Renovations and suites
Test the new layout before you tear anything out.
In a renovation, inches decide whether a room works: the island aisle, the basement bedroom, the suite kitchen. Walk the new layout at full size before you order cabinets or frame a wall.
What renovators check on the floor
Kitchen remodels
Walk the new island, the aisles and the appliance doors before the cabinet order is placed. Measure twice, order cabinets once.
Basement development
Check bedroom sizes, the stair landing and whether the rec room holds a sectional and a TV wall.
Basement and secondary suites
A legal suite still has to feel livable to a tenant. Walk the kitchen, the bedroom and the path between them.
Backyard and garage suites
Under 900 square feet, every foot counts. A suite plan this size is quoted in the studio's smallest size range, and a garage underneath counts toward the size.
Additions
See how the new rooms join the old ones, and whether the connection feels like part of the house.
Accessibility and aging in place
Check turning space for a wheelchair or walker, doorway widths and the bathroom layout before you build them.
Why it's worth it on a smaller project
People renovating a kitchen often tape the new layout on the floor and act out cooking before they order anything. The studio does the same thing at full size, with the whole plan and real furniture.
In Calgary, where the layout moves is what separates a $45,000 kitchen from a $90,000 one. Settle the layout before you price it.
Suite rules changed on 4 August 2026: a Calgary property can now have a secondary suite or a backyard suite, not both, and in low-density districts a secondary suite that meets every zoning rule no longer needs a development permit.
At the studio, Sep 13, 2025
Backyard suite open house
Bode Plans showed one of its backyard suite plans at full size, with Virtues of Construction (builder), ZS2 Technologies (magnesium SIP walls) and Ridgecrest Calgary on hand.
See the postQuestions
Is a session worth it for one room?
For a kitchen or a suite, often yes. Those are the rooms where a few inches decide whether it works, and where changes after the cabinets arrive are most expensive.
How much is a session for a backyard suite?
Sessions are quoted by plan size, and a small suite is in the smallest size range. The studio counts the whole plan, so a suite over a garage includes the garage. Send the plan for a free quote.
Can I bring the plan my contractor drew?
Yes. Send it as a PDF or a DWG file at least three days before your session.
Send your plans first
Tell us about your project
Unit 105 · 2750 22 St NE
Come walk your plans
Every day, 9 am to 5 pm, by appointment. In the South Airways business park in northeast Calgary, with parking at the door.
- Call
- (403) 222-0536
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- calgary@1to1plans.com