Architectural & Construction Drawings in Greater Montréal

Permit drawings are the simplified set — site plan, floor plans, elevations and sections — that a municipality reviews for code and zoning compliance before approving your project. Construction drawings go further, adding structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing details, dimensions and material specifications the trades actually build from. A good design-build set serves both: detailed enough to permit and to construct without guesswork.

It depends on the building and scope. Under Quebec's Architects Act, plans for larger buildings and most commercial or multi-unit residential projects must be signed and sealed by an architect; small, non-structural work is often exempt. Work affecting the structure usually needs plans sealed by an engineer. Boroughs confirm what they require, so verify the threshold for your specific project before drawing.

A typical Montréal permit application includes a scaled set showing existing and proposed conditions: a site plan, floor plans, elevations and, where the structure is affected, sections and structural details. A current certificate of location is usually required, plus photos for exterior changes. Missing documents — an architect's plan or the certificate of location — are a common cause of weeks-long delays.