Plans and permit drawings · NanaimoPermit drawings.
Drawn by builders.
Drawings for repairs, renovations, decks, additions and new homes in Nanaimo and the mid-Island. Drawn by Blair Landry, building designer, who has spent 15+ years designing roof trusses, floor joists and beams.
From one beam to a whole house.
Structural repairs and beams
Rotten or undersized beams and posts, sagging floors and crawlspace repairs. Our specialty.
Renovations and wall removal
Layout changes and new openings, with beam and post sizes worked out with the supplier.
Decks and covered decks
Attached, raised and covered decks, with stairs and railings to code.
Additions and garages
Additions, garages, workshops and other outbuildings.
New homes and carriage houses
Houses, suites and carriage houses.
Drawings of your existing house
Measured and drawn as it is today, for a renovation, a suite or insurance. Also called as-built drawings.
Four steps to a permit.
Call or send photos
Tell us what you want to build or fix. A sketch, old plans or phone photos all help.
Site measure
We measure and photograph what is there, then send you a fixed price in writing.
Drawings in about 2 weeks
A complete set of permit drawings, with one round of changes included.
We apply for the permit
We can apply on your behalf. If the City has questions about the drawings, we answer them at no charge.
We are not engineers. When the code or the City calls for one, we bring in a structural engineer and draw to their design.
The City wants to see how the weight reaches the ground.
Nanaimo’s permit checklist asks for every heavy load to be traced down to the foundation, the size of each beam and joist, and the supplier’s layouts for trusses and manufactured beams. Blair spent 15+ years designing roof trusses, floor joists and beams at a truss and lumber supplier, so your structure is drawn the way it will actually be built.
- Cover sheet with a 3D view
- Site plan (the house on your lot)
- Existing and new floor plans
- Cross-sections that show how the weight is carried
- Details of how beams sit on posts and join together
- Nailing and bolting notes, and temporary supports during the work
- Bracing plan for wind and earthquakes, where required
- The supplier’s truss, joist and beam layouts
Delivered as a clean PDF, ready to upload to the City, and drawn to the 2024 BC Building Code.
Starting prices
These are starting prices, plus GST. Your price depends on the size of the job and what the City asks for. You get a fixed price in writing after we measure, before any drawing starts.
Not included: an engineer, energy advisor (for new homes) or surveyor if your project needs one, and the City’s permit fee. We pass these on at cost, with no markup. The 2 weeks counts from the site measure, once you approve the quote, for repairs, decks, renovations and garages. Additions and new homes get their own schedule.
Blair Landry, building designer. Call or text about plans, permit drawings or commercial glass.
250-327-4647 blair@sharpcrafthomes.caWhat people ask
Do I have to build with Sharpcraft?
No. The drawings are yours. Build it yourself, with us, or with another contractor.
Who can draw house plans in BC?
For most homes, a building designer can. Houses, suites, carriage houses, garages, decks and renovations can all be drawn by a building designer, which is what we are. Only larger buildings need a registered design professional: roughly 600 m² (about 6,450 sq ft) and up, four or more storeys, or five or more units.
Do I need an engineer?
Most jobs do not. You need one when part of the job falls outside the building code’s standard rules for houses: a deck that holds a hot tub, some long beams or very heavy loads, steep lots or land over old coal mines, and roofs with solar panels. We bring the engineer in, and they design only the part that needs them.
Why a starting price and not a set price?
Every job is different. A simple beam swap is less work than one that needs an engineer or a survey. We look at the site first, then send you one fixed price.
How long does the City take?
Our drawings take about 2 weeks. The City of Nanaimo then reviews them, which has been taking about 3 to 6 weeks (fall 2026). The City sets that time, not us.
Can you work from my sketch or old plans?
Yes. Send what you have. If there are no plans, we measure the house and draw it as it stands.
Do you work outside Nanaimo?
Yes: Lantzville, Nanoose Bay, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Ladysmith and the rural areas of the Regional District of Nanaimo. Each has its own permit checklist, and we draw to it.
Send a sketch or a photo. Permit drawings in about 2 weeks.
We reply the same business day, usually within the hour. Mon to Fri 8 to 5.