CrossFields Publishes Guide on Essential Design Decisions Before Permit Drawings

Gainesville, Georgia, Sept. 18, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- CrossFields Interiors & Architecture, a firm specializing in architectural and interior design for holistic health and wellness environments, has published a new educational resource aimed at healthcare practitioners. The resource, titled "I Don't Need Design. I Just Need Permit Drawings," addresses a common misconception among practitioners that permit drawings can be prepared without first completing necessary functional design decisions.

The firm’s new guidance highlights the importance of resolving key design decisions, including occupancy, power, plumbing, and ceiling coordination, before engineers or architects can prepare accurate permit drawings. Carolyn Boldt, Vice President and Director of Design at CrossFields Interiors & Architecture, explains that design is not merely about aesthetics but encompasses the functional requirements that determine how a space will operate. These decisions must be made before permitting can proceed with accuracy.

According to the resource, many practitioners often treat design as a matter of finishes, such as paint colors or flooring selections. However, CrossFields defines design as the set of functional decisions that determine the operation of a space. These decisions must be resolved before permitting can be accurately completed. If the space plan remains unfinished, later engineering and permit work will be based on incomplete information, potentially leading to costly errors and project delays.

The article outlines several prerequisites that cities and design professionals require. Occupancy load calculations depend on how each area will be used and how many people the space is expected to hold. For example, a room planned as a higher-intensity activity area, such as a gym-style rehabilitation zone, can trigger different restroom, exit, drinking fountain, and mop sink requirements than a standard office classification. Building classification and any change of use must also be confirmed, as these determinations affect whether a permit can be approved.

Ceiling type and height must be established so that lighting, HVAC, and electrical systems can be coordinated. Power locations, including floor outlets for electrified treatment tables, need to be documented before walls and floors are closed. Plumbing needs, including additional sinks or restrooms, depend on occupancy and existing infrastructure. Built-in casework and furniture decisions affect both the drawings and later procurement. Finish types and locations generally must be defined, even when specific colors have not yet been selected.

The consequences of skipping these steps can be significant. Practitioners sometimes arrive with a floor plan produced by a drafter, an acquaintance, or a software tool and assume the drawing is ready for permits. CrossFields notes that an undefined open area can create occupancy questions. Missing power planning can leave treatment tables dependent on cords after construction. Starting demolition before permits are issued can result in stop-work orders, retroactive permitting, and project delays. The firm reports seeing these outcomes over more than 20 years of healthcare facility work.

The resource places these issues within the firm’s Signature 06 Steps process, which CrossFields has used since 2010. The steps are Discover, Explore, Create, Select, Document, and Design Assurance. The process is intended to clarify functional requirements before documentation and construction. Permit drawings fall later in that sequence, after the space plan and related decisions have been resolved.

Scott Boldt, President of CrossFields Interiors & Architecture, emphasizes the importance of defining use, occupancy, and infrastructure needs first.

The guidance is directed at doctors and other holistic health practitioners who are preparing to renovate, expand, or build out a clinical space. The firm's work includes architecture, interior design, construction documentation, and consulting for healthcare environments. CrossFields notes that someone must still make and record the functional decisions even when a practice does not retain a full design team. Leaving those choices undocumented does not remove them from the process; it only postpones them until they become more expensive to resolve.

By identifying occupancy, infrastructure, and coordination requirements early, practices can reduce the likelihood of stop-work orders, incomplete submissions, and permanent layout problems. The article positions permit drawings as a documentation step that follows design, not a substitute for it.