About Us
Johnstone Homes is a London-based residential builder and developer with active communities across London and surrounding area. Beyond home building, we're involved in all aspects of residential land development and property management. We are a Tarion-registered and HCRA-licensed builder and an active member of the London Home Builders' Association.
The Opportunity
This is not a heads-down drafting seat, and it's not a junior role. We're looking for an experienced, licensed BCIN designer who wants to own projects end to end — from the first massing study through permit, tender, procurement, and construction close-out.
You'll produce the drawings, then follow them into the field: pricing the trades, holding the budget, answering the RFIs you can answer because you drew it. If you've been drafting for someone else's projects and want the commercial and site-management side of the business, this role is built for that.
Our Technology Stack
We run a genuinely modern back office for a company our size, and this role sits in the middle of it. You'll work daily in:
- Buildertrend — our central construction management platform. Project schedules, selections, purchase orders, change orders, daily logs, RFIs, warranty claims, and client communication all live here. You'll own the design and procurement side of it: loading and maintaining schedules, issuing POs to trades, and keeping drawing sets and selections current so the field is never building off a stale revision.
- AutoCAD
- Microsoft 365 — SharePoint, Teams, Outlook, and Power Automate, which we use to automate document routing and approvals
- PlanSwift for digital take-offs and estimating
If you've been fighting a paper-and-spreadsheet process at your current employer, this will be a relief. If you're the person who likes finding a better way to run a workflow, you'll have room to do it here — we're actively building out our systems and we want input, not just users.
What You'll DoDesign & Documentation
- Own the design process end to end for single-detached homes, townhomes, and low-rise multi-unit residential projects — from initial draft through to Issued For Construction drawings
- Design to the Ontario Building Code, applicable zoning by-laws, site plan control conditions, subdivision agreements, and architectural control guidelines. Explore and design to higher energy efficiency standards as required.
- Prepare and submit building permit applications; act as the designer of record and manage municipal review comments through to permit issuance
- Ensure compliance with Energy Star for New Homes requirements and emerging Net Zero / tiered energy performance standards including application of rebate programs
- Coordinate the building package with engineers, surveyors, consultants, and other industry partners, and integrate their input into the drawing set
- Create new floor plans, layouts, and elevation concepts to support product development and sales
- Produce and maintain lot-specific drawings, siting plans, grading plans, and elevation packages across active subdivisions
- Produce renderings and support the creation of marketing materials for new releases
- Issue and track revisions, purchaser change orders, and as-built updates with disciplined version control
- Prepare marketing packages, renderings, client handouts
- Partake in client meetings and design sessions
- Coordinate all construction design and site instructions with document package
- Maintain project management software with current drawings sets, specifications, etc.
- Partake in office administration tasks
Construction Project Management
- Act as the internal point of contact for assigned projects from permit through occupancy
- Assist to build and maintain project schedules in Buildertrend, and coordinate trade sequencing with our site supervisors
- Review shop drawings, samples, and submittals for conformance with the contract documents
- Respond to field questions, resolve design conflicts, and issue site instructions
- Maintain daily logs, selections, and change orders so office and field are always working from the same information
- Support municipal inspections, engineer field reviews, Tarion PDI processes, and warranty close-out
Procurement & Budgeting
- Prepare scopes of work and tender packages by trade division
- Solicit, level, and analyze subcontractor and supplier bids; recommend awards
- Draft and administer purchase orders and subcontract agreements through Buildertrend
- Build and maintain project budgets; track committed vs. actual costs and report variances
- Perform quantity take-offs and material estimates from your own drawings and others
- Identify value-engineering and specification standardization opportunities across communities
What You BringRequired
- Valid BCIN registration with the Province of Ontario, with qualification in House and Small Buildings at minimum
- Diploma or degree in Architectural Technology, Architectural Science, Civil Engineering Technology, or equivalent
- Minimum 5 years of residential design experience, including single-family and townhouse work, with a track record of running your own drawing sets from concept to permit
- Advanced AutoCAD proficiency and strong Microsoft Office skills; Revit or other BIM experience strongly preferred
- Thorough understanding of the Ontario Building Code, SB-12 energy compliance paths, zoning, and local municipal permit requirements
- Strong command of residential construction means, methods, and sequencing
- Valid Ontario driver's licence and access to a vehicle for site travel
Considered an Asset
- Additional BCIN qualifications (Building Structural, HVAC – House, Plumbing – House, Building Services)
- Estimating, procurement, or project coordination experience with a residential builder
- Hands-on Buildertrend experience — schedules, POs, change orders, or selections. This is a significant advantage in screening, though we will train the right candidate.
- PlanSwift or comparable digital take-off and estimating software
- Familiarity with Tarion and HCRA obligations, condominium documentation, and site plan approval processes
- Photoshop, SketchUp, Enscape, or comparable rendering and visualization experience
- Exposure to land development or property management
- Experience preparing subdivision-level architectural control submissions
Who Thrives Here
- A self-starter who works independently, multi-tasks, and prioritizes competing deliverables
- Organized enough to run several communities at once without dropping a revision
- High attention to detail, paired with genuine design creativity
- Strong communicator and team-oriented — comfortable being the person a trade calls at 7:00 a.m. from a footing
- Comfortable living in software — you pick up a new platform quickly and keep it current rather than working around it
- You'd rather solve a detail than escalate it, and you want a bigger role than the one your title currently allows
Why Johnstone Homes
- Real ownership. You will not be siloed. Design, procurement, and site delivery sit in the same chair.
- Direct line to leadership. You'll report to and work daily alongside the VP.
- Volume and variety. Active work across multiple subdivisions and product types — detached, street towns, and condominium communities.
- A seat at the table as we grow.
- Invested in you. BCIN renewal fees, OBC continuing education, and relevant professional dues covered.
How to Apply
Submit your resume, a portfolio or sample drawing set, and your BCIN number via posting.
We thank all applicants for their interest; only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Johnstone Homes is an equal opportunity employer and accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.
Pay: From $50,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
