You won the job. The client signed. Now you need drawings, and your usual drafter is three weeks behind.

Or the permit set came back from plan review with a page of comments, and nobody on your team has time to answer them.

We work for other GCs, and we draw like builders because we are builders.

We work for other general contractors

Let’s say it plainly: our Design Studio takes work from other general contractors. That is a normal part of what we do, not a side favor.

The model is simple. You keep the client and the build. We provide the drawings and design support you need to get it permitted and built.

Wondering how that works with your client relationship? Ask us about how we handle client relationships on the discovery call.

Architectural drafting services we provide for GCs

• Permit sets. Site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections and details, coordinated with structural, energy and MEP. See permit drawings and construction documents.
• Construction documents. Drawings your crews and subs can build from, not just drawings that pass review.
• As-builts. Field-measured existing-conditions plans for additions, remodels and conversions.
• Redlines and permit comment responses. We revise the set and write the responses so your permit moves again.
• Value-engineering input. Design alternatives that keep the intent and cut cost, priced with a builder’s eye.
• Franchise site adapts. Adapting a brand prototype to your parcel or tenant space, Florida code and local rules.
• Engineering coordination. We coordinate structural, MEP, geotechnical, survey and energy work so the set comes together as one package.

Why GCs outsource architectural drafting to a builder-run studio

Plenty of firms can draw. Fewer can tell you what a detail will cost to frame, or whether a roof transition will leak in a Tampa summer.

Our studio sits inside a licensed design-build general contractor. That shows up in the drawings:

• Buildable details. We draw what crews can actually build, in the sequence they build it.
• Pricing-aware design. We know what drives cost, so we flag expensive choices before they hit your bid.
• Fewer RFIs. Clear, coordinated sets mean fewer questions in the field and fewer change orders.
• We speak GC. Schedules, subs, inspections and draws are our world too.

Think of it like the difference between a recipe written by a food critic and one written by a line cook. Both can be good. Only one tells you what actually happens when the kitchen gets busy.

Services at a glance

Service	When a GC typically needs it	Typical deliverable
Permit set	New build, addition or remodel heading to the building department	Permit-ready drawing set with coordinated engineering
Construction documents	After permit, when the field needs more detail	Expanded details, schedules and notes
As-builts	Before designing an addition, remodel or conversion	Measured existing floor plans and elevations
Redlines / permit comment responses	Plan review sent comments back	Revised sheets and a written response
Value-engineering input	Bids came in over the client’s budget	Design alternatives with cost notes
Franchise site adapt	Building a franchise unit from a brand prototype	Signed and sealed, site-adapted permit documents
Engineering coordination	Any project needing structural, MEP or energy work	One coordinated package instead of loose consultant sheets

Residential vs. commercial: who can sign the drawings

Under Florida Statute 481.229(1), no architect license is required to prepare plans for one-family or two-family homes, townhouses and their domestic outbuildings. A drafter or designer can legally draw them.

Commercial buildings, including franchise restaurants, retail and offices, generally require a Florida-licensed architect, with engineers for structural, MEP and other disciplines.

Either way, building departments typically require signed and sealed structural documents and wind-load design for new homes. Requirements vary by jurisdiction. Because our studio holds an architecture license, we can handle residential work and the commercial projects that need an architect of record. Our commercial construction page covers the build side of that work.

Pricing and turnaround

Projects start around $3,500, which is the studio’s minimum. Larger or complex design work typically runs about $8,000–$40,000+.

Outside disciplines such as structural, MEP, geotechnical, survey and energy calculations are not included automatically. We coordinate them.

The fee is fixed and quoted after a discovery call. Timing depends on scope, so tell us your permit target and we will tell you what is realistic. See the full studio on our Architectural Design page.

Frequently asked questions

Does TomCo work for other general contractors?

Yes. We work for other GCs. You keep the client and the build, and our Design Studio provides permit drawings, construction documents, as-builts and design support.

Will TomCo try to take my client?

Our role on these projects is to provide drawings while you keep the client and the build. Ask us about how we handle client relationships during the discovery call.

Can you answer permit comments on a set someone else drew?

Often, yes. We review the comments and the existing set, then scope the redlines and responses needed to get the permit moving again.

What is the minimum project size?

Projects start around $3,500, which is the studio minimum. Larger or complex design work typically runs about $8,000 to $40,000 or more, quoted as a fixed fee after a discovery call.

Do you coordinate engineering?

Yes. Structural, MEP, geotechnical, survey and energy calculations are outside disciplines that are not included automatically, but TomCo coordinates them so the set comes together as one package.