Short answer? Not always. But the longer answer is worth reading before you decide. Most homeowners ask this question when they’re staring down a renovation that feels either too big to DIY or too small to justify the fee. The truth is, “do I need an architect?” is actually the wrong question. The better question is: what kind of project am I doing, and what kind of help will actually make it go well? Let’s break it down honestly.
When You Almost Certainly Don’t Need an Architect
Most architects will be completely honest with you if you ask whether your project needs their services – it starts with defining “need.”
Simple work such as replacing finishes (paint, flooring, trim, wallpaper) or plumbing fixtures doesn’t legally require a permit or an architect. That said, you may still want design help choosing these items to get a coherent result. For slightly larger projects like bathroom remodels, a permit may be required, but you may be able to obtain it without drawings. So again, you may not technically need an architect, but having one provide a drawing for your contractor to follow can be extremely valuable if your contractor can’t produce one themselves.
When It’s Worth Having the Conversation For Hiring an Architect
So when should you talk to an architect? When the scope of work grows, watch for these triggers:
- Are you moving/removing walls or doing structural work?
- Are you building an addition?
- Are you moving windows or doors on the exterior?
- Are you building a deck or balcony?
- Is your home attached to another one, like a rowhouse?
Note that nearly all commercial projects will require an architect.
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should speak with an architect. All of these projects will likely require drawings for permitting, and most municipalities will require an architect or engineer to prepare and stamp them. Beyond the formality of stamped drawings, an architect can also make sure the design is safe, meets building and energy codes, and is built in a way that won’t cause problems or detract from your home’s value.
For example, we’ve seen a situation where a contractor built an addition at the rear of a house using only verbal instructions from the homeowner about size and materials. Unfortunately, the addition violated required zoning setbacks and was built with materials that weren’t code-compliant. The homeowner was fined by the local building department and had to demolish and reconstruct the addition an expensive lesson in frustration, legal fees, and lost use of the space.
This also points to one more big reason to hire an architect: defining the scope of work before it starts. An architect brings together project goals, code requirements, design ideas, and construction realities into a cohesive whole: drawings, specifications, and notes collectively known as Construction Documents. This clearly outlines what the contractor is responsible for, helps you obtain competitive bids, and serves as the basis for your relationship with the people doing the work.
When an Architect Can Actually Save You Money
You might be thinking, “This all sounds great, but isn’t it expensive?” Architects aren’t free, but the cost has to be weighed against the disadvantages of not working with one. Here’s how architects can more than cover their fees at each step of the process:
Pre-design
Before a single line is drawn, your architect will discuss your project goals, timeline, and budget. This might include questions about your lifestyle, your family size, how you entertain, how long you plan to be in your home, and your stylistic preferences, among others. By understanding where you’re coming from and where you want to end up, the architect can design the pathway between the two. This might even involve doing less construction work than you thought you had to.
Design
Once the information is gathered, an architect can bring years (and in our case, decades) of experience on other projects to find the best solutions for you. Starting from a strong base of knowledge gives the architect the ability to innovate and provide options that will fit your goals, while in many cases exceeding your expectations and showing you solutions that you hadn’t considered. This gives you the opportunity to think beyond the “expected” and have a truly meaningful result, while at the same time doing so in an efficient way.
Bidding
After design, the architect will work on the technical drawings and other materials (the aforementioned Construction Documents). Having clear documentation means that all the contractors who bid on the work will be looking at the same information, and that information will be clear and thorough. This way, you will be confident that the bids you get are accurate and are not based on misunderstandings that could snag project progress later on and add significant cost.
Permitting
Due to their experience on other projects, your architect will be able to predict (and hopefully avoid) pain points during permitting. This will include knowing what drawings need to be included, which forms need to be filled out, and what signatures are required. This saves time and surprises and hopefully translates to a smooth permitting process.
Construction
During construction, the architect will visit your project to see progress and to note areas where the project is not conforming to the design. This has the potential to save time and money reworking mistakes (or trying to work around them). If something is not correct, the architect “speaks the contractor’s language” and can communicate the issues in a way that leads to a faster resolution.
What Exactly Does an Architect Do on a Home Renovation?
In short, the architect is the “quarterback” of the project. It’s our role to bring in the right partners you, engineers, permitting authorities, specialists, and contractors define their roles, and bring their work together into a coherent whole. We use past experience to explore options for every decision and understand how each one affects the others. By truly understanding your goals, we design the process around achieving a successful result, with the Construction Documents describing the process and result at once.
Not every architect works on every part of a project or every type of project. Some specialize in a certain type of work, or only certain parts of the process above — so ask before you decide who to work with, and make sure the services you need are all covered. Learn more about our full range of services, including commercial and adaptive reuse work.
Philadelphia-Specific Permitting Considerations
Philadelphia has more restrictive permitting rules than many other municipalities. Typical maintenance and repair (painting, flooring, cabinet replacement, etc.) doesn’t require a permit, but most other work will. There are two permit types:
- An EZ Permit allows limited work without requiring drawings, removal or construction of nonstructural walls, window and door replacement, and drywall work. This permit isn’t available if your home is on the Historic Register.
- A standard building permit requires drawings sealed by an architect or engineer. This covers all work not eligible for an EZ Permit, and all buildings on the Historic Register, including structural work, stair replacement, deck additions, new window or door openings, and basement finishing.
Projects that include new additions, decks, balconies, or porches will also require a zoning permit. Homes on the Historic Register require pre-approval by the Historical Commission, which may involve public hearings. Our team handles all of these permits plus the sequencing, drawing requirements, paperwork, and hearings that come with them for Philadelphia adaptive reuse and historic projects.
So, Do You Need an Architect?
Hopefully you now have a better sense of when you do and don’t need an architect, and how one might help. Architects listen to your goals and help you reach them. They synthesize information from you, engineers, material suppliers, other specialists, code requirements, permitting authorities, and the builder into a coherent set of Construction Documents. They shepherd the project through permitting and observe and adjust during construction. All of this brings real value to a process that can otherwise feel overwhelming, confusing, and expensive.
If you still have questions about whether an architect can help you reach your goals, reach out for an easy conversation.
The goal isn’t to convince every homeowner they need an architect; it’s to help you make an informed decision about your project. Sometimes a good contractor is exactly what you need. Sometimes having an architect in your corner from the start is what keeps a renovation from becoming a very expensive lesson. If you’re not sure which situation you’re in, that’s exactly what a first conversation is for.
