David R Smith Design

We are incredibly fortunate to have worked with David Smith on the design and permitting phases of our full gut renovation to a 120 year old detached home including underpinning, a rear extension, and the addition of a third storey. We wholeheartedly recommend working with David based on his patient demeanour, detail orientation, and mastery of the Committee of Adjustment / City permitting processes. Speed was an important element to us to accelerate our build, and David propelled us from the idea phase to a fully rendered initial design in very short order without sacrificing quality, while also adding valuable elements of design and possibility beyond which we were even thinking. We added complexity to our build by seeking to preserve elements of our Edwardian home and avoid eroding our backyard space, David went above and beyond through his architectural research to help us reach the final optimal design. As we expanded our build team David was an integral player supporting all players through multiple iterations of the final plans, all while helping us navigate Committee of Adjustment, fulfill all city permitting requirements & secure our permits within our ambitious timeline. The depth of guidance and care with which David works sets him apart from others and we can’t wait to invite him back to see the finished property in a few months.

We hired David to create drawings for a home addition and also to act as liaison with the city to obtain the appropriate permits. David did a fantastic job of listening to our needs and designing a functional space, in addition to offering ideas of how we could alter our interior space to be more functional. His pleasant manner, professionalism and quick turnaround were very much appreciated.

I am searching for a new home, something that might need a few updates and allow me to put my own personal stamp on it. Dave was able to give me a preliminary zoning analysis for several prospective properties, and then walk through each site with me to discuss potential renovation ideas and what ideas would be most efficient to get a permit. His suggestions have been the right mix of the creative and the practical. This has been a tremendous help in my quest for the perfect place.

We engaged David to complete the drawings for our 2nd floor addition and changes to the main floor. From the moment we met David during the interview process, we felt very comfortable with him. His knowledge on the design and permit application process is second to none. In fact, despite having met with several other companies, we hired David the next day as we knew right away he was the right person for our project. He took the time to explain the entire process to us including all the cost associated with the entire process. During the design phase, David took into consideration our needs as well as provided some suggestions on several areas to fully utilize the space we envisioned and improve efficiency. We were able to come up with a final design very quickly, including last minute changes that were requested. We were very happy with the final design. During the permit application process with the city, David took care of everything for us and represented us with the city. The city often finds kinks in plans and David was able to respond and provide the additional details immediately. Overall the entire permit application process was relatively painless, although it did take quite some time due to the several stages involved. David was also very helpful during our contractor selection process as he helped to answer some questions contractors had. In fact, some contractors complimented us having such detailed plans available, as it made their job of quoting for the project a lot easier and accurate. After we selected our contractor further changes were required to the plans and David was very quick to respond and make the corrections and resubmit the changes to the city for approval. Overall, we were very, very happy to have David on board to complete the design of our project. His attention to our project didn’t falter when the permits were issued and he continued to be involved with our contractor to ensure that all the questions were answered and the details are followed up. I would highly recommend David to other couples looking to do large complex renovations, as we were quite pleased with his professionalism, diligence and attention to detail.

We are renovating our 100 year old Toronto semi. We are moving a bathroom to a bedroom and removing a wall in our second bedroom to make it bigger. We got in touch with David to help us through the daunting permit process. David came and measured our space and listened to our needs. He produced very expert drawings, and applied for the permit for us. The whole process was quick and painless and David was available and accommodating throughout. We have had several false starts with our renovation and working with David has renewed our confidence that we will get this done. From the moment we got in touch with David we knew we had made the right choice. He is professional and capable and has been in constant contact with us thoughout the process to let us know how it is progressing. We will use David’s services again in future renovations. We can recommend David without hesitation.