Permit Drawings for Small Business Renovations: What You Really Need to Know

Not all drawings are created equal, and the wrong ones can stall your renovation. If you're planning a commercial remodel, you need more than just pretty plans.

This post breaks down the difference between Concept Drawings, Permit Drawings, and Construction Sets - so you can move through city approvals, contractor bids, and build-out without costly surprises.

You’ve got drawings - but are they the right kind to move forward?

One of the biggest (and most frustrating) surprises during a renovation? How long it actually takes to go from idea to approval.

You’ve likely spent months finding and negotiating a lease or property. You may even have a vision in your head, or beautiful concept sketches on paper. But then the city or your contractor asks:

👉 "Do you have a permit drawings?"

And suddenly, you're not so sure. You're not alone. Most small business owners aren't expected to know the difference between drawing types. That's where I come in.

Let’s walk through what’s really needed—and how I help clients move smartly through the process with clarity and confidence.

Why the Confusion Happens

Drawings are not one-size-fits-all. The different types of architectural drawings serve very different purposes. When you don’t know which one you have - or which one you need - it can cause:

🚫 Rejected permit applications 

🧩 Incomplete contractor bids 

🕒 Delays from last-minute decisions on site 

😰 Stress from feeling like you have to figure it all out yourself

Here’s how to tell them apart - and what role each plays in your renovation:

Drawing Types Explained:

Concept vs. Permit vs. Construction Sets

Concept Drawings = Visioning + Feasibility

These early-phase drawings spark ideas and test-fit possibilities. I call it the “let’s imagine the potential” phase.

• Space layout and feel

• Code analysis

• Solicit rough pricing and contractor input

• Early conversations with the city

  
  

Outcome: A defined scope of work. Drawings to solicit preliminary contractor estimates and meet with the City for a pre-application meeting. Sometimes, that includes realizing a project isn’t feasible before too much time and money is spent.

🛑 Not intended for construction or permitting.

EXAMPLES: 

Bookkeeping Office Layout: This is a preliminary sketch for a client of an addition to their existing office. This is even more basic than a typical concept drawing. 

Cat Café Plan: By testing the layout, this concept plan demonstrated that the compact footprint could still accommodate all key functions and required code components.

Elevation Concept: By layering color ideas onto building photos, we can quickly show how even a paint update can transform a façade.

Permit Drawings = Approval + Flexibility

The permit set is what you submit to the city to secure your building permit. It’s created to demonstrate code compliance and include just enough technical detail to show:

• Life safety + accessibility requirements

• Zoning and use standards

• Basic architectural scope

• Coordination with structural, MEP, or civil consultants (if applicable)

  
  

Yes, a commercial contractor can build from this set -  but they’ll have questions about how to handle specific transitions, finishes, and material choices. This information is not fully spelled out in the permit set.

Contractors will fill in gaps on the field and request your input throughout the construction phase. If you'd rather not make dozens of on-the-fly decisions during construction, that's where the next level comes in.

EXAMPLE: 

Brewery Renovation: A permit set communicates code compliance and basic scope through notes and language - but leaves out finish selections, transitions, and detailed design elements.

Construction Set = Fully Detailed Build Drawings and Specifications

This is the detailed set that guides a contractor through the build, minimizing questions and day-to-day client decision-making. It includes:

• All permit set drawings

• Transition details, interior elevations, casework and custom feature details

• Product and finish selections

  • A material outline incorporated into the drawing set or a more robust

  • Spec book (short for specifications book) is a detailed document that accompanies construction drawings and describes the materials, products, finishes, and workmanship standards to be used in a project

• Combined and coordinated drawing sets of engineers and consultants

  
  

Outcome: A clear, coordinated, apples-to-apples bidding and construction roadmap. These are common for large-scale or publicly funded projects—think schools, franchises, and government buildings. This more detailed set sets the standard for quality, ensuring contractors are building to the same expectations. It also significantly reduces the number of daily questions and decisions the client needs to make during construction.

EXAMPLES:

Cat Cafe: Mood boards and design ideas then translated into detailed section drawings describing custom features for construction

Indoor Golf and Bar: Transition and opening details, finish and door schedules and a materials outline on the drawings describing finish and material selections and performance.

So... What Does Brick and Mortar Design Offer?

We specialize in Permit Drawing Sets, designed to get your project approved and built with flexibility.

Then, if you need additional details, design refinement, or material specifications for more accurate bids, we can layer on extra support. This approach is designed for real-world small business projects where resources are limited, timelines are tight, and you're often bootstrapping your build. By establishing clear quality standards upfront, we help you avoid the overwhelm of daily on-the-fly decisions during construction, so you don’t have to be available every time a question comes up on site.

Why this works:

✅ You get through permitting faster

✅ You can begin vetting and negotiating with contractors early

✅ You only invest in the extra details if and when you need them

How the Process Flows

Here’s how I guide clients through a streamlined, strategic path from design to opening:

1. Concept Design — Explore options and define scope

2. Permit Set — Submit plans to the city and coordinate as needed

3. Support — Revisions, clarifications, contractor collaboration

4. Optional Add-ons — Additional detail drawings, finishes, spec book, and construction observation

   
   

The Bottom Line

A beautiful vision is just the beginning. The real magic is knowing how to document that vision so it gets approved, built, and launched into the world.

If you’re unsure what kind of drawings you have, or what you need next, I’d be happy to review what you’ve got and give you honest, pressure-free feedback.

📋 Drawing Checklist for Small Business Renovation:

✅ Concept layout or sketches 

✅ Code and zoning research 

✅ Permit-ready drawings 

✅ Engineering and specialty consultant coordination (if applicable) 

✅ Optional: Interior elevations + finishes 

✅ Optional: Material outline or specification book

✅ Optional: Construction observation

Ready to Design and Build with Confidence?

Book a free discovery call. I’ll help you figure out where you are, what’s next, and how to keep your project moving—based on your business and your budget.