Do I Need an Architect for a Commercial Renovation?
“I’m just renovating, do I really need an architect?”
This is generally the first question I get from business owners when it comes to renovations. Spoiler alert: the answer is typically “yes”. Of course, it’s never that simple. Below we’ll cover a few of the most common times you may need to get an architect involved in your commercial renovation.
There are usually several factors that mandate when you will need to engage an architect, and they differ by regional jurisdiction. Double check with your local code authorities, but generally for businesses doing any sort of meaningful renovation, an architect is a required part of the process.
This is because architects are licensed by the State and thus have an obligation to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. This is a long way of saying we are required to make sure buildings are safe for the public, or as safe as they can be. It’s a big responsibility, and we take it very seriously.
Instead of asking why you need an architect, consider approaching it differently and ask what an architect can do for your project. What value can they bring and why should you want one on your team, aside from just checking the required box of course.
Contrary to popular belief, not all architects are designing skyscrapers and art museums every day. While those are great projects, architects are also working with local and community businesses to help with renovations, expansions, and new buildings. At Karbon, we strive to be approachable and easy to work with in order to help make projects like these go forward smoothly.
Some business owners will seek out an architect, limit their involvement as much as possible to keep expenses down, and then kick them to the curb as soon as the building permit is in hand. I know I’m biased, but trust me: don’t be one of these owners. They end up paying more for less. I’ve been called in to fix issues on projects like these; it’s never pretty, and its never cheap. Do it right the first time, work with your architect and collaborate. You’ll get much better results and you’ll thank me in the end.
Below we’ll address some of the most common requirements that mandate the involvement of an architect , and also some of the benefits an architect can provide.
DISCLAIMER
First and foremost, we’re proudly located in Philadelphia, PA and that is the jurisdiction I am most familiar with. Therefore my comments on this will be from my knowledge of the city’s requirements, but many jurisdictions have similar criteria. These requirements may change over time, but at the time of writing this post, these were some of the requirements for Philly.
While I recommend engaging an architect anyway (I know I’m biased, but it doesn’t have to be us) if you are absolutely opposed to the idea, be sure to check with your local building department or community development office to confirm whether you do or do not need an architect on your project.
For some jurisdictions, signed and sealed drawings from a professional engineer will also satisfy the ‘design professional’ requirement. That said, I don’t know too many structural engineers doing office fit-outs or renovations.
1. When the construction cost exceeds $25,000
Philadelphia requires that construction exceeding $25K has an architect or other design professional involved. While we don’t know exactly why, we suspect it has to do with the expanded scope of work. Minor repairs and finishes can be done without the involvement of an architect. Whether you want to paint a wall, hang cabinets, or change out your flooring will probably not affect the safety or fire resistance of the space.
However, once you start talking about spending tens of thousands of dollars or more, the likelihood that you’re affecting walls, fire-ratings, and pathways to exit the building increase dramatically and your jurisdiction will want to ensure these factors are considered and properly addressed. Can you poke a bunch of holes in the floor for electricity? Does that new wall you’re putting up cause you to exceed the allowable travel distance to an exit? The plan reviewer will want to know these questions, and your architect will put the answers on their drawings.
In a commercial building, the corridors are often designed to provide protection from smoke and / or fire depending on the building type. While many commercial tenants are not aware of this, or other required codes that protect the safety of the occupants, architects are trained on how to handle these issues. When you begin to spend large sums of money, generally large amounts of work come with it — and so does the likelihood of ‘renovating’ an element that will affect the safety of the space.
2. When work will affect the structure
When any of your proposed work will affect structural elements, such as bearing walls, columns, or foundations, you must consult an architect or a licensed engineer. Many engineers provide specialized services, and unless your project is only involving one small piece of a space, you should engage an architect.
For example, let’s say you are planning to expand your retail store. You found a great location, but the windows are just too small and you want to have a big storefront display. Well glass doesn’t hold up buildings too well, so you’ll need to provide a structural header above that glazing to support the floors above. An engineer can help you with this, but what about the rest of the space? Walls, tile flooring, lighting, electrical layout?
These are all things that are a bigger part of your project and things an architect can help you with. Also, I’d recommend you engage an architect first, because while we don’t have all the expertise of a structural engineer, we can help translate what they need to you and also provide them with floor plans to draw from - saving both time and money.
That said, I want to make sure I note that engineers are a vital part of a project team. I’ve worked with many great ones and I always appreciate both their expertise and opinions!
3. When you need to submit for a building permit
The building permit process requires many pieces of information: code summaries, occupancy classifications, life safety elements, etc. The reason is to provide the code reviewers with all of the data required to review the project and determine whether or not to issue a building permit. Most jurisdictions will require scaled, hard-lined plans even if they do not require an architect. Unless you’re a very skilled drafter, I’d recommend engaging and architect.
Experienced architects know generally what the code reviewer is looking for based on past experience with navigating the building code requirements While we are not mind readers, we will check to make sure the building is safe and complies with all local building codes prior to submission to the plan reviewer. Issues are still likely to pop-up. If an issue does arise during the review process, your architect will be there to review it and respond in a timely manner — which helps you get a permit faster.
While the architect is completing these code requirements, they are also designing your space. This is the true value of an architect. They are skilled in laying out plans, determining your “program” (which is defines how much space you need for each part of your business) and generating 3D images that show you what a design will look like before you set your first nail on the job. This last part is not mandatory, but unless your very experienced with construction and plan review, I highly recommend it.
So the next time you need to engage an architect, whether its mandatory or not, work with them and collaborate in order to maximize their value. In the end you’ll have a renovation that suits the needs of your business and a space that you will love as well!