Hattiesburg home designer
house plan zone - Many have debated the notion of using either a home
designer or architect. It is a debate that may continue as long as time
will exist. What isn't in doubt is the fact that both professionals are
capable of providing a home builder or private client with quality
design services for new construction house plans or documents for a home
remodel and renovation. However, there are things you will need to
consider to determine which is right for you. You should know which of
the two your state allows to do the work, the experience, and what the
services will cost.
State Laws
While you may have the option of choosing between the two, your
neighboring state can have laws that restrict your options. For
instance, most states in the U.S. have laws that allow home designers to
provide design services for residential projects that include single
family homes, duplex, and townhouses. This even extend to light
commercial buildings and interior space planning that falls within a
certain building classification and up to a particular square footage.
As an example, the state of Georgia allows home designers to do single
family residential design with no square foot restrictions. In addition,
they can also design light commercial buildings like office buildings
up to 5,000 square feet. Assembly and educational occupancy, health care
occupancy, care facilities, multifamily housing, apartment complexes,
or buildings classified as high hazard are excluded from this exception.
If you are in a state that have more restrictive laws, you simply have
no direct choice. Every set of plans whether it be commercial or
residential design, will require the plans to be prepared by a licensed
architect who is registered with the state. Florida is a state that
requires all plans to be prepared and sealed with an architects stamp.
This is the only way the plans will be approved by the permitting
office. Home Designers in states such as this, tend to have a working
relationship with an architect to meet these requirements.
Design Expertise
The amount of experience and the speciality is another key factor in
determining which design professional to use. The assumption is that
most architects design homes. Actually that is not exactly the case.
Most architects tend to focus more on commercial projects and
residential as a secondary option. On the other hand, home designers
devote most of if not all of their time to residential design. This is
not to say that architects should not be considered rather you should
consider their strength and weaknesses based on their past work and how
much of their work is devoted to commercial and residential.
Cost
Although this is listed third in line, cost is actually at the top of
everyone's list. Fees are hard to nail down because they vary widely
among design professionals. On average, architects tend to be more
expensive when compared to home designers. However, there are some home
designers who are pricey as well. In these cases, your design budget
will ultimately determine who you will choose to prepare your custom set
of house plans.
In the end, the use of either a home designer or architect is a matter
of personal preference. You have to determine for yourself if you can
have a working relationship with the designer or architect. In addition,
you should choose someone who you feel can capture the essence of your
ideas and apply them to your home design. Your budget will also play a
role in your decision. Consider each of these factors and don't let
either of them outweigh any of the others.