A registered architect has a professional degree in architecture from an accredited university, a minimum of three years of “internship” experience working under a licensed architect, and has passed a state board exam.

While not all renovation projects require professionally prepared drawings, an architect provides more than just drafting skills. The architect’s job is to help you through the daunting and sometimes frustrating decision-making process by suggesting proposed solutions, providing insight into potential problems, and coordinating the design team. This is why the architect you select should be experienced in your type of project - ask for references and ask to see a portfolio of similar projects. There are issues specific to historic renovation that an architect who specializes in commercial construction will not necessarily be familiar with.

Your architect’s work is not done when the drawings are complete. The architect should be available to answer questions from contractors and sub-contractors during construction. You can also retain his or her professional services to assist in finish selection (faucets, paint colors, etc) and to help ensure that the project is built according to the plans and specifications.

Architectural design services are generally divided into the following phases: pre-design, schematic design, design development, and construction documents. These phases, while somewhat fluid, proceed in a relatively straight line. Larger decisions and issues that affect the project as a whole are dealt with in the initial phases and grow increasingly detailed as it progresses.

For more information on the phases of the design process, visit the renovateSTL page on architectural design. This section goes into detail about what to expect from each of the phases in the design process. The construction documents page goes into greater detail about the drawings an architect produces.