Permit Drawings
From concept to building department submission, for new builds, ADUs, additions, remodels, garage conversions, and fire restoration.
Before a residential project can move forward, before a contractor breaks ground, before a garage becomes a livable space, before a fire-damaged home is rebuilt, the local building department needs to understand exactly what is being proposed. That understanding comes from one thing: accurate, complete permit drawings.
Complete Drafting Services LLC prepares permit drawings for homeowners across a range of residential projects, from new home construction to additions, ADUs, garage conversions, repairs, and fire restoration. Our work is focused on translating your project, whatever stage it is at, into the drawings and documentation a building department needs to review it.
Accurate permit drawings matter for a simple reason: incomplete or unclear documentation is one of the most common causes of delays, rejected submittals, and repeated correction cycles. A well-prepared drawing set does not just describe your project, it anticipates the questions a plan reviewer is going to ask and answers them before they are asked. That is the standard we draft to.
Professional Permit Drawings for Residential Projects
Permit drawings are project specific documents. They are not generic templates, they are prepared around your property, your scope of work, and the requirements of the building department reviewing your application. A shed addition and a full home rebuild do not need the same documentation, and a drawing set built for one will not work for the other.
Our role is to take your project, whether it is a rough idea, a sketch, an existing set of plans, or a fully developed design, and produce drawings that clearly and accurately communicate the proposed work to your building department. We prepare these drawings to support building department review and submission. Every jurisdiction has its own review standards and requirements, so while we draft with submission in mind at every step, no drafting service can guarantee how a specific department will rule on a specific application.
What Are Permit Drawings?
Permit drawings are the formal set of technical drawings and documents a homeowner submits to a building department to obtain approval for construction, alteration, or repair work. They are the difference between an idea and a project the building department can actually evaluate.
A concept sketch might show what you want your addition to look like. Permit drawings show how it is actually going to be built: dimensions, materials, structural elements, code required details, and how the work relates to your existing property. Building departments do not review intentions, they review documentation. If a drawing set is missing information, uses inconsistent measurements, or does not address a code requirement clearly, that is typically where a submittal stalls.
This is why accuracy and completeness are not just formalities, they directly affect how smoothly your project moves through review. A drawing set that anticipates what a plan reviewer needs to see, and presents it clearly, gives your project the best foundation for a straightforward review process.
What Does a Site Plan Include?
The specific drawings required for a permit depend on the scope of your project and the requirements of your local building department. Not every project needs every type of drawing, a small repair calls for far less documentation than a new home. That said, a residential permit drawing set commonly draws from the following:
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Site plans, showing the property, structures, and project in relation to the lot
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Floor plans, documenting existing conditions and the proposed layout
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Existing and proposed structures, shown to scale
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Elevations, showing the exterior appearance and dimensions of the structure from each side
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Sections, illustrating how a structure is built through a cut-away view, when required
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Roof plans, detailing roof geometry, framing, and drainage
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Electrical plans, showing outlet, fixture, and equipment location
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Architectural details, clarifying specific construction condition
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Construction notes, communicating code-related requirements and specifications
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Other project specific documentation, depending on the scope and jurisdiction
We determine which of these apply to your project based on what you are building, altering, or repairing, and what your building department expects to see for that type of work.
Residential Projects We Prepare Permit Drawings For
We work across the residential project types that make up the bulk of building department submittals, each with its own documentation needs.
New construction typically requires the most complete drawing set: site plan, full floor plans, elevations, a roof plan, and supporting technical documentation, since the building department is reviewing an entire structure from the ground up.
New Home Construction
Home Additions and Expansions
Additions require drawings that clearly distinguish existing conditions from proposed work, along with documentation showing how the addition connects to the existing structure and complies with setback and coverage requirements.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
ADU projects generally call for a dedicated drawing set addressing the unit's placement, layout, and utility connections, along with the site plan documentation most jurisdictions require for a second structure or added living space on the property.
Garage Conversions and Rebuilds
Converting or rebuilding a garage often involves documentation addressing the change in use, structural conditions, and, if the space is being converted to a living area, the code requirements that apply to habitable rooms.
Home Remodeling and Repair
Repair and remodeling projects can range from minor scope to work that requires full structural documentation, particularly when a repair uncovers existing conditions, like structural damage, that need to be formally addressed in the drawings.
Fire Restoration Projects
Restoring a fire-damaged home typically requires documentation of both existing and proposed conditions, along with drawings that reflect any changes to the structure, layout, or materials as part of the rebuild.
Across all of these project types, the common thread is the same: the required documentation is driven by the actual scope of work, not by the category the project falls into.
Our Permit Drawing Proces
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Understand your project
We start by learning what you are trying to accomplish, the type of project, its scope, and any constraints or goals that should shape the drawings.
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Review existing conditions and available information
We gather what is already available, such as existing plans, a survey, prior drawings, or details about the current structure, to establish an accurate starting point.
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Develop the architectural drawings
We draft the required plans, including site, floor, elevations, and other applicable drawings, based on your project scope and the documentation your building department typically expects for that type
of work.
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Coordinate required technical information
Where a project involves elements like structural details, energy compliance, or other specialized information, we incorporate that into the drawing set, coordinating with engineers or other professionals as needed.
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Review and refine the drawing set
We share the developing drawings with you so you can confirm they accurately reflect your project before anything is finalized.
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Prepare documentation for building department submission
Once the drawings are finalized, we prepare the completed set for submission, formatted to align with your building department's requirements.
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Address required revisions
If your building department returns comments or requests corrections, we work through them with you to update the drawings accordingly.
Working With Engineers and Other Professionals
Some residential projects require more than architectural drafting. Structural work, engineering calculations, and energy compliance documentation are common examples of technical information that a building department may require, depending on the project.
Complete Drafting Services LLC is a residential drafting and project documentation company, not a structural engineering firm. When a project requires engineering calculations, a stamped structural drawing, or other specialized professional input, we coordinate with engineers and other qualified professionals to make sure that information is incorporated into your drawing set correctly. This keeps your project moving without requiring you to separately manage multiple consultants on your own.
Permit Drawings and Building Department Corrections
It is common for a building department to return comments after reviewing a submittal. Depending on the project and the specific comments received, some corrections are minor, others require more substantial revisions. We cannot predict in advance how many correction cycles a given project will involve, since that depends on your building department's review, but we work through the process with you until your drawings are ready to move forward.
How Permit Drawings Fit Into Your Complete Project
Permit drawings do not exist in isolation, they are usually one stage in a longer process that starts well before submission and continues after approval.
Most projects begin with a concept, a general idea of what you want, often before every detail is finalized. From there, the design develops into a proposed layout, refining the project's footprint, layout, and appearance. That proposed design is then developed into detailed architectural drawings, which form the basis of your permit documentation, the drawing set submitted for building department review. Once a project is approved and moves into construction, that same documentation often continues to serve as the reference set contractors build from.
Understanding where your project currently sits in that progression helps determine what you need next, whether that is a first conversation about a concept or a complete permit ready drawing set.
Why Choose Complete Drafting Services for Permit Drawings?
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A U.S. based residential drafting company, focused specifically on private homes rather than commercial or large-scale development
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Experience across a range of residential project types, from new construction to additions, ADUs, garage conversions, repairs, and fire restoration
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Concept to construction documentation, supporting your project from an early idea through a complete drawing set
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Permit oriented drawings, prepared with building department review and submission in mind
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Direct coordination with engineers and other professionals when your project requires technical input beyond architectural drafting
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A drafting process built around your actual project, not a fixed template applied regardless of scope
Review Pricing and Completed Projects
Every permit drawing project is scoped around what you actually need, from an early concept to a complete, submission-ready set. To see how our project documentation levels are structured, review our pricing and plan options. If you would like to see the kind of residential work we have documented, from new homes to fire restoration and garage conversions, you can view examples of our residential projects.
Many permit sets start with the site plan. Learn more about our residential site plan drafting services.
Start Your Permit Plan Project
If your project needs permit drawings, whether you are just starting to plan or you are ready to move toward submission, we are ready to help you get there. Discuss your permit drawing project with our team, and we will walk you through what your specific project requires.
Frequently Asked Question
What are permit drawings? Permit drawings are the technical drawings and documentation submitted to a building department to obtain approval for construction, addition, alteration, or repair work. They translate a proposed project into the detail a building department needs to review it.
What drawings are needed for a building permit? It depends on your project. A new home typically requires a full set, including a site plan, floor plans, elevations, and a roof plan, among others, while a smaller repair or alteration may need only a portion of that documentation. We determine what applies based on your specific scope of work.
How much do permit drawings cost? Cost depends on the type and scope of your project, since documentation needs vary significantly between a small repair and a new home. Review our pricing page for how our project levels are structured, or contact us for scope-specific guidance.
How long does it take to prepare permit drawings? Timelines vary based on project complexity, the information available at the start, and how many revision rounds are involved once the drawings are under review. We are happy to discuss a general timeline once we understand your project.
Can you prepare permit drawings for a home addition? Yes. Home additions are one of the residential project types we regularly document, including drawings that show the addition's relationship to your existing structure and property.
Can you prepare permit drawings for an ADU? Yes. ADU projects are part of our regular project work, and we prepare the drawing set needed to document the unit for building department review.
Do permit drawings require an engineer? Some projects do, particularly where structural work, calculations, or a stamped drawing are required. When that applies to your project, we coordinate with engineers and other qualified professionals as part of the process.
What happens if the building department requests revisions? We review the comments, update the affected drawings, and prepare the revised set for resubmission. The extent of revisions needed depends on the specific comments and the project itself.
Can you prepare drawings from existing plans? Yes. If you already have plans, a survey, or prior drawings, we can use that information as a starting point rather than beginning entirely from scratch.