Design & documentation · Nationwide
Remodel and Addition Plans and Permits
An alteration connects new work to a building with its own history. True North coordinates existing records, proposed layouts and professional design for remodels, additions and changes to the way space is used.
For property owners, operators, developers and their project teams throughout the United States. Start with your actual use, location and the records you have.
Request a project reviewWhat the scope can include
Select the work and handoff your project needs. The agreement identifies the included deliverables and responsibilities.
Interior remodels
Define room, wall, kitchen, bathroom and equipment changes, including what is retained. Coordinate accessibility, exits and building-system effects instead of assuming all interior work is cosmetic.
New area and structural changes
Connect additions, floor changes, openings and conversions to the existing structure, foundation, roof and utilities. Survey, geotechnical or field investigations support the responsible designers as needed.
Occupied and phased improvements
Separate work areas, owner operations, temporary arrangements and final conditions. Coordinate permit stages and contractor access with the owner’s practical use of the property.
Prepare for the assignment
You can start with incomplete records. Tell us what is available and what still needs to be established.
Information to bring
Existing plans and approvals, photographs, survey where available, a description of proposed changes and access for verification. Mark what will remain occupied.
The agreed handoff
A defined alteration/addition scope, coordinated existing-and-proposed drawings and review dependencies for the included work.
Decisions, fees and timing
Scope and dependencies determine the proposal. No universal price or approval date is assumed.
Confirm the basis and responsibility
Review the available records, intended endpoint and authority to use the information. Assign missing inputs, technical decisions and the parties who can authorize changes.
Coordinate and review the work
Prepare the included documents from agreed inputs, resolve interfaces with responsible specialists and track revisions. Record external decisions and conditions separately from work prepared for review.
Account for project-specific dependencies
Unknown construction, structural changes, utility capacity, property restrictions and occupied-site phasing.
Deliver the defined milestone
Provide the controlling documents and remaining-action record. Identify what is accepted, what still requires a decision and what belongs to a separately contracted next stage.
Accessory housing and garage conversions
An accessory dwelling unit (ADU), backyard cottage, garage apartment or in-law suite describes an intended housing arrangement. The actual facilities, occupancy and local land-use review determine whether it can be approved as a separate dwelling.
Converting existing space
For a garage conversion, document slab and floor levels, framing, moisture conditions, openings, access, existing parking and utility routes. The design team evaluates the proposed living layout, exits, enclosure and new water, waste, heating, cooling and power needs. Existing garage plans are a starting record, not proof that the space is suitable for habitation.
Building a separate accessory unit
A new backyard cottage also needs a site and foundation basis: survey, easements, setbacks to verify, drainage, utility capacity and access. Supply the proposed sleeping, cooking and bathing arrangements and any private restrictions. Start with code/use assessment and housing coordination to identify the approval path, then define the existing-and-proposed drawings and responsible professionals.
Plan the conversion around the existing building
Describe the rooms to be created, how people reach them and what will remain occupied. These choices define different investigation and drawing needs, even when the work shares an existing roof or foundation.
Second stories and attic conversions
A second-story addition changes the load path to existing walls and foundations; an attic conversion also needs assessment of the existing floor, headroom, stairs, exits and roof enclosure. Supply framing records, measurements and proposed room uses for structural and architectural review. Coordinate resulting utility and heating/cooling changes before finalizing the new layout.
Basement finishes and patio enclosures
For a basement finish, document water entry, floor levels, drainage, utility equipment and proposed sleeping or occupied areas. For a patio enclosure, establish whether the space will be conditioned and document changes to slab, roof, walls and drainage. The responsible designers establish suitable enclosure, structural, egress and system changes; a finish plan alone does not resolve these conditions.
Aging-in-place renovations
Share the resident’s functional needs, preferred routes, bathroom and kitchen use, door conditions and any future equipment. Coordinate accessible circulation, fixtures, supports and lighting with the existing structure and systems. The deliverable can distinguish immediate alterations from future provisions without promising that one layout meets every person’s needs.
Before you begin
Common questions
Can existing plans replace field verification?
They help establish a starting point, but the team must resolve differences and unknowns relevant to the work. Concealed conditions may require additional investigation.
Can the work be split into stages?
Potentially. Each stage needs a usable design, safe operational arrangement and applicable approvals; phasing is established for the actual project.
Can I convert my garage into a dwelling?
Start with the proposed living, cooking and bathing arrangements, property records and existing garage conditions. The local use pathway, access, utilities, structure and enclosure must be evaluated before the conversion drawings are defined. A garage apartment or ADU label does not establish approval.
Your next step
A project in mind?
Let’s give it direction.
Start with what you know. We’ll help define the path ahead.