Plans That Work
Renovation Drawings & Home Addition Design
Make the Home You Have Work Better
Maybe the kitchen is too small. The main floor feels chopped up. You need another bedroom. Or you’ve simply outgrown the space you have.
Drafting Smith helps homeowners, builders and contractors work through those problems and turn the solution into clear renovation drawings.
Send us some photos and tell us what’s not working. We’ll respond within 24 hours.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Existing home + renovation / addition exterior
Recommended: strong real-home photo showing an existing Prairie house that could plausibly be renovated or expanded. A before/after project image is even better.
Start With the Existing Home
Renovations Don't Start With a Blank Page
That’s what makes them interesting — and sometimes difficult.
The house already has walls, stairs, windows, plumbing, structure, rooflines and mechanical systems.
Some of those things can move.
Some shouldn’t.
And some may be hiding behind finished walls where nobody can see them yet.
A good renovation starts by understanding the house that’s already there, then working out which changes will actually improve it.
As your renovation designer, our focus is the layout and the drawings: what stays, what changes and how the proposed work fits into the existing home.
Drafting Smith does not perform the construction.
Your contractor builds from the finished plans.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Existing interior before renovation
Recommended: real kitchen/main-floor photo showing the layout problem—closed rooms, awkward circulation, undersized kitchen, dated addition, etc.
Better Use of Space
Do You Actually Need an Addition?
Not always.
Sometimes the answer is more square footage.
Sometimes the space you already have just isn’t being used very well.
Before adding onto the house, it can be worth asking whether the problem can be solved by:
- opening up a kitchen and living area
- moving or resizing rooms
- improving the entrance or mudroom
- adding an ensuite
- creating a better home office
- redesigning stairs or circulation
- making better use of underused space
If the existing footprint can solve the problem, that’s worth knowing before committing to an addition.
If it can’t, then we can start looking at where new space makes the most sense.
When You Need More Space
Add Space That Feels Like It Belongs
A good addition shouldn’t feel like somebody attached another box to the side of the house.
The new space needs to work with both the inside and outside of the existing home.
Drafting Smith can design additions such as:
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Home addition exterior / before-and-after massing
Recommended: exterior photo or rendering showing an addition that looks integrated with the original house—ideally side/rear addition or second-storey addition.
Main-Floor Additions
Expand kitchens, family rooms, dining spaces, bedrooms or other living areas while improving the connection between the original house and the new space.
Second-Storey Additions
Add living space above an existing home while working through stairs, floor levels, exterior proportions and the structural implications of adding another storey.
Bedroom & Primary Suite Additions
Create additional bedrooms, ensuites, closets or private living areas.
Family Room & Living Space Additions
Add everyday living space while maintaining a practical relationship with the rooms already there.
Entry & Mudroom Additions
Create better storage, circulation and transition space without sacrificing the flow of the main floor.
Garage-Connected Additions
Develop living space that works logically with an existing or proposed garage.
Existing Home + New Work
The New Part Has to Work With the Old Part
An addition creates questions that don’t exist when designing a house from scratch.
01
How Does It Sit on the Property?
Setbacks, lot size, site coverage and local development rules can limit where and how far the house can expand.
02
How Do the Floor Heights Meet?
The new floor needs to connect properly to the existing home without creating awkward transitions.
03
What Happens to the Roof?
Rooflines need to come together in a way that works both technically and visually.
04
What Supports the New Space?
An addition needs an appropriate foundation, and second-storey additions may require structural engineering to determine whether the existing structure can support the added load.
05
Will It Look Like It Belongs?
Window proportions, exterior materials, rooflines and massing all affect whether the addition feels integrated with the original house.
Those questions are easier to solve during design than after construction starts.
See the Change Clearly
Renovation Drawings Show the Before and After
With a renovation, one of the most useful things a drawing set can do is show the existing home beside the proposed design.
Depending on the project, that may include:
- Existing floor plans
- Proposed floor plans
- Demolition plans
- Exterior elevations
- Building sections
- Addition plans
- Site information
- Construction details
Before construction begins, you can see things such as:
- Which walls are staying?
- Which walls are coming out?
- Where are new openings being created?
- How does the addition connect to the house?
- Does the new layout improve circulation?
- Does the exterior still look balanced?
- Will the furniture fit where you expect?
- Are there decisions that should be resolved before contractors start pricing the work?
Every question answered during design is one less decision being made under pressure during construction.
Plans that work before the first wall comes down.
See an Existing Home and the Proposed Design Side by Side
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Existing floor plan
Recommended: actual Drafting Smith existing-condition floor plan from a renovation project. Remove identifying details and detailed dimensions.
Existing
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Matching proposed floor plan
Recommended: the proposed plan from the same project so visitors can compare the transformation directly.
Proposed
A before-and-after plan comparison is one of the clearest ways to show what residential renovation design actually accomplishes.
Suggested Caption:
Existing and proposed floor plans from a Drafting Smith renovation project. Client information and detailed dimensions removed for privacy.
The Reality of Renovations
Every Existing House Comes With Unknowns
A drawing can only be as accurate as the information available about the existing home.
That’s why documenting the existing conditions matters.
How Do We Get the Existing Measurements?
There isn’t one method that makes sense for every project.
Depending on the type of renovation, location, distance and client, we may work from:
- Existing house plans
- Real estate floor plans
- Measurements provided for the project
- Contractor measurements
- Photographs
- Site or survey information
- Other existing documentation
We’ll review what you have and determine what needs to be verified before using it as the basis for the new design.
What About Load-Bearing Walls?
Opening up an existing floor plan can involve more than removing drywall.
Walls, beams, posts and foundations may be carrying loads from the structure above.
When structural engineering is required, Drafting Smith can coordinate with the engineer and incorporate the applicable information into the drawings.
What If Something Is Hidden Inside the Wall?
That happens.
Drawings are based on what can reasonably be seen, measured or documented before demolition.
Once construction begins, opening a wall can reveal ductwork, plumbing, framing or previous construction that nobody could see beforehand.
If the existing conditions turn out to be different from what was documented, the design may need to be adjusted.
That’s a normal part of renovating an existing building.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Existing-condition documentation
Recommended: site-measurement photo, open wall/framing photo, structural beam/post photo, or a collage of existing-condition references used before design begins.
Have Existing Plans?
Send Them Along
Original house plans can be extremely helpful.
So can:
- Previous renovation drawings
- Real estate floor plans
- Surveys or Real Property Reports
- Contractor sketches
- Hand drawings
- Photographs
But old drawings aren’t automatically accurate.
Homes get renovated. Walls move. Windows change. Additions happen.
We’ll review the information and determine what needs to be confirmed before relying on it.
And if you don’t have plans at all, that’s common too.
Send us what you do have and we’ll figure out the best place to start.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Original / old house plan
Recommended: scanned original builder plan, old blueprint, or legacy house drawing.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Survey / Real Property Report
Recommended: cropped survey or RPR showing property context for an addition.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Hand sketch + renovation photos
Recommended: homeowner sketch beside a few existing-space photos. This should feel real and approachable, not polished.
Before Construction
Who Should You Talk to First — Designer or Contractor?
Either can work.
Some homeowners already have a contractor when they contact us.
Others want to work through the design first and then send the same drawings to several contractors for pricing.
If you already have a contractor, Drafting Smith can communicate directly with them when needed.
If you don’t, your completed drawings can be taken to the contractor of your choice.
What About Construction Cost?
Drafting Smith does not price the renovation or addition.
Your contractor does.
But design decisions can have a major effect on construction cost.
Removing structural walls, relocating plumbing, changing rooflines and building new foundations are very different projects from rearranging non-structural interior space.
If construction cost is a major concern, getting contractor input while the design is still being developed can be valuable.
It is much easier to adjust the design before construction drawings are finished than after work has started.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Contractor reviewing renovation drawings
Recommended: contractor/builder and homeowner reviewing a printed plan set on site or at a table. Avoid generic hard-hat stock photography.
Permit Drawings
Does Your Renovation Need a Building Permit?
Some renovations require permits. Others don’t.
Additions, structural changes and more extensive residential alterations commonly involve municipal review, and some projects may also require development or zoning approval.
Requirements depend on the municipality and the work being proposed.
Drafting Smith can prepare the existing and proposed drawings required for the applicable residential permit process and coordinate engineering where it’s needed.
The homeowner or contractor submits the permit application, and the municipality makes the final approval decision.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Renovation permit drawing sheet
Recommended: actual permit-ready renovation/addition sheet showing existing and proposed information, elevations, sections, or structural notes.
How It Works
From Existing Home to New Plan
01 — Tell Us What's Not Working
Start with the problem.
Maybe the kitchen is too small, the layout is closed off, you need another bedroom or the whole main floor needs to be reconsidered.
Send us the project location, photos, any existing plans and the ideas you’ve already collected.
02 — Document the Existing Home
We review what’s available and determine what measurements or existing conditions still need to be confirmed.
The method is handled case by case depending on the project, location and information already available.
03 — Develop the Design
We explore how the existing home can be changed to accomplish what you need.
That might mean reorganizing the current footprint, adding space or combining both approaches.
04 — Review & Refine
You review the proposed design and provide feedback.
Straightforward revisions can be worked through as the design develops. More extensive redesigns or changes outside the agreed scope may involve additional fees.
05 — Prepare the Detailed Drawings
Once the direction is approved, Drafting Smith prepares the drawings needed for the project’s next stage.
These may be used for municipal review, contractor pricing and construction planning.
If engineering or other professional information is required, it can be coordinated at the appropriate stage.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Renovator / builder using the drawings
Recommended: real contractor reviewing plans during pre-construction, ideally with existing home visible. Use a project-specific image if available.
Renovators + Builders
Clear Plans Before Construction Starts
Drafting Smith also works directly with renovators and contractors who need residential drawings for upcoming projects.
That can help:
- Define the project scope
- Communicate proposed changes to the homeowner
- Support contractor pricing
- Coordinate with trades and engineers
- Identify permit requirements
- Reduce assumptions once work begins
Sometimes the contractor brings the homeowner to us.
Sometimes the homeowner already has a contractor.
Sometimes they find one after the drawings are finished.
We’re happy to communicate with whoever needs to be involved.
Selected Work
See How Existing Homes Changed
The strongest renovation examples aren’t just finished photographs.
They’re the before-and-after plans.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
PROJECT: EXISTING PLAN
Recommended: existing-condition plan from a real Drafting Smith renovation/addition project.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
PROJECT: PROPOSED PLAN
Recommended: matching proposed plan from the same project.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
PROJECT IMAGE / EXTERIOR
Recommended: finished exterior, renovation interior, or addition rendering from the same project.
[PROJECT NAME]
[Community] · [Renovation / Addition]
[Short description of the problem the homeowner was trying to solve and how the proposed design changed the home.]
Where We Work
Renovation & Addition Design Across the Prairies
Drafting Smith is based in Saskatoon and works with homeowners, builders and contractors throughout Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba.
The design process is handled remotely through phone calls, online meetings, email and digital plan reviews — including for Saskatoon clients.
Our primary markets include:
For existing homes, the method used to document measurements and existing conditions is determined individually for each project.
Saskatoon
Edmonton
Winnipeg
Renovation FAQs
Questions About Renovation & Addition Design
Not for every renovation.
Cosmetic work may not require detailed plans.
Projects involving layout changes, structural work, additions or permit applications are much more likely to benefit from — or require — proper drawings.
That depends on what you’re trying to accomplish and what the existing home gives us to work with.
Sometimes reorganizing the current layout solves the problem.
Other times there simply isn’t enough space.
Part of the design process can be exploring which approach makes more sense before committing to either one.
It’s handled case by case.
We may use existing plans, measurements, photographs, contractor information or other project documentation.
What is needed depends on the scope of work, location and accuracy of the information already available.
That’s common.
Send us photos and whatever information you do have.
We’ll determine what existing conditions need to be documented before beginning the new design.
Existing homes can hide surprises.
Opening walls may uncover plumbing, ductwork, framing or previous renovations that couldn’t be seen beforehand.
If the actual conditions differ from the information used during design, the drawings or construction approach may need to be adjusted.
Sometimes.
Removing or altering load-bearing walls, adding beams, creating new foundation openings and building some additions can require structural engineering.
Second-storey additions may also require engineering to assess the existing structure.
When engineering is needed, Drafting Smith can coordinate with the engineer and incorporate the appropriate information into the plans.
Not necessarily.
Property setbacks, site coverage, zoning or development requirements can affect the size and location of an addition.
We review the applicable property and municipal requirements as part of planning the project.
Yes.
Drafting Smith can prepare the renovation or addition drawings needed for applicable residential permit applications.
The homeowner or contractor submits the application.
Drafting Smith prepares the applicable drawings.
No.
Drafting Smith provides residential design and drafting.
Your contractor carries out the construction.
Yes.
Once the project has been paid for, the finished PDF or printed plans can be taken to the contractor of your choice.
Drafting Smith retains the editable digital source files.
It depends on the project size, complexity, information available about the existing house and Drafting Smith’s workload.
Projects involving more existing-condition documentation, engineering or extensive design work naturally take longer.
We’ll discuss the expected timeline after reviewing your project.
Pricing depends on the scope of work, complexity of the renovation and the drawings required.
Estimates are free.
Send us the project details and we’ll review the scope and respond within 24 hours.
Planning a Renovation or Addition?
Start With What's Not Working
You don’t need to know the solution yet.
Tell us what you’d like to change and send whatever information you already have.
Helpful items include:
- Photos of the existing spaces
- Existing house plans, if available
- Real estate floor plans
- Rough sketches
- Property or survey information for an addition
- Examples of what you’d like to accomplish
We’ll review the project and help determine the best next step.
Estimate requests are reviewed within 24 hours.
IMAGE PLACEHOLDER
Finished renovation / addition result
Recommended: strongest completed renovation or addition photo—ideally a bright transformed interior or cohesive exterior addition.