Pretty much everyone knows that if you are building a new home or commercial building in Long Beach from the ground up, you need a Long Beach architect to design it. There may have been a time—long ago—when you could draw up plans yourself and present them to the city for approval, but those days are long gone. The requirements to get plans approved in Long Beach are just too involved, and the process is too complicated. We talked about this at length in a previous blog post, which you can read here.
New builds aren’t the only projects that require an architect, however. Here are three other types of projects that also require the help of an architect.
Home Remodels in Long Beach
Unless your home remodel is purely cosmetic (changing out flooring, repainting walls, updating fixtures, etc.), you will almost certainly need to bring in an architect to draw up the remodel plans for you. This includes projects that involve moving walls, changing the home’s roofline, or adding square footage. Even projects as seemingly simple as adding windows or doors, moving plumbing/electrical/HVAC, or converting an attic to a living space can require an architect. The reason for this is that all these types of projects require you to get a permit, and to get a permit, you need to show the city detailed plans for your project. Depending on the project, the creation of the plans might include bringing in a structural engineer, a Title 24 compliance specialist, or any number of other professionals. An architecture firm in Long Beach like Grisafe Architecture can coordinate with these types of individuals to ensure that the plans that are submitted are complete and contain all of the information that city officials need to see.
If you’re someone who already has ideas about the new layout of your home or who wants to be involved in the design of your home remodel—great! At Grisafe Architecture, we highly encourage you to be involved in the design process. We won’t try to talk you out of your ideas. Instead, we will work with you to make sure your ideas are included in your home remodel (in ways that meet local building codes, of course).
Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Design in Long Beach
If you’ve looked into building an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on your Long Beach property, you may have read that it is easier than ever to get approval to build one. While it’s true that the State of California now requires that cities allow these types of structures on pretty much any residential lot, you still have to get approval on the design of the unit. That’s where a Long Beach architect comes in.
An architect can help you design any type of ADU for your residential property, whether it involves converting an existing structure (like a garage or pool house) into an ADU, building a unit from scratch, building an ADU on top of your freestanding garage, or attaching a unit to the main house (which would technically be a junior accessory dwelling unit or JADU). An architect can also help ensure that all the features and details you want are included in your ADU. At Grisafe Architecture, we will address not only the look of the ADU (making sure it complements the design of the main house), but also things like privacy, accessibility, storage, and more.
Tenant Improvements for Long Beach Businesses
Many tenant improvement projects also require the assistance of a Long Beach architect. Just like with a home remodel, if your tenant improvement project involves changing the floorplan of your space, you will need to have plans produced to present to the City of Long Beach for approval. At the same time, your space will likely need changes to account for current code requirements related to energy efficiency, ADA laws, egress laws, and more.
At Grisafe Architecture, we have helped many business owners design commercial spaces that perfectly meet their needs. We are able to take on projects of any complexity, so even if you have a business with unique requirements, we can help! We have a talented team of professionals in house, as well as an extensive network of specialists we can call on for special circumstances.
If you are in need of an architect for any of the above projects, contact us at Grisafe Architecture. With 20 years of experience in Long Beach, we can handle any type of design project—commercial or residential.
