A residential architect creates structures and buildings for people to live in. Residential architects work in a variety of environments. They could be self-employed, work for a small studio, or work for a large corporation. Residential architects can work alone or collaboratively. Their daily tasks include designing structures, meeting with clients, and visiting construction sites on occasion.
Residential architects are skilled at creating living spaces that are tailored to the needs of their clients. They have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in architecture, with a focus on residential architecture. Single-family homes, multi-family units, assisted-living and senior housing units, tract homes, and remodels and additions to existing residential structures are all taught to residential architects. Architects do not build buildings; instead, they design them based on the client’s specifications and the architect’s and client’s aesthetic preferences.
A family that wanted to add a major addition to their home, for example, might hire a residential architect. Before coming up with a design, the residential architect would consult with the family and consider a variety of factors to determine what design would work best for them. The residential architect would take into account the new space’s intended use, the owners’ vision for it, cost and space constraints, building materials or the desire for environmentally friendly construction, and the footprint of the existing house.
A residential architect is not required to be involved in a home remodel or addition. Simple additions and remodels are frequently designed and built by general contractors. A residential architect, on the other hand, will almost certainly bring a higher level of aesthetic expertise to the project and will be better able to accommodate specific requests.
Large construction companies that build residential subdivisions or townhomes and apartments hire other residential architects. Rather than creating a highly personalized design for a single client, these residential architects create designs that are cost-effective and appealing to a wide range of people. A few different designs may be repeated several times within a residential development, earning them the nickname “cookie cutter” homes because they are essentially the same.