Architectural Drawings
Permit-ready floor plan design.
In-house architectural drawings detailed enough for plan-check submittal. ADU, addition, and custom home design across Seattle and the Eastside.
Written by Aaron Elisha, founder of MNBE Construction & Development. WA license MNBECCD770R9. Updated 2026.
Drawings the city actually approves.
A permit-ready drawing set is not a Pinterest mood board, a Houzz screenshot, or a contractor's hand sketch. It is a coordinated package of dimensioned floor plans, exterior elevations, building sections, structural details, framing and foundation drawings, MEP locations, and code compliance notes. Drawings that survive plan-check.
The difference between a clean permit and a corrections cycle that adds 6 to 8 weeks to the timeline is usually the quality of the drawings submitted. We have cleared hundreds of submittals across Seattle DCI and Eastside cities. We know which corrections each office tends to ask for and we draw them out from day one.
What's in every permit-ready drawing package.
Cover sheet + project info
Project address, applicable code references, scope summary, owner, designer, contractor of record. Sets the table for the reviewer.
Site plan + survey overlay
Lot boundaries, setback envelope, existing structures, new structure footprint, utility connections, drainage, landscaping for permit compliance.
Floor plans, dimensioned
Each floor with all dimensions, doors, windows, fixtures, room labels, code-required egress paths. Sized for plan-check legibility.
Exterior elevations
All four sides with materials, fenestration, heights to ridge and eave, roof pitch. Often the longest-reviewed sheets.
Building sections + details
Wall section, foundation detail, roof section, framing connections. The drawings that prove the structure works.
Structural + MEP
Foundation plan, framing plan, signed structural calcs, MEP locations and code-required clearances. Coordinated with a WA-licensed structural engineer.
Where Design Fits
Design is step two. Here are steps one, three, and four.
Step One
Feasibility
Confirm the lot supports your project before design begins.
See feasibility →
Step Three
Permit Submittal
Submitting the drawings to the city, paying fees, opening the review.
See submittal →
Step Four
Plan-Check Shepherding
Managing corrections and getting the permit issued.
See shepherding →Frequently Asked
Floor plan design questions Seattle homeowners ask before they sign.
Six practical answers from a builder who runs design teams every week. If yours is not here, call us.
Still have questions?
We answer the phone Monday through Saturday. Two minutes on the call usually gets you further than an hour online.
A permit-ready floor plan is an architectural drawing set detailed enough for the city to approve when you submit it. That means dimensioned floor plans, exterior elevations, building sections, structural details, framing and foundation drawings, MEP locations, code compliance notes, and any details specific to your jurisdiction. Not a sketch. Not a Pinterest mood board. Drawings that survive plan-check.
MNBE has an in-house design relationship that produces permit-ready drawings for most ADU and addition projects without you needing to engage a separate architect. For more architecturally ambitious custom homes or unusual sites (steep slopes, critical areas, complex programs), we bring in a licensed architect and coordinate that engagement directly so you still have one point of contact through the whole project.
Typically 4 to 6 weeks for an ADU or addition. Custom home design runs 3 to 4 months including schematic design, design development, and construction documents. The phases overlap with engineering and zoning analysis. We work in parallel where we can to compress the schedule without compromising drawing quality.
Yes. The drawings and any subsequent permit are yours. We do not gate design work behind a construction contract. About a third of our design-only clients eventually come back for the build, but that decision is yours after you have the drawings in hand.
Standard scope includes dimensioned 2D plans, elevations, and sections. We add basic 3D massing studies during schematic design to confirm the building reads correctly. Photorealistic renderings are an add-on for projects where the visual sell matters (clients deciding between schemes, HOA review submittals, or cosmetic-heavy custom homes).
Industry standard: AutoCAD or Revit for the architectural drawings, structural engineering coordinated through a Washington-licensed structural engineer who delivers signed-and-stamped drawings to the city. Drawings are delivered as PDF for permit submittal. Native files available on request for clients with internal CAD teams.
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