Plans That Work
Residential Drafting & Design for Prairie Homes
Have an idea for a new home, renovation or secondary suite? We turn it into a well-thought-out design and a detailed set of drawings you can actually move forward with.
Drafting Smith works with homeowners, builders and contractors across Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba.
Tell us what you’re planning and where you’re building. Every request is reviewed within 24 hours.
Why Drafting Smith
What “Plans That Work” Means
A good set of plans has to do more than look good on a screen.
It has to work for the people who will live in the home. It has to give the municipality enough information to review the project. And it has to make sense to the people pricing and building it.
That’s the thinking behind Plans That Work.
They work for the way you live
A home should be designed around the people using it — the property, the rooms you need, how you move through the space and what matters to you.
We don’t start with a stock plan and force your project to fit it.
They work through the permit process
Every municipality has its own requirements.
We prepare the drawing package around the project and where it’s being built, with the information needed for the applicable permit process.
They work on the job site
Builders and trades shouldn’t have to guess what the drawings mean.
Dimensions, elevations, sections and construction information are laid out clearly so the project can be priced, planned and built with fewer unanswered questions.
What We Do
Residential Design & Drafting Services
You might come to us with a finished idea, a rough sketch, an existing floor plan or nothing more than a list of things you want in the home.
We’ll help take it from there.
Residential Drafting & Design
Need a complete set of residential drawings? We prepare floor plans, elevations, sections and other construction drawings for new homes and residential projects.
Building Permit Drawings
If your project requires municipal approval, we can prepare the drawings needed to clearly show what you’re proposing. That can include new homes, renovations, additions, basement developments and secondary suites.
Custom Home Design
Start with the property and the way you want to live, not a generic house plan. We develop custom floor plans and exterior designs around your lot, priorities and ideas, then carry the approved design into the detailed drawing stage.
Renovation & Addition Design
Changing an existing home comes with its own challenges. We help work through the existing layout, what needs to change and how the new space should come together before construction starts.
Basement & Secondary Suite Design
Make better use of the space you already have. We design basement developments and secondary suites around existing stairs, windows, utilities, structure and the applicable requirements for the property.
Selected Work
See the Plans Take Shape
Every project starts somewhere different — a vacant lot, an unfinished basement, a house that no longer works for the family living in it, or an idea that’s still mostly in someone’s head.
Here are a few examples of how those ideas have been developed into residential designs and detailed plans.
[Community] · [Project Type]
[PROJECT NAME]
[One or two sentences describing what the client wanted and what Drafting Smith provided.]
[Community] · [Project Type]
[PROJECT NAME]
[One or two sentences describing what the client wanted and what Drafting Smith provided.]
[Community] · [Project Type]
[PROJECT NAME]
[One or two sentences describing what the client wanted and what Drafting Smith provided.]
How It Works
You Don't Need to Have Everything Figured Out
Some clients come to us with detailed sketches. Others have a Pinterest folder, a list of rooms and a rough idea of what they want.
Both are perfectly good places to start.
Tell Us About the Project
Send us the property location, what you’re planning and anything you already have — sketches, existing drawings, photos, lot information or inspiration.
We’ll review it and determine what the project needs before getting started.
Develop the Design
This is where the ideas get worked out.
We develop the layout around the property, your priorities and the requirements of the project. You’ll have an opportunity to review the design and make changes before we move into the detailed drawing stage.
Work Through the Details
Once the direction is right, we develop the drawings in more detail.
Depending on the project, the package may include floor plans, exterior elevations, sections, site information and other construction details.
Get the Drawings You Need
The completed drawing package can then be used for the next appropriate step — whether that’s a permit application, getting prices from builders or preparing for construction.
Start by sending us what you know. You don’t need a finished design before contacting us.
Building Permit Drawings
Need Drawings for a Building Permit?
Figuring out what the municipality wants can be one of the more frustrating parts of a residential project.
We help make that part easier.
Drafting Smith prepares drawing packages for projects such as new homes, additions, renovations, basement developments and secondary suites.
Exactly what’s required depends on both the project and the municipality. Some projects may also need information from an engineer, surveyor or another professional.
Our role is to give the proposed work a clear set of drawings and identify the project information needed for the drawing package so there are fewer surprises when you’re ready for the next step.
Homeowners + Industry
Different Clients. Same Need for Good Plans.
Homeowners
You don’t need to know how to draw a house or speak construction jargon.
Tell us what you’re trying to accomplish and we’ll help turn the idea into something you can see, review and eventually build.
Home Builders
Already know what needs to be built?
We provide residential design and drafting support for home builders who need consistent, detailed drawing sets for new-home projects.
Renovators & Contractors
For renovations, additions and basement projects, drawings help define the work before demolition and construction begin.
That gives everyone a better picture of what is changing and what the finished project is supposed to look like.
Where We Work
Based in Saskatoon. Working Across the Prairies.
Drafting Smith is based in Saskatoon, but residential design and drafting doesn’t always require the client and designer to be in the same city.
Consultations, design reviews and revisions can all be handled remotely, allowing us to work with homeowners and builders throughout Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba.
For projects involving an existing building, we’ll determine what measurements, photos, existing plans or site information are needed before the design work begins.
Saskatoon
Our home market, including surrounding communities throughout central and northern Saskatchewan.
Regina
Serving Regina and communities throughout southern and southeastern Saskatchewan.
Calgary
Serving Calgary, surrounding communities, acreage markets and other parts of southern Alberta.
Edmonton
Serving Edmonton, the metropolitan region and residential projects throughout central and northern Alberta.
Winnipeg
Serving Winnipeg, surrounding municipalities and communities throughout southern Manitoba.
Client Experience
What Clients Say
“[Client testimonial]”
[Project type — Community]
“[Client testimonial]”
[Project type — Community]
“[Client testimonial]”
[Project type — Community]
About Drafting Smith
Residential Design Is Our Focus
Drafting Smith was founded in Saskatoon in 2023 with a straightforward goal: help homeowners and home builders get from an idea to a set of plans without making the process more complicated than it needs to be.
We focus on residential work — new homes, renovations, additions, basements, secondary suites and the drawings that go with them.
That focus shapes how we approach a project: listen first, work through the design, pay attention to the details and produce plans that make sense to the people who need to use them.
As Drafting Smith grows, the goal is to build a skilled residential design team without losing that approach.
Good to Know
Questions Before You Get Started
Our focus is residential.
That includes custom homes, new-home drawing sets, renovations, additions, basement developments, secondary suites and drawings for residential permit applications.
Yes.
A rough sketch, inspiration photo, existing plan or even a handwritten list of what you want can be enough to start a conversation.
We’ll review what you have and determine what still needs to be worked out.
Yes.
We’re based in Saskatoon and work with residential clients throughout Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba, including Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and surrounding communities.
Much of the design and review process can be handled online.
It depends on the project.
A drawing package can include floor plans, exterior elevations, building sections, site information, dimensions and construction details. Permit requirements also vary by municipality.
We’ll determine the appropriate scope before the drawings are prepared.
There isn’t one price that makes sense for every project.
A basement development, a home addition and a completely custom house involve very different amounts of design and drafting.
Pricing is based on the scope, complexity and drawings required. Send us the project details and we’ll review what’s involved before work begins.
That depends on the size and complexity of the project, how much design work is required and how quickly decisions and revisions are made.
We’ll discuss the anticipated timeline when we review your project so you understand the process before getting started.
Possibly.
Some projects require structural engineering, surveying, energy-related documentation or other professional services depending on the work and the municipality.
Those services are separate from Drafting Smith’s residential drafting and design work.
No.
We focus on residential design and drafting.
The completed plans can be provided to your builder or contractor, or used to get pricing from builders before deciding who will construct the project.
No.
Drafting Smith is a residential drafting and design company.
Certain projects may require the involvement of an architect, engineer or another regulated professional depending on the type, size and complexity of the work.
Start with the basics:
- Where the project is located
- What you’re planning
- Approximate size, if you know it
- Any sketches or existing plans
- Photos for renovation projects
- Property or lot information you already have
Don’t worry if some of that is missing. Send us what you know and we can go from there.
Have a Project in Mind?
Start With the Idea. We'll Help With the Plans.
Tell us what you’re planning, where the property is located and what you’d like the finished project to accomplish.
We’ll review the details and help determine what design and drawings you’ll need to move forward.
You don’t need to have everything figured out. Every request is reviewed within 24 hours.