Planning an interior renovation? Whether you’re reconfiguring your home, finishing a basement, or updating a commercial space, most interior projects in Toronto require a building permit.
At Acadia Drafting, we assist homeowners, business owners, and contractors in navigating the entire process, from permit drawings to final approval. No confusion, no delays, and no costly mistakes.
☑ Permit-ready drawings aligned with the Ontario Building Code
☑ Full submission support, we handle all the paperwork
☑ Residential & commercial renovation expertise across Toronto & the GTA
☑ Over ten years of experience
☑ Our drawings are stamped by an Engineer and/or a BCIN professional based on project requirements
In many cases, yes.
The City of Toronto requires a building permit for interior renovations that involve structural, plumbing, or mechanical changes. Even if your project seems straightforward, it may still require approval.
If you’re unsure, this is where we help. We’ll review your project and tell you exactly what’s required before you start.
The permit process can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re unfamiliar with how the City reviews applications.
Here’s how it works:
1. Zoning & Project Review: Before anything else, your project must comply with zoning bylaws and building regulations.
2. Permit Drawings & Documentation: Detailed drawings are prepared to show:
3. Submission to the City: Your application is submitted through Toronto’s building permit system.
4. Plan Review & Revisions: City reviewers assess your plans. If anything is missing or non-compliant, revisions will be requested.
5. Permit Approval: Once everything meets code, your permit is issued, and construction can begin.
This is where many projects slow down, but with the right team, the process becomes much smoother.
To get approved, your application needs to clearly demonstrate compliance with building codes.
At Acadia, we create permit-ready drawings that anticipate what the City is looking for, reducing back-and-forth and helping you move forward faster.
Timelines vary depending on the complexity of your project, but here’s a realistic breakdown:
Our goal is to minimize delays by getting it right the first time.
Permit rejections are more common than you might think, and they can significantly delay your project.
The good news: these issues are avoidable with the right expertise.
We design every project with approval in mind, not just aesthetics, helping you avoid costly setbacks.
We take a hands-on, start-to-finish approach so you don’t have to navigate the process alone.
1. Consultation: We review your project and confirm permit requirements
2. Site Visit & Measurements: Accurate measurements ensure everything fits and complies
3. Permit Drawings: Prepared to Ontario Building Code standards
4. Submission Management: We handle the application and documentation
5. Revisions & Coordination: We respond to city feedback and adjust as needed
6. Approval Support: We guide your project through to permit approval
Whether it’s a home renovation or commercial interior fit-out, we make the process straightforward and stress-free.
Choosing the right team can make all the difference.
☑ We handle everything. From drawings to submission and revisions
☑ Reduce permit rejections with code-compliant designs
☑ Toronto-specific expertise across residential and commercial projects
☑ Fast, efficient turnaround without cutting corners
☑ Clear communication every step of the way
We’re not just drafting plans, we’re helping you move your project forward with confidence.
We're happy to answer any questions you may have. Every project is unique, but here are some common questions about interior renovations permits:
How long it takes you to obtain an interior renovation permit depends on the scope of the project. Specifically, it depends on how long it takes to obtain the necessary drawings and how well they are done. In order to obtain an interior renovation permit, you need to have all the drawings done by an expert. That means you need a design consultant who can provide you with a complete set of drawings.
Usually, homeowners will hire an architectural consultant to prepare the architectural drawings for them and not realize that their renovation requires additional changes to the internal systems (electrical, HVAC, plumbing and so on). If that happens, the entire process can take much longer than expected, because the homeowner now has to find the experts who can prepare these additional drawings for them. That’s why it’s so important to find a design consultant that provides a full set of drawings for all the internal changes that need to be made, not just one aspect of it. In addition, the professionals you hire must also know all the requirements and municipal by-laws that will ensure your interior renovation is done to code.
After you submit your application, the amount of time it takes for your application to be approved will depend on how complete the drawing set is. On average, it takes about 2-4 weeks for the city to approve an interior renovation permit.
The city of Toronto offers the FASTRACK home renovation service for certain projects. Most homeowners take it for granted that their permit will be approved in 5 days, but this timeline depends greatly on the scope of the project. For example, if your interior renovation requires changes to the HVAC or plumbing system, that means that your application will have to be reviewed by different designated departments, and that you have to provide them with accurate drawings done to code. That’s why most projects take longer than 5 days.
There are a few ways to ensure your application is processed as soon as possible.
Start with finding the right design consultants. The right professionals will be able to provide you with a full set of drawings for your entire project. That means you should find someone who can prepare the architectural, structural, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and all other drawings in house. If your design consultant does only structural drawings, for example, you will have to look for other specialists to prepare other drawings in order to make your application complete, which will greatly affect the timeline of your project.
The second thing you can do also relates to how good your design consultants are. Basically, look for someone who knows all the codes and regulations and, especially, someone who has the experience to see your project through by following the guidelines set forth by your municipality. Every municipality, within or outside the GTA, has its own set of regulations when it comes to interior renovations, and these guidelines can easily be overlooked if your drawings are not done by someone who knows them.
Here at Acadia Drafting, we are committed to ensuring that your application is completed as soon as possible by providing a full set of drawings and applications for your project. We study the city by-laws and regulations before we even visit your site, so we know exactly which drawings you’ll need to prepare.
As mentioned earlier, how long it takes to approve an interior renovation permit varies from case to case. In general, what takes the most time to complete are the drawings themselves, if they are not done correctly the first time can create issues with the timeline. For example, if you submit an application with drawings that don’t follow the requirements and / or building codes, in one way or another, you will have to correct these mistakes and re-submit the application. Improperly done drawings usually take up most of the time, which is why it is so important that you hire a design consultant that has the knowledge and experience to prepare the correct drawings from start. At Acadia Drafting, we come to your site fully equipped with the experience, knowledge and confidence to give you an accurate estimate for your project, and we have the expertise to determine the scope of your project upon initial inspection.
The fastest and most efficient way to obtain an interior renovation permit is to prepare all the drawings and applications correctly for your entire project. The best way to ensure your drawings are accurate and that there are no additional fees along the way is to find an experienced design consultant. An experienced design consultants will:
Yes. Every city in the GTA has slightly different requirements and rules, and not knowing these rules could potentially derail your project. Acadia Drafting provides professional drafting and design services for all cities inside or outside the Greater Toronto Area. What makes us unique is the fact that we provide you with a full set of drawings and applications that follow the requirements of your municipality, and we ensure better and faster service because we know how to interpret these laws correctly.
If you find the right design consultants, you won’t have to do anything related to the application process itself. Design professionals such as Acadia Drafting, who offer a complete set of design services in house, will prepare the drawings and your entire application and submit it on your behalf, so you can sit back and relax. We even provide construction management services, so you can avoid all the stress and headaches that come with interior renovations.
How much your interior renovation will cost depends on the extent of the changes you want to make. Are you moving the entire kitchen to a different spot or adding a second bathroom? In that case, you’ll probably need structural, HVAC, electrical and plumbing drawings. If you simply need to remove a wall, then you’ll probably only need structural drawings. The best thing you can do to minimize the costs is to hire an experienced consultant who will prepare ahead and will be able to determine the scope of your project and its requirements right after initial inspection.
Home renovations, additions, custom home builds and more. We help homeowners get their building permit fast with a complete set of drawings prepared in-house by our experts.
We work with restaurant owners, retail store owners, office managers and any other commercial owners to get their building permits approved fast and make their project reality.
We also specialize in working with all kinds of industrial properties, including distribution centres, warehouses and even grow houses that are sustainable and fully functional.
We work with contractors and builders to ensure any project goes smoothly and the building permits get approved fast. We provide a full range of construction management services.
