Experience & Licensing

Qualified. Coordinated. Accountable.

Our work combines residential design, excavation, septic systems, and custom home construction. That integration is supported by appropriate licensing, regulatory experience, and a stable internal team.

Licensing & Registration

The Gorham Group operates with the following credentials:

BCIN Licensed Designer (House and Small Buildings)
Licensed Septic System Design and Installation
HCRA and Tarion registered

Design, septic coordination, and construction oversight are managed internally rather than handed off between separate firms. This allows for clearer accountability and better alignment between drawings, approvals, and execution.

A Background in Regulatory Projects

Our company began over ten years ago in residential renovations, where we built a reputation for navigating complex regulatory situations — including structural failures, permitting challenges, and projects requiring corrective approvals.

That foundation continues to shape our work today.

We regularly coordinate:

Minor variance applications
Conservation authority permits
Retroactive building permits
Engineering reviews
Survey coordination

In a typical year, we assist with several retroactive permit situations and have successfully navigated complex approvals, including:

A retroactive minor variance, conservation authority permit, and building permit for a partially constructed addition
A retroactive conservation authority permit for a driveway and site preparation project already underway
Structural failure of a building illegally encroaching on municipally-owned land

These experiences reinforce the importance of careful planning before construction begins.

A building permit application package ready to be submitted.

Working Relationships

Successful residential projects often require coordination beyond the builder.

We regularly work with:

Surveyors
Structural, civil, and geotechnical engineers
Municipal planners
Conservation authorities
Building departments

Because we operate consistently within regulated environments, we maintain professional working relationships across multiple municipalities in the region.

Our Team

We maintain a focused, stable internal team of five core members, including:

An experienced equipment operator
Two licensed carpenters
One apprentice
One operator in training

Most site work and construction activities are completed in-house. Regulated and skilled trades including electrical, plumbing, and HVAC, as well as insulation and drywall, are subcontracted to trusted professionals.

This balance allows for quality control while ensuring compliance in specialized areas.

Integrated Experience

Custom home construction, excavation, and septic installation are often treated as separate scopes of work. In practice, they are closely connected.

Our combined experience in these areas allows us to:

Anticipate excavation and servicing realities during design
Coordinate septic layout alongside site planning
Align structural design with site constraints
Navigate approvals with practical construction knowledge

The result is a more cohesive process and fewer disconnects between design and execution.