In NSW, "architect" is a legally protected title and "draftsman" and "building designer" are not. That is the real difference between an architect, a draftsman and a building designer, and it matters less than most people assume for a house renovation. Any of the three can prepare drawings for a home.
In NSW, "architect" is a legally protected title and "draftsman" and "building designer" are not. That is the real difference between an architect, a draftsman and a building designer, and it matters less than most people assume for a house renovation. Any of the three can prepare drawings for a home. What you need depends on how much design thinking the project requires and how hard the approval will be.
What each title means in NSW
Architect. Only a person registered with the NSW Architects Registration Board can use the title. Registration requires an accredited degree, logged practical experience and a registration exam. Architects must hold professional indemnity insurance and follow a code of conduct, and the public can check the register.
Building designer. Not a protected title in NSW for houses. Many building designers hold a diploma or degree in building design and belong to an industry association, and many are very good. There is no register you are required to be on to design a single dwelling.
Draftsman or draftsperson. Also unprotected. Traditionally the person who produces technical drawings from someone else's design. In everyday use the word now covers anyone who draws up house plans.
What they have in common
For a house, an extension, a granny flat or a dual occupancy, the law does not require an architect. All three can:
- prepare plans, elevations and sections
- lodge a development application or prepare complying development documents
- produce construction drawings
- coordinate with a surveyor and structural engineer
Council and certifiers assess the drawings, not the letters after the name. A well-prepared set from a building designer is approved as readily as one from an architect.
Apartment buildings are different. Under NSW design and building practitioner laws, design work on those classes of building must be declared by registered practitioners. That is outside the kind of residential work most homeowners are planning.
Where the difference shows
The gap is in training and in what you are paying for.
| Architect | Building designer | Draftsperson | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title protected by law | Yes | No | No |
| Public register | Yes | No | No |
| Typical strength | Design, planning strategy, complex sites | Practical residential design | Documenting a settled design |
| Typical cost | Highest | Middle | Lowest |
An architect is trained to solve the design problem: light, layout, how an addition meets an old house, how to get a difficult scheme through council. A draftsperson is strongest when the design is already decided and needs to be drawn accurately.
When a draftsperson is the right choice
Restraint is worth stating here. Plenty of projects do not need an architect's level of design input:
- a simple granny flat on a clear, flat lot
- a straightforward rear extension with no planning complications
- drawing up a design you have already resolved
- as-built or measured drawings of an existing house
- documentation for a builder's standard plan
If you know what you want and the site is easy, paying for extensive concept design is unnecessary. Good building design and drafting will get you approved and built.
When an architect earns the fee
The value rises with difficulty:
- heritage conservation areas, where the design has to be argued to council
- sloping, narrow, bushfire or flood-affected sites
- second storey and other additions and alterations, where the existing house constrains everything
- dual occupancies, where privacy, separation and subdivision must all work
- projects where you want options tested before committing
- any job where the layout is the problem, not the drawings
On those projects the design decisions made early are worth far more than the difference in fees. A poor layout costs the same to build as a good one.
The middle path: architectural drafting led by an architect
Some practices, including ours, are led by a registered architect and also offer drafting-level services. That means the scope can match the project. A granny flat or a clear-cut extension gets efficient documentation. A harder site gets full design input. Either way a registered architect is accountable for the work.
LCG Architects is led by Paul Lopez, Registered Architect, NSW ARB number 11962. You can verify any architect's registration on the Board's public register, and you should, whoever you engage.
Questions to ask before you engage anyone
Titles tell you less than answers to these:
- Have you done this type of project in my council area?
- Which approval pathway do you expect, and why?
- What exactly is included in the fee, and what is extra?
- Who coordinates the engineer, surveyor and other consultants?
- Will the drawings be detailed enough for builders to give fixed prices?
- Do you hold professional indemnity insurance?
- Can I see a full drawing set from a similar job?
The fifth question matters most. Thin drawings are cheap to buy and expensive to build from, because every gap becomes a builder's allowance. That is the purpose of proper construction drawings.
None of them builds your house
One clarification we give often. An architect, building designer or draftsperson designs and documents. A licensed builder constructs. In NSW, residential building work must be carried out by a contractor holding the appropriate licence, which you can check through NSW Fair Trading.
LCG Architects handles design, drafting and approvals, and can coordinate consultants for you. We do not build, and we do not quote build prices. What we produce is the set of documents that lets builders quote properly.
Next step
Tell us what you are planning and where. We will say plainly whether the project needs full design or straightforward drafting, and scope it to suit.
Common questions
Do I need an architect to renovate a house in NSW?
No. There is no legal requirement to use an architect for a house, extension, granny flat or dual occupancy in NSW. An architect, building designer or draftsperson can prepare the drawings. An architect is worth considering where the site is constrained or the design itself is the hard part.
What is the difference between an architect and a draftsman?
An architect is registered under NSW law, has completed an accredited degree and registration process, and is trained to lead design. A draftsman, or draftsperson, is an unregulated title for someone who prepares technical drawings. Both can produce plans for a house, with different depth of design input.
Is a draftsman cheaper than an architect?
Usually, yes. Drafting fees are generally lower because the scope is documentation instead of full design. The saving is real on simple projects. On complex ones, weaker design or thin documentation can cost more in construction than was saved in fees.
Can a draftsman lodge a DA?
Yes. Anyone can prepare and lodge a development application on an owner's behalf through the NSW Planning Portal. Council assesses the content of the application. The quality of the drawings and supporting statements affects how smoothly it is assessed.
How do I check if someone is a registered architect?
Search the public register kept by the NSW Architects Registration Board. It lists every architect entitled to use the title in NSW along with their registration number. If a person or business is not on it, they cannot legally call themselves an architect.