Living in Clairemont, you are no doubt familiar with the second story room addition that looks like someone dropped a box on top of the garage. While the rooms may be comfortable inside, from the outside the addition looks less attractive than it could

It makes me nuts to see one of these, because I know that just a little creativity at the design stage-some varied roof lines, bay windows, or some interesting stucco treatments-would have made a big difference in the end result.

If you decide it’s time to add on to your home, and you want the end result to look great, whom should you call? Must you hire an architect or can a designer handle what you need? I’ve talked to many customers who were confused about the difference between an architect, a designer and a draftsman. Here’s a very brief overview of the role each would play in planning your room addition.

• An architect is an individual, licensed by the state, who is experienced in architectural design, drafting and construction techniques. An architect can not only design an addition, he or she can draw the plans to be submitted for the permit as well. The architect may also oversee the process of procuring the best contractor for the client’s project, and provide a “scope of work” document for contractors bidding on it. This level of knowledge and ability is often more than is necessary for a typical room addition.
  
• A designer is primarily trained in the arrangement of living space-where a window should go for good light inside, as an example.
• A draftsman is trained in drawing both the plan view (looking down from above with the roof gone–the layout of rooms, etc.) and elevation view (what you see standing outside looking at the building) of a structure.

There is definitely some cross over between these three roles-for example, the designer who can also draw, and the draftsman with training in design. Occasionally, you may have two people working on the same project-the designer sketching out a rough drawing of the design concept and the draftsman completing a more detailed scale drawing of it. Whoever draws the plans for submittal to the City must be familiar with the applicable building codes.

When you see the phrase “design-build” in a construction company ad, it could mean the company has a design person on staff, or it might mean they have the ability to find and contract with one for you. Any construction company can do the second, since an architect or designer is a subcontractor just like a painter or drywall guy. Not every contractor wants to work through the design process with the customer; some construction companies prefer not to get involved until the design is complete and the permit is issued.

One advantage to the homeowner in having the construction and design people working together from the start is that the construction side can be a “reality check” for the design side. The construction person can keep the designer apprised of the cost to build what is being designed, to help keep the project within your budget.