Building designer or architect: what's the difference?

What does the title architect mean in NSW?

In NSW the word architect is protected by law. A person may only use it if their name is on the NSW Register of Architects, which the Architects Registration Board keeps. A business that calls itself an architect must also nominate at least one registered architect to be responsible for its architectural services.

Getting onto the register usually means an accredited architecture degree, practical experience and then the Architectural Practice Examination. Once registered, an architect works under a code of professional conduct. They must also give you a written client architect agreement before the work begins, setting out the services, the fees and how changes are handled. The board publishes the register online, so you can search any name before you sign.

What does a building designer do on a house?

A building designer prepares the drawings for a home much as an architect would, from the first sketches to the plans that go to council or a private certifier. Many designers work on houses, alterations and duplexes every week and know the local planning controls well. For a straightforward brief they can be a sensible choice.

The difference lies in the rules around the work rather than the drawing itself. NSW requires design practitioners to be registered only for apartment buildings and a few other building classes, which leaves freestanding houses outside that scheme. Training and experience can therefore vary widely, because no single qualification is required before someone designs your home. Ask any designer about their training, the homes they have drawn and the insurance they carry.

Building designer vs architect: which suits your home?

The building designer vs architect choice usually comes down to how much the house asks of its designer. An experienced building designer can handle a modest home on a level block with clear controls. A steep site, a heritage setting or an ambitious form tends to reward the deeper training that comes with registration.

It also matters who will be held to the design. An architect answers to the registration board and its code of conduct as well as to your contract, which gives you another avenue if the service falls short. Fees differ between the two as well. The scope of the service usually decides the cost more than the title does, so compare what each proposal includes rather than the headline figure.

Whichever you choose, involve a builder while the design can still change. Cost, buildability and the order of work are far easier to resolve on paper than on site. Our guide to design and build vs an architect and a builder compares the two common ways of bringing design and construction together.

How we design homes at SHORE

At SHORE Design + Build the design of every home is led by Emanuel Solomovic, our Senior Architect and NSW Registered Architect No. 7154. He works alongside our interior designers in our Pyrmont studio. Our own builders price the concept as it takes shape, so the design stays within the budget it was drawn for.

That means the drawings that win approval are the drawings we build from, with one team answerable from the first site visit to handover. If you would like the architecture without the build, our residential architects in the Eastern Suburbs can design your home for another builder. To see how the whole process runs under one contract, explore design and build in Sydney with us.