Do You Have to Be an Architect to Design Your House?

If you’ve ever thought about designing your own house or houses for others you might wonder if an architect is required.

You don’t have to be an architect to design a house for yourself or others. Though there are a few local authorities or states that want an architect’s drawings specifically for the building permit they are few in number; you’ll still be able to design the house yourself.

To design a house you need to be aware of any codes that’ll apply to your design. Though architects are familiar with these, you can figure out what is needed with some research. Requirements to obtain a construction permit are determined by what your local authority requires. Let’s take a look.

What your local authority wants

Your local authority is charged with managing the process of reviewing the design as it relates to zoning and building codes, issuing building permits, and inspecting the construction for compliance. They will want specific information from you to determine that your design meets the code requirements.

The permit application is what you’ll submit to obtain a building permit. This document provides basic information they need about the project, the owner, and the contractor. They will then determine the permit fees you’ll be required to pay.

Separate fees are often required for work such as:

demolition of any existing buildings or structures where the house is to be built
utility connections
mechanical systems
electrical systems
plumbing systems
other systems as required

These may also require separate permit applications and permits, though they are often under the primary application.

Permit drawings are often required to be submitted as part of the application process. These are used by the permit office to review the proposed design and construction of the house in relation to the codes. Such drawings might include the following:

Site plan: showing the property lines, where the house is being placed on the lot, how the ground will be modified, and where pavement is to occur.
Foundation plan: showing where foundations are to be placed, what their size will be, how deep they will be, what material is being used, and how they will be constructed.
Floor plan:, or floor plans if multiple floors, showing the size and shape of the building, all rooms, spaces, walls, doors, windows, porches, dimensions, and any other important information.
Framing plan: showing wood or steel framing, truss members, masonry support walls, and other pertinent components along with their sizes and spacing.
Wall section: or sections showing how the house is to be constructed.
Electrical plan: showing the service size (amps) and the locations for the service connection, fuse box, outlets, light fixtures, smoke alarms, etc.
Mechanical plan: showing equipment locations, air duct sizes and routing, and air register locations, along with the amount of air being delivered to and ventilation being provided for each room.
Plumbing plan: showing locations of the service connection, equipment such as a water heater and water softener, the sizes and routing of the pipes, and the location of the plumbing fixtures such as sinks, toilets, bathtubs, etc.
Building elevations: showing the height of the building, the location of doors and windows, and the materials to be used on the exterior of the house.
Roof plan: showing slopes, hips, valleys, gutters, chimneys, etc.

Sometimes a state/province or the local authority itself will require the drawings to be prepared by an architect; however, this is not common for most locations. Check with your local authority for their requirements.

If an architect is needed for the permit drawings you can still design your own house. You’ll just need to hire an architect to review the design for any code issues and to create and stamp the permit drawings they create.

Designing your own house – info you’ll need.

There are two main things you need to get familiar with in order to design your home and get a building permit:

The zoning code: Your house will likely be built in an area where your local community has placed requirements as to lot sizes, uses of your property, and building size limitations. These are documented in your local zoning code.
The building code: Your state/province and your local community have design requirements covering life safety, construction, energy efficiency, mechanical and plumbing systems, and other items. These are consolidated into a building code.

You’ll need a fairly comprehensive understanding of these in order to design your house. You must comply with all requirements that apply to the house in order to obtain approval to build it.

These codes can be confusing at first, but once you get the gist of what their intent is and how they’re organized you can figure out how you need to plan and design your house.

The Zoning Code

The zoning code is the document that will tell you the overall design limitations and requirements for your project.

This document is usually organized by different sections, each relating to different limitations and requirements. Different sections provide this for:

Zoning district categories: These describe the different uses on properties. Your’s will likely be considered residential and typically in the subcategory of single family use. Be sure to check out the formal zoning map for your area to determine the zoning category of you’re property.
Uses and activities: These regulate what you can or cannot do on your property. These might include restrictions on uses such as a home business, rental of rooms or a separate building on your property, parking of large recreational vehicles, and others.
Property limitations: These will include such things as setback requirements from the property lines where you cannot place a building, the total roof-plus-paved-area allowed on the property, along with others.
Building Limitations: These could include such things as maximums for square footage of the house, number of bedrooms allowed, and building height.

The building code

The building code is a detailed document outlining the life-safety and technical design requirements for your house. This code is typically created by a professional organization and then adopted by the town or city.

One of the most common codes for houses is the International Residential Code. This code is created by the International Code Council and applies to one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses not more than three stories above grade. An updated code is issued every 3 years, but a state or local government will adopt a certain year’s code and keep that code for a long time.

If a specific code has adopted they likely have modifications to address local concerns. Such modifications are typically issued as amendments to the code and are available as a supplement to the code.

Building codes contain sections for broad categories of construction and systems such as:

Building design and construction
Energy use and conservation
Plumbing systems design
Mechanical systems design
Electrical systems design

Building design and construction covers items relating to building occupancy; allowable heights and areas based on the structural materials used (these are separate from the zoning limitations); fire protection and emergency egress requirements; construction of components such as foundations, walls, and roofs; and requirements for materials used in construction and room finishes.

Theses codes are typically organized by chapters covering specific aspects of design. You’ll need to get familiar with finding the requirements for your project within each chapter and then cross referencing between the chapters in order to figure out everything that will apply to your house design.

Designing houses for others

Designing houses for others is a great way to satisfy your love of design and to help people achieve their dreams. A good way to build confidence in and the perception of your abilities is to become certified through an independent agency such as the American Institute of Building Design.

This certification requires the designer to take and pass several courses related to building design and construction. However, such certifications are not overseen by the states and provinces and are therefore not considered the same as an architecture license.

Be sure to check with the laws of your area. Some of them restrict people from practicing architecture without being a licensed architect, but this usually does not apply to house design.

Conclusion

Designing your own house or designing for others is something you can do. There is a lot of research and organization that is needed, but if you get those down early you’ll be able to more easily accomplish your goals.