Do I need an architect for a house or addition in Ohio?

What does Ohio law say?

ORC 3791.04 requires plans to be submitted for approval where a certified building department has jurisdiction, and requires the seal of a registered architect or engineer on many of them. It makes an exception: no seal is required for plans for residential buildings, meaning one-, two- and three-family dwellings and their accessory buildings. The architects' licensing law (ORC 4703.18) has a matching exception.

So who can draw my house plans?

You, a builder, a drafter, a home designer or an architect. The building department reviews the plans for code compliance whoever draws them. What changes is the training, the accountability and the amount of design you get.

When is an architect required?

• Buildings under the Ohio Building Code. Commercial buildings, offices, shops open to the public, event barns and apartment buildings of four or more units generally need sealed drawings.
• Parts of a house that go beyond the prescriptive code. A long-span beam, an unusual foundation or a tall wall may need an engineer's or architect's design, and the building official can ask for it.
• Local rules. Some cities, HOAs and architectural review boards set their own requirements for drawings.

When is hiring one worth it?

When the house is custom rather than a stock plan; when the site is difficult (a slope, a flood zone, tight setbacks, a view to capture); when you are adding on to an older house and the old and new must work together; when an HOA or review board has to approve the look; and when you want someone on your side during construction. A good set of drawings also produces closer bids, because every builder is bidding on the same thing.

What does an architect's seal mean?

In Ohio, an architect may seal only drawings he or she wrote or prepared under his or her responsible charge (Ohio Administrative Code 4703-3-01). So a seal comes from the architect who prepared the drawings. If you are told you need one, bring the architect in while the drawings are being made.

How do I check that an architect is registered in Ohio?

The Ohio Architects Board keeps the public register. You can search it on the state's eLicense site by name or registration number.

What does James Kehl Architects do?

James Kehl is an Ohio registered architect. The firm designs new custom homes, draws permit sets for additions and renovations, and draws pole barns and zoning site plans across Ohio.