One of the questions we get most from investors buying outside their home market is: “Should I hire someone local?” It’s a good question. The honest answer is that location matters less than municipal experience — but it does matter.
The Case for a Local Firm
Pros:
- Knows the local zoning by-law. Every municipality writes its zoning differently, and local firms read it every day.
- Knows the people. Long relationships with local examiners and planners can make conversations easier.
- Easy site access. Site visits, follow-up measurements and quick site checks are simple.
- Knows local quirks. Intake requirements, preferred drawing formats and unwritten expectations.
Cons:
- Narrower perspective. A firm that only works in one city may not know solutions other municipalities already accept.
- Limited choice. In smaller markets, there may be only a few local options, and they’re often booked up.
- Not always the right fit. Local doesn’t automatically mean experienced in your building type, like multiplex conversions or commercial-to-residential.
The Case for an Outside Firm
Pros:
- Broader experience. Firms that work across many municipalities see more project types and more ways of solving problems.
- Specialization. You can pick a firm that focuses on exactly what you’re doing — conversions, multiplex, fire rebuilds — instead of whoever is closest.
- One team for your portfolio. If you invest in several cities, one firm across all of them means consistent quality and communication.
Cons:
- May not know the local by-law. A firm unfamiliar with a municipality can miss zoning details that a local firm would catch.
- Travel time. Site visits take longer to schedule and can cost more.
- Unknown to local staff. There’s no existing relationship with the examiners.
The Real Question: Has This Firm Worked in Your Municipality?
The line between “local” and “outside” matters less than this: has the firm actually taken permits through your municipality, for your type of project?
A firm based two cities away that has done 30 conversions in your municipality is more “local” in the ways that count than a firm down the street that has never done one.
Ask:
- How many projects have you done in this municipality?
- What’s the review timeline really like there right now?
- What do their examiners typically comment on for this type of project?
- How quickly can you get to site?
Our Approach: Regional Experience, Local Knowledge
We’ve spent nearly a decade working across Southern Ontario, on projects in dozens of municipalities — from Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton, to Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville, to Niagara, Kitchener-Waterloo and London, north to Barrie and Collingwood, and west to Chatham-Kent.
That gives our clients the best of both:
- Local knowledge of how each municipality reviews and approves projects
- Regional perspective on what works across different cities and building types
- One consistent team for investors with properties in more than one city
- Site visits across the region, scheduled around your timeline and tenant access
Final Thoughts
Don’t choose a designer based only on their postal code. Choose based on proven experience in your municipality and with your project type, plus how well they communicate.
Investing in a city you don’t know well? Send us the address. We’ll tell you what we’ve seen there and what to expect.
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