Unit kits.
Real bids.
Predictable margin.
Multi-family millwork is a margin game. Cabinet shop bids vary by 15—30% when drawings are inconsistent. Bring us in at schematic design; we standardise the package, run a competitive bid across three or four Calgary cabinet shops, and lock pricing before permit is issued.
Cabinetry is
3—5% of project cost.
And the most variable.
On a $40M Calgary multi-family project, cabinetry typically runs $1.5M—$2M. Cabinet shop bids on the same package vary 15—30% depending on how drawings are presented. Better drawings, tighter bids — meaningful margin on a single line item.
15—30%
Bid variance
Cabinet shop bids on the same multi-family package routinely vary by 15—30% when drawings and specifications differ. Standardised drawings tighten the bid spread to 5—10%.
5—8%
Shop drawing markup
Cabinet shops that produce drawings in-house typically embed a 5—8% markup on the build cost. Independent drawings remove this markup — visible savings on a competitive bid.
$50—$100K
Margin recovery
On a $40M multi-family project, tightened cabinet shop bids and removed drawing markup typically recover $50K—$100K in pre-tax margin. Our fee is a fraction of that.
Independent
design.
Competitive bids.
Most multi-family projects use a single cabinet shop on handshake terms. The shop produces drawings and pricing as a bundle — and there's no way to validate the pricing. Independent design changes the math.
Real competitive bids
Three or four Calgary cabinet shops bidding the same standardised package. Spread narrows. Lowest qualified bid wins the build. The developer captures the savings, not the cabinet shop.
Permit-ready submission
Drawings formatted to City of Calgary submission standards — sheet index, title block, dimensional accuracy, accessibility compliance. Drops into the architect's broader permit submission set.
Quantity take-offs for cost validation
Every cabinet, every drawer, every linear foot of countertop, every hardware piece counted by unit type and total. Cabinet shop bids validated against the take-off — over-counts flagged before contract signing.
Predictable margin on the cabinetry line
Locked design + competitive bid = predictable cost. Cabinetry stops being the wild card on the cost-control spreadsheet.
Inside the
consultant team.
We integrate as a sub-consultant alongside the architect, interior designer, structural engineer, and mechanical/electrical consultants. Our deliverables feed the broader project model.
ARCHITECT RELATIONSHIP
Sub-consultant under the architect
Standard arrangement: architect prime, Planar sub-consultant for millwork. Direct invoicing or via architect — both common. We work inside the architect's Revit model when one exists.
INTERIOR DESIGN
Coordinated with the ID team
For projects with a separate interior designer running the buyer-facing finish package, we coordinate finish specifications. The ID picks colours and materials; we engineer the construction.
COST CONSULTANT
Take-offs validated against QS
Quantity surveyor or cost consultant validates our take-offs against their own counts. Discrepancies resolved before contract; no surprise variances post-bid.
CABINET SHOP
Three to four shops bid the package
We send the standardised package to three or four Calgary cabinet shops simultaneously. Shops bid against identical drawings. Bid analysis shared with the developer for selection.
Bring us in
at SD.
Schematic design is where cabinetry decisions ripple into architectural drawings, mechanical layouts, and unit-mix economics. Later engagement still works — but with less room to optimise.
SD
IDEAL
Schematic design
Best time to engage. Unit-type cabinetry layouts inform plumbing positions, electrical rough-ins, and kitchen-window relationships. We work alongside the architect on schematic decisions.
DD
IDEAL
Design development
Common engagement phase. Architect's set is firming up; we detail the cabinetry inside fixed openings. Most multi-family engagements happen here.
CD
OK
Construction documents
Architectural set is locked. We document the cabinetry to production standard within fixed parameters. Lower-cost, lower-risk engagement.
POST-PERMIT
TIGHT
After permit issuance
Construction underway, cabinet ordering deadlines visible. We can still execute, but limited room to optimise. Drawings produced under schedule pressure.
A 60-unit
condo project.
The most common Calgary multi-family engagement: a 60-unit low-rise wood-frame condominium. Here's the rough shape.
PROJECT
60-unit low-rise wood-frame condominium, three buildings, mid-market Calgary
UNIT MIX
15 × studio, 25 × 1-bedroom, 18 × 2-bedroom, 2 × penthouse — 4 unit-type designs
FINISH PALETTES
Light, Mid-Tone, Dark — allocated 20:30:10 across the project
ENGAGEMENT PHASE
Design development — 8 weeks after architect's SD set
DELIVERABLE
Permit-ready submission set, bid documentation, quantity take-offs, Revit families
TIMELINE
10 weeks discovery to released drawings, plus 4 weeks bid coordination
PLANAR FEE
$58,000 — approximately $970 per unit
CABINETRY BUILD
Won by Calgary cabinet shop at $1.42M — bids spread $1.42M to $1.71M
Questions from
Calgary developers.
Why not just use the cabinet shop's in-house drafting?
Three reasons. First, cabinet shop drawings reflect their preferred construction and materials — not what's optimal for the project. Second, drawings produced in-house can't be sent out for competitive bidding. Third, in-house drawings carry an embedded 5—8% markup on the build cost that disappears when drawings are independent.
How do you handle BIM coordination?
For projects with an architectural Revit model, we deliver native Revit families for each unit type. Cabinets integrate into the project file alongside structural, mechanical, and electrical. Clash detection runs on the combined model. Cabinet shop receives Revit-exported CAD set for fabrication.
What's your typical fee structure for multi-family?
Per-unit fees, scaled by total unit count. 12—30 units: $1,400—$1,800 per unit. 30—75 units: $1,000—$1,400 per unit. 75—150 units: $850—$1,100 per unit. 150+ units: negotiated. Design effort sits mostly in the first kit — subsequent units are largely documentation, hence the volume curve.
Do you handle accessibility / barrier-free unit variations?
Yes. Calgary multi-family projects typically require a percentage of barrier-free units. We design accessible-variant kitchens and bathrooms — lowered counters, knee clearances, accessible storage, lever hardware. Integrated into the project package, not as a separate engagement.
Can you help us select a cabinet shop?
We can recommend Calgary cabinet shops we've worked alongside, with notes on capacity, quality consistency, and historical bid behaviour. The selection is the developer's — we're not paid by cabinet shops and don't collect referral fees.
What about wood waste / sustainability requirements?
For projects with sustainability targets — LEED, Built Green, BOMA BEST — we specify materials that meet certification requirements (FSC-certified panels, low-VOC finishes, recycled content). Documentation provided for the certification consultant's submission package.
How does payment work for multi-family engagements?
Typically four-stage: 25% on signed agreement, 25% on concept design approval, 25% on shop drawings release, 25% on bid coordination complete. Invoiced directly or via the architect, whichever the developer prefers.
Have a project pencilling out?
Send the unit mix, target completion, and architectural plans. We respond within one business day with a fixed-fee package quote.