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Two Atlanta homeowners can ask for permit drawings on nearly identical kitchens and get quotes that are thousands of dollars apart. Most of the time, nobody's overcharging. They're being quoted two different products that happen to share the same name.
In this blog, we break down what permit drawings cost in Atlanta, what a permit-ready set should include, how drawing fees differ from design and city permit fees, and how to compare quotes before you hire anyone.
Table of Contents
- What Do Permit Drawings Cost in Atlanta?
- What Are Permit Drawings?
- Permit Drawings vs. Construction Drawings
- Why Permit Drawing Prices Vary So Much
- Permit Drawing Costs by Project Type
- Drawing Fees, Design Fees, and City Permit Fees
- How to Compare Permit Drawing Quotes
- How Delano Designs Approaches Permit-Ready Plans
- Frequently Asked Questions About Permit Drawings in Atlanta
- Know What You're Pricing Before You Ask for Bids
What Do Permit Drawings Cost in Atlanta?
At Delano Designs, permit-ready drawings start at $2,500 for a bathroom and $4,500 for a kitchen, and they're produced once the design is resolved. Here's how our current fees break down.
*City permit fees are paid to the jurisdiction and aren't included in any of these numbers.
Why Some Quotes Come In Lower
So why might one homeowner hear $1,500 and another hear $6,000 for "permit drawings"?
Usually, they aren't buying the same thing. A lower quote often covers drafting a layout you've already settled on. A higher one may include measuring the house, working out the design, coordinating engineers, and documenting enough detail for contractors to price the project accurately.
What Are Permit Drawings?
Permit drawings are scaled, dimensioned drawings that show a building department exactly what work you're proposing, so it can be reviewed against code before construction starts.
A typical residential set covers existing and proposed floor plans, demolition, elevations, and whatever electrical, plumbing, and structural information the scope calls for. A powder room refresh and a two-story addition don't need the same set, and the more sheets a project needs, the more the drawings cost.
For a full walkthrough of what goes into a permit set and which Atlanta projects need one, see Do I Need Permit Drawings for a Remodel in Atlanta, GA?
Permit Drawings vs. Construction Drawings
Permit drawings show enough for a building department to approve the work, while construction drawings carry the extra detail a contractor needs to price and build it.
- A lean permit set answers the code questions: what's changing, where it's changing, and whether it's safe and compliant.
- A coordinated construction set adds the details that drive cost: cabinet elevations, lighting placement, tile layouts, fixture specifications, and how one trade's work meets the next.
Neither one is wrong. But when drawings leave details out, each contractor fills the gaps with their own assumptions, and the bids stop being comparable. We dig into that in Why You Should Complete Your Remodel Design Before Getting Contractor Bids.
Why Permit Drawing Prices Vary So Much
Permit drawing prices vary because square footage is only part of the work. Existing conditions, design decisions, structure, building systems, level of detail, and local review all change how much documentation a project needs.
- How much design is already done. If you're still deciding where walls go or whether the sink moves, someone has to solve that before it can be drawn. That's design work. It has real value, but it isn't drafting.
- Documenting the existing house. Every remodel starts with a building that's already standing. We use LiDAR-supported field measurements to build an accurate existing-conditions model before anything new gets drawn.
- Structural changes. Removing a wall, widening an opening, or adding square footage brings in structural coordination, often with a separate engineer.
- Plumbing, electrical, and mechanical moves. Shifting a sink three feet isn't the same job as relocating the whole kitchen.
- Level of detail. This is the biggest gap between quotes. A set built only to clear permit review costs less than one built to help contractors price accurately.
- Historic review. Exterior changes in Atlanta's historic and landmark districts can require additional drawings for the Urban Design Commission before a building permit is issued.
Permit Drawing Costs by Project Type
Permit drawing costs climb with the number of rooms, systems, and structural conditions a project touches, which is why bathrooms, kitchens, and additions are priced so differently.
Bathroom Permit Drawings
Bathroom permit drawings at Delano Designs start at $2,500 after design, and full bathroom planning, including design, starts at $6,000.
The price moves when a project relocates plumbing, enlarges a shower, changes the footprint, or alters walls, since each of those needs more coordination around waterproofing and electrical. Square footage alone tells you very little.
Kitchen Permit Drawings
Kitchen permit drawings start at $4,500 after design, and full kitchen planning starts at $9,500.
Kitchens carry more coordination than almost any other room: cabinetry, appliances, ventilation, lighting, plumbing, and often a wall coming down. To put the fee in context, $9,500 is about 13.6% of a $70,000 kitchen and closer to 6.3% of a $150,000 one.
Whole Home Remodels and Basements
Whole home and basement drawings are priced by the square foot, so each area is charged only for the level of service it actually needs.
Existing areas that just need documenting are $3.50 per square foot. Proposed drawings are $7 per square foot, and areas that also receive full design, selections, and a bill of materials add $10 per square foot. If an entire 2,500-square-foot home were redesigned and drawn, the base fee would be $42,500. Most homes have rooms that stay as they are, and those are priced at the documentation rate.
Home Additions
Addition design and drawings start at $17 per proposed square foot with a $15,000 minimum, plus $3.50 per square foot for any existing area we need to document. A 600-square-foot addition at $17 comes to $10,200, so the $15,000 minimum would apply. Site conditions and consultant needs can change the fee.
Drawing Fees, Design Fees, and City Permit Fees
Design fees, drawing fees, and permit fees pay for different things, and a quote that blurs them together is hard to compare.
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Design fees cover solving the project: layout, selections, and the bill of materials.
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Drawing fees cover documenting that design in a permit-ready set.
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Permit submission and tracking cover preparing and submitting the application and answering reviewer comments. Ours includes two rounds of minor corrections.
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City permit fees are paid directly to the City of Atlanta or your local jurisdiction, and they're always separate.
How to Compare Permit Drawing Quotes
The best way to compare permit drawing quotes is to line up exactly what each one includes, not just the total at the bottom.
Before you sign, ask each designer:
- Is design included, or are you drafting a layout I've already finalized?
- Who measures the existing house, and how?
- Which sheets are in the set: elevations, electrical, cabinetry, details?
- Is structural engineering included, coordinated, or left to me?
- Who submits the permit and responds to reviewer comments?
- How many revision rounds are included?
- Will the drawings be detailed enough for several contractors to bid the same scope?
How Delano Designs Approaches Permit-Ready Plans
Delano Designs is an Atlanta residential design firm, not a general contractor, so our drawings are built to be priced by any qualified contractor you choose.
Our studio is in Piedmont Heights, and most of our work is in intown neighborhoods like Morningside, Virginia-Highland, Ansley Park, Buckhead, Inman Park, Druid Hills, and Decatur, with projects reaching into Brookhaven, Sandy Springs, and Dunwoody. We plan around each jurisdiction's submittal requirements from the first sketch.
Here's how a project typically moves:
- Design Jumpstart. A focused session to define scope, feasibility, and next steps. (See how it works.)
- Existing conditions. LiDAR-supported measurements and an accurate model of the house as it stands today.
- Design and selections. Layout, finishes, and a full bill of materials, with two rounds of revisions.
- Permit-ready drawings. Coordinated with structural engineers and other consultants when the project needs them.
- Permit submission and bid support. We submit, track, and respond to comments, then help you level contractor bids so you're comparing the same scope.
Optional construction administration keeps the design on track once building begins.
Frequently Asked Questions About Permit Drawings in Atlanta
How much do permit drawings cost in Atlanta?
At Delano Designs, permit-ready drawings start at $2,500 for a bathroom and $4,500 for a kitchen after design, and whole home drawings start at $7 per square foot.
Do I need an architect to draw permit plans in Atlanta?
No, not for most single-family remodels. Georgia law doesn't require an architect's seal on construction documents for one- and two-family homes, so a qualified residential designer can prepare them. Structural work beyond standard code tables still needs a licensed engineer.
Do permit drawings include structural engineering?
Not automatically. If your remodel affects load-bearing walls, beams, foundations, or roof framing, a structural engineer typically designs that portion, and we coordinate their work into the drawing set.
How long does it take to get permit drawings?
For a kitchen or bathroom, design and selections typically take 8 to 12 weeks, and permit drawings follow in another 2 to 4 weeks. Municipal review usually adds 4 to 12 weeks, depending on the jurisdiction.
Are city permit fees included in the cost of permit drawings?
No. Permit fees are paid directly to the City of Atlanta or your local jurisdiction, separate from design, drawing, and submission fees.
Do I need permit drawings for my remodel?
Usually, if you're moving walls, relocating plumbing or electrical, or adding square footage. Purely cosmetic updates often don't need them. Our guide, Do I Need Permit Drawings for a Remodel in Atlanta, GA?, walks through when they're required.
Know What You're Pricing Before You Ask for Bids
Permit drawings should do more than get a project approved. They should give every contractor a clear picture of what they're pricing, so the bids you get back actually line up.
If you're still sorting out scope, layout, or budget, start with a complimentary project-fit conversation with our team. If it's a good match, the $500 Design Jumpstart gives you focused guidance on scope, feasibility, and next steps, and the $500 is credited toward full design when you move forward.
