Architalcan Design, Inc.

We originally met with Rocco in March to have him prepare some engineering drawings for a structural wall removal for our interior renovations. Rocco came by to take the measurements and then asked us why we didn't consider expanding the square footage of our house by adding a rear addition. He suggested we contact a real estate agent to assess the value of adding an addition, and then assisted us by contacting some contractors to get some rough estimates on cost and time for this option. He also offered to draw up a preliminary plan for the addition to help us decide which renovation project we wanted to pursue.

Two days later, Rocco delivered a rough floor plan as well as confirmed that there would be no problem with the zoning bylaw to build the addition given the the lot and current house size.

After some minor changes, we agreed we wanted the addition and settled on a final design which Rocco submitted to the city. The city made a couple of requests for changes and Rocco and his team were very quick to turn around new drawings each time the city requested them. Overall, the permits took a month to come through.

I'm happy to say that we are now starting the second month of our renovations and are very happy that we decided to build the addition; especially after our contractor opened up some walls and discovered a number of major issues that would have caused us delays and extra costs had we stuck with our original plan to just renovate the existing space.

If you are looking for knowledgeable building engineers and to get your permits fast and hassle free, we would highly recommend giving Rocco a call! Big thanks to Rocco and Architalcan!

drawings for load bearing wall removal in our kitchen. Drawings completed and permit obtained very quickly. Company is very good and wouldn't hesitate to refer to anyone completing a project that needs drawings for a permit.

Rocco was very helpful in answering our questions, assessing our needs and working under our tight deadline. His attention to detail was much appreciated. His structural drawings were great in helping us get the necessary permits quickly.

We contracted Rocco Schipano of Architalcan Design Inc. to prepare architectural designs for our renovations. We found Rocco to be detailed and thorough, he listened to our wants and needs and did not hesitate to make suggestions that would benefit us. We liked the fact that he thought outside the box. During renovations Rocco was always available to help clarify and example any details we were not certain of. He did not hesitate to make himself available. We are very happy with his work. I would recommend Rocco to anyone who is thinking of designing a warm and loving home.

I would highly recommend Rocco to anyone who would like to deal with a professional who has the experience & knowledge to draft & submit basement renovation plans for a legal basement apartment. At our initial meeting he quickly assessed the feasibility and concluded there were no structural limitations. The next visit he took the measurements and he had the plans drafted within days. Once I reviewed & okayed the plans, they were submitted to the city and the approval response was very quick. Rocco was very responsive to some questions I had after the approval and I wouldn’t hesitate to call him again or recommend him to others. I’m very satisfied with both the work he did for me and his work ethic.

We have already recommended Rocco to our friends! We cannot praise him enough. We are building a third story addition with full re-model of the second floor, a new kitchen and three bathrooms. From the beginning Rocco took a personal interest in the project, going above and beyond what we expected when obstacles presented themselves. He always returned calls and emails the same day, was always on time and came to the job site personally many times to ensure our needs were met. He has vast experience and expertize in what he is doing and was able to help us create an optimal solution with many great suggestions on how to utilize the space and money. Our process involved dealing with the Committee of Adjustments and a meddling neighbour. At the COA both Rocco and City planning consultant Tony Evangelista dealt with the issues expertly and we were able to secure variances with little stress. While doing this Rocco and Tony, in tandem, contacted, assured and dealt with our neighbor, providing a comfortable third party cushion to this unexpected nuisance to our project. In the end all parties where satisfied. The payment schedule fairly reflected the stages of the project and the final bill came in at the exact amount quoted at the onset. We are happy to report that we are days from beginning construction.

I had Rocco help me with the plans and permit application to put a legal apartment into my house. He made the entire process so easy and we had my permits approved within two weeks. I had no idea how to go about this process and Rocco managed everything start to finish. I can't thank him enough for his help and can recommend him for anyone who is looking for excellent service. Thanks Rocco, I'll be calling you again when I'm ready to do the rest of the house!

We had to deal with ARCHITALCAN Design, Inc. after so many conversations with other companies.The owner of ARCHITALCAN Design, Inc. "Rocco" was very helpful and expert about the city by-laws and regulations.We are very satisfied with his job and we highly recommend ARCHITALCAN Design, Inc.

For our addition project we have contacted few architects based on HomeStars reviews. We have had discussions with 3 companies to see how they can understand our needs, how they work, etc.
Out of the group, Rocco was the one getting us the confidence of a trouble free collaboration. Within days after signing the contract he was here measuring the existing house and listen to what we want to do. Less than a week after, he provided the first set of drawings, in person. While it wasn't what we wanted, he was open to listen to us. It took us few weeks to modify the plans. Rocco was open to our changes and quickly updated the plans. To complete the them, took us several emails back and forth with modifications and by the end of Jan 2014 we've got the Permit from the Building Department. Our project is documented online: www.reno1budget.com

Communication with Rocco was effective, he was open to discuss, offered answers to our questions. Very knowledgeable in the fields of design and city bylaws; he was giving us the right advice in order to avoid the project being sent to the Committee of Adjustment and at the same time achieve our needs and wants.
Strongly recommend Rocco for your next project.