If you need drawings for a deck, basement suite or carriage house in the City of Nanaimo, this page covers when the City wants plans, who is allowed to draw them, when an engineer has to seal them, what drawings cost (and why we can’t quote a number), how to check a firm before you pay, and six local design firms we checked against their own websites and the City’s own listing.
Short version: most Nanaimo decks that need a permit, and every suite, need scaled plans with your permit application. A building designer can usually draw a house, suite or deck. A structural engineer is required for a deck carrying a hot tub, and the City can ask for an engineer or architect when the work needs specialist knowledge. No firm we checked publishes a price, so get written quotes from two or three.
The City’s Deck Addition Guide says a new or rebuilt deck needs a building permit if it is part of the principal entrance, is more than two feet above grade, has a roof, or is attached to the house. A deck that is none of those counts as landscaping and needs no permit (Deck Addition Guide, PDF; Alteration Permit page). Repairing structural members or rebuilding deck stairs also needs a permit, per the Alteration Permit page.
When a permit is needed, the application needs plans at 1/4″ = 1′ (1:50), a site plan at 1:250 showing the house, the deck and setbacks, foundation details, and any manufacturer layouts for trusses or engineered beams. The Deck Addition Guide includes sample deck drawings showing the expected level of detail, which is useful if you’re deciding whether to draw your own or hire someone (source).
The City says a permit is required to build a new suite or upgrade an existing one, and only a suite built under a permit counts as legal. Your application needs drawings, and the City links a sample plan set for a single-family house. If you add or move windows, you also need an elevation drawing (Secondary Suite Permit).
For suites, the Plan Requirement Checklist adds suite-specific items to the drawings. These include where the fire separations go and what they’re rated, smoke alarm types and interconnection, every plumbing fixture, heating and hot water locations, door ratings, the suite’s parking space, and the exit path to the street. A house with a suite needs at least three off-street spaces shown (Plan Requirement Checklist, PDF).
A new carriage house (a suite in an accessory building) also needs BC Housing Licensing and Consumer Services documents and a pre-construction Energy Efficiency Compliance Report from a certified Energy Advisor (Secondary Suites guide, PDF; Residential Building Permit Application Guide, PDF).
For the full process (zoning, parking, fees, inspections), see our Nanaimo secondary suite guide and Nanaimo deck guide.
| Who | Typical Nanaimo job | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Building designer or draftsperson | Plans for houses, suites, carriage houses, garages and decks that fall under Part 9 of the BC Building Code (small buildings: 3 storeys or less and up to 600 m²) | BC Building Code 2024 Div. A 1.3.3.3; the City asks for “designer-quality” plans without naming a credential (BCBC 2024, PDF) |
| Structural engineer (P.Eng.) | A deck that supports a hot tub: sealed plans plus Letters of Assurance, Schedule B at application and Schedule C at completion. Also parts outside Part 9, like point-loaded beams or foundations on poor soil | Deck Addition Guide; Letters of Assurance (gov.bc.ca) |
| Geotechnical engineer | Lots in areas of Nanaimo the City flags for ground conditions: a geotechnical report and Schedule B | Application Guide |
| Architect or engineer at the City’s request | When a building official decides the work needs specialized technical knowledge | Building Bylaw 7224; AIBC: does your project need an architect? |
| Certified Energy Advisor | New houses and new carriage houses (Step Code compliance report) | Application Guide |
Can you draw your own deck or suite plans? None of the City pages we read say homeowners can’t, and the deck guide supplies sample drawings. They don’t say you can, either. Ask Building Inspections before you start.
We couldn’t find a published price. None of the six firm websites listed below shows a fee for deck plans, suite plans or carriage-house drawings as of November 3, 2026. Several offer free consultations or no-obligation proposals instead. We won’t print a price range we can’t source.
What you can price from official sources is the City’s side: building permit fees are set in the Fees and Charges Bylaw, and the City has an online fee calculator (Permit Fee Calculator; Bylaw 7336, PDF). An application fee applies where the estimated construction value is over $20,000 (Deck Addition Guide). Budget separately for an engineer, a surveyor and an Energy Advisor if your project needs them.
To compare quotes fairly, ask each firm for the same written scope: number of sheets, site plan included or not, one round of revisions or more, whether they answer the City’s plan-review comments, and whether engineering is included or extra.
These are free public lookups. Use them yourself and keep a screenshot. We link to them instead of copying their results, because several of them limit reuse.
BC Housing’s guide to hiring a contractor suggests similar questions about licensing, insurance, permits and warranties, plus asking for past clients as references (BC Housing tips, PDF).
How we chose: firms based in or serving Nanaimo whose own website says they prepare residential or permit drawings. We also checked whether each appears in the City of Nanaimo’s Professionals Listing (revised 2026-JUL-27). The list is free: nobody paid to be here, there are no sponsored spots, and the order is alphabetical. We don’t use ratings or reviews. Verify before you hire: this list isn’t an endorsement, and we haven’t checked anyone’s work. To be added, corrected or removed, use our contact page.
| Firm | What its own site says it does | Area (per its site) | What we checked, Nov 3, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Greenplan Ltd. (Greenplan) | Design through to blueprints for building permit applications: carriage houses, secondary suite additions, accessory buildings, additions and renovations. Also development permits, variances and Part 9 seismic bracing. | Cedar Road, Nanaimo | Own site (services page). Listed under Building Designers in the City’s Professionals Listing. |
| Datum Point Studios Inc. | Custom home plans and permit-ready drawings for BC Building Code Part 9 housing and small buildings. Its site says it is a Registered Building Designer (ASTTBC) and carries E&O insurance. | Nanaimo and the Mid-Island region | Own site (home and about pages). Listed in the City’s Professionals Listing. ASTTBC status is as stated by the firm; look it up in the ASTTBC directory yourself. |
| Immersive Design | New construction design and drafting, from concept sketches to construction drawings | Says it serves all of BC, including Vancouver Island | Own site (service page). Listed in the City’s Professionals Listing. |
| Nanaimo Home Design | Residential home design and permit-ready construction drawings: new homes, additions, renovations, secondary suites, carriage houses, garages and shops | Nanaimo and across Vancouver Island | Own site (home page). Listed in the City’s Professionals Listing. |
| Skyline Drafting and Design | Custom home design and drafting, permit-ready residential design, and structural and seismic coordination. Its site says it is not an engineering company and outsources engineering to Professional Engineers with a BC permit to practice. | Hillcrest Ave, Nanaimo | Own site (home page). Not in the City’s July 2026 listing. |
| Straight Street Design Ltd. | Residential and commercial building design, plus CAD drafting for architects and engineers. Projects range from new homes to garages and extensions. | Based in Nanaimo, serving Vancouver Island | Own site (home page). Not in the City’s July 2026 listing. |
The City’s listing also names Group 2 Development Ltd., Homes by Olivia Inc. and Swanson House Plans under Building Designers. We didn’t include them because we didn’t review their own websites for this page (Professionals Listing). The same PDF lists structural, geotechnical and other engineers and consultants.
Yes, if the deck needs a permit: attached to the house, over two feet above grade, roofed, or part of the main entrance. You then submit 1:50 plans and a 1:250 site plan. The City’s Deck Addition Guide includes sample drawings.
Not usually. A suite in a house is normally a Part 9 project that a building designer can draw. The City can still ask for an architect or engineer when the work needs specialist knowledge, and some parts, like point-loaded beams, may need an engineer.
The City requires a structural engineer for a deck that supports a hot tub, with sealed plans and Letters of Assurance. Other cases depend on the design, such as engineered beams or difficult soil.
We couldn’t find a published price from any of the six firms we checked. Get written quotes with the same scope. City permit fees can be estimated with the City’s fee calculator.
Yes. Its Professionals Listing PDF (revised July 27, 2026) lists building designers, engineers and consultants. The City says it doesn’t endorse or recommend them.
Use our contact page. Listing is free, and we check firms against their own website and public registries before adding them.
Related: Nanaimo building permit guide · Nanaimo secondary suite guide · Nanaimo deck guide · How to submit permit drawings in BC · Deck plan maker