If you’ve been considering a remodel of your home or commercial building in Long Beach, you have probably had some conversations with others in the area who have gone through the process already. You want to know what you can expect from the process—how long it will take, how much it will cost, and how to make it go as smoothly as possible. You may have even started talking to general contractors to get initial bids on the work you want done and have come across contractors who will tell you that they can draw up the plans that the City of Long Beach needs to get your project approved, and that there’s no need to hire an architect.
According to the California Business & Professions Code, there are some projects that can be designed by someone other than a licensed professional, such as an architect in Long Beach, CA, a structural engineer, or a civil engineer. These projects include single-family homes with wood frame construction, small multi-family homes, and garages. They need to be drawn up in a way that meets all California Building Code requirements, as well as any local requirements, of course, but technically, a general contractor, or even the homeowners themselves can submit residential plans like these to the City for approval.
However, there’s a caveat in the California Business & Professions Code which states: “If any portion of any structure exempted by this section deviates from substantial compliance with conventional framing requirements for woodframe construction found in the most recent edition of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations or tables of limitation for woodframe construction, as defined by the applicable building code duly adopted by the local jurisdiction or the state, the building official having jurisdiction shall require the preparation of plans, drawings, specifications, or calculations for that portion by, or under the responsible control of, a licensed architect or registered engineer. The documents for that portion shall bear the stamp and signature of the licensee who is responsible for their preparation.”
In other words, you could pay your general contractor to draw up the plans, and if the City determines that the structure they designed doesn’t comply with their framing requirements, you will have to go back and have it designed by a licensed architect or structural engineer (or require your contractor to redesign your structure in a way that does comply).
Now let’s talk about remodels. If your project includes interior or exterior structural alterations, you are required to submit plans that are stamped and signed by a licensed architect or engineer. Projects that fall into this category can include: removing a load-bearing wall, modifying your foundation in any way, increasing your square footage with an addition, or even changing the locations of windows and doors.
When it comes to commercial and industrial plans, these also need to be drawn up by a licensed architect or engineer.
Working with the Architect in Long Beach, CA of Your Choice
Now, your general contracting company can certainly bring in their own preferred architect or engineer to draw up some plans for them, but we recommend choosing your own architect in Long Beach, CA to design your project. That way, you can work directly with a design professional who has extensive training and experience in space planning and will likely have more creative ideas and greater attention to detail than the average general contractor. There are many great general contractors in the Long Beach area, and you could get lucky and find one with a talent for design, but the majority of them are best at the construction aspect of a project.
With anything, we think the best outcome comes from working with people who specialize in what you need done, and if you need a design drawn up for your home or commercial space, we encourage you to contact an architecture firm in Long Beach like Grisafe Architecture.
