Permit Drawings in BC: Site Plans, Elevations, Sections

Date Published: April 10, 2026

Some projects need a compact permit package. Others require a broader set of drawings with site planning, design development, technical detailing, and consultant coordination. We do not apply the same checklist to every file.

Instead, we evaluate the project and assemble the drawing set that is actually needed to move permit approval forward.

At-a-Glance: What Is Usually Included

• Site Plans: Placement, zoning context, and site-related permit information.

• Floor Plans: Internal layout, circulation, and space organization.

• Exterior Elevations: Front/rear/side faces, height expression, and exterior character.

• Roof Plans: Roof form and upper-level coordination where required.

• Cross Sections: Vertical building relationships and key construction interfaces.

• Construction Details: Code-facing and build-facing technical details.

• Supporting Layouts: Key plans, accessibility alignment, and egress coordination.

  1. 1
     Feasibility and Planning Inputs
  2. 2
     Existing Conditions
  3. 3
     Site and Preliminary Analysis
  4. 4
     Proposed Design Drawings
  5. 5
     Visualization Options
  6. 6
     Technical Permit Drawings
  7. 7
     Coordination and Revisions

1. Feasibility and Planning Inputs

Before drawing production ramps up, we define scope using the core planning constraints that usually drive permit requirements.

This often includes:

• Site-planning direction and municipal context.
• Zoning constraints and massing-related limits.
• Building code-facing planning constraints.
• Early identification of items that trigger added documentation.

2. Existing Conditions

Accurate existing information keeps the proposed and technical drawings reliable.

Depending on project needs, this can include:

• Consultation and project briefing.
• Existing-condition floor plans.
• Existing elevations where required.
• Measured verification support.

3. Site and Preliminary Analysis

Where required by project type or municipality, preliminary analysis may be added to support design and submission strategy.

Examples can include:

• Site-response analysis.
• View, circulation, and context checks.
• Easement or restriction awareness.

4. Proposed Design Drawings

This is the part of the package most clients are usually asking about. It is the visible design set: the drawings that explain how the project is laid out, how it looks, and how it will be reviewed for permit.

We do not prepare every drawing type on every project. Instead, we build the design set around the drawings that matter most for the specific scope.

Floor Plans

Floor plans are usually the backbone of the package. They show how the building or unit works internally and how the space is organized.

Depending on the project, these may include:

• Foundation plans.
• Basement or crawl space plans.
• Main floor plans.
• Upper floor plans.
• Interior space-planning layouts.

This is where circulation, room arrangement, accessibility considerations, and much of the project logic are first made clear.

Exterior Elevations

Elevations deserve to be called out directly because they are one of the most important permit drawings in the set.

They typically show:

• Front elevation.
• Rear elevation.
• Side elevations.

They help explain the building height, exterior character, window and door placement, and the relationship of the proposal to the street, neighbouring properties, and municipal review criteria.

Where required, elevations may also be supported by height calculations, spatial calculations, and finish schedules.

Roof Plans

Roof plans are included where the project requires them, particularly when roof form, drainage direction, upper-level coordination, or roof-related geometry must be documented clearly for permit review.

Reflected Ceiling Plans

For projects with more detailed interior coordination, we may also prepare reflected ceiling plans.

These drawings are often used to organize lighting, HVAC layout, and related ceiling elements so the design reads clearly for both permit review and construction coordination.

Key Plans and Supporting Layouts

Some projects also require additional supporting drawings to complete the package. These can include:

• Key plans.
• Accessibility layout coordination.
• Means of egress coordination.

Other drawing types, such as landscaping plans, security layouts, or specialized outdoor-area design, are only included when they are specifically required by the project scope or municipality.

5. Visualization Options

Visualization is optional but often useful for design review and client decision-making.

Options may include:

• Colored floor plans.
• Colored elevations.
• 3D model views.
• Photorealistic renderings.

6. Technical Permit Drawings

This is the technical package used for permit review, where site plans, sections, and details become critical.

Depending on project needs, this may include:

• Site plans and supporting site-plan information.
• Cross sections.
• Building envelope information.
• Construction details.
• Energy/code details.
• Fire-separation details.

These are often the drawings plan reviewers focus on when checking technical compliance.

🧭 Site Plans

Site plans are where many submissions are first anchored. They typically show project placement and site relationships that reviewers use to confirm planning alignment.

✂ Cross Sections

Cross sections clarify how the project works vertically. They show floor-to-floor relationships, roof/foundation transitions, and key interfaces that are hard to understand from plans and elevations alone.

🧱 Construction and Code Details

Details convert design intent into permit-ready technical information. They are often where code requirements, envelope continuity, fire separation strategy, and buildability are made explicit.

🌡 Envelope and Performance Notes

Where required, the package may include envelope and performance-related notes (such as RSI-related content) that support energy and compliance review.

7. Coordination and Revisions

Permit approval also depends on coordination and response through review cycles.

Support may include:

• Consultant coordination.
• Application support.
• AHJ comment responses.
• Consultant-driven revisions.

Revisions within the agreed scope are typically addressed within that scope; expanded scope items are handled separately.

The Main Drawings Clients Usually Ask About

If you want the short version, the drawings clients ask about most often are:

• ✅ Site plans, to show placement and zoning-related information.
• ✅ Floor plans, to show layout and interior organization.
• ✅ Exterior elevations, to show the visible faces of the project.
• ✅ Roof plans, where roof design and upper-level coordination matters.
• ✅ Cross sections, to explain how the project is assembled vertically.
• ✅ Construction and code details, to support technical permit review.

Everything else is added only when the project, municipality, or consultant team actually requires it.

Important Scope Notes

• Not every project requires every drawing listed on this page.
• The final set depends on project type, municipality, existing conditions, and permit-review expectations.
• Some drawings are only included when triggered by scope or municipal requirements.
• Consultant fees, municipal fees, and permit submission obligations remain outside this summary unless specifically agreed.

Want to See Our Design Process?

Want to see how these drawings fit into the full permit workflow? Click here to review our complete design process.