send us your project and we will confirm the exact number for your scope.
For most building permit applications in Ontario, drawings must be prepared by a qualified designer — that is what a Building Code Identification Number (BCIN) certifies. A homeowner can file the application, but the drawings generally still have to come from a BCIN-qualified person for the parts of the code the project touches. RCI Consulting is a BCIN certified firm, which is why our drawing packages can be submitted directly to the building department.
The drawing work is the part we control; the review clock belongs to the municipality. Standard residential reviews are usually measured in weeks and commercial fit-outs often take longer because they involve zoning, fire and sometimes health approvals. The review time also stops while the reviewer waits on answers, so a complete, coordinated package is the single biggest lever on your timeline. We can tell you the typical window for your specific municipality when you book a consultation.
The guides tell you what applies to your type of project and roughly what it costs — they are not a drawing set. Every permit submission needs drawings dimensioned to your actual property, existing conditions and proposed scope, reviewed and sealed by a qualified designer. Use a guide to plan and budget, then book a site visit so the drawings are built on real measurements.
RCI Consulting
4030 Sheppard Ave E, Scarborough, ON M1S 1S6, Canada
Telephone +1-416-545-9336 ·
Email info@rciconsulting.ca
Office hours Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Site visits Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM,
by appointment.
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