Laws about designing houses

[morkus64]

Hey all,

So my sister has been looking at a bunch of house plans online - she's thinking about building the next one and figured it'd be a cheap way to go.

I'll be finishing up my Master of Architecture degree this fall, and have told her I'd be willing to suggest a more appropriate (for her, for the site, the region, the climate, etc etc etc) design, but I was wondering about the laws pertaining to designing your own (or someone else's house). I know that for larger projects you need a registered architect's stamp, but I feel like I remember something about houses under 2000 or 3000 s.f. being ok to do without a stamp. I'm certainly capable of creating all of the drawings that she would get in those online plans.

Anyone know about the laws regarding this? It's in MD if that makes a difference.

TIA!

 

[MJinZ]

Read your City or Town Codes, Zoning Bylaws and contact the Building Inspector to get an idea of what is or isn't required.

Cities will have plenty of restrictions with what you can and can't do, remote areas maybe none.

 

[JS80]

Hey all,

So my sister has been looking at a bunch of house plans online - she's thinking about building the next one and figured it'd be a cheap way to go.

I'll be finishing up my Master of Architecture degree this fall, and have told her I'd be willing to suggest a more appropriate (for her, for the site, the region, the climate, etc etc etc) design, but I was wondering about the laws pertaining to designing your own (or someone else's house). I know that for larger projects you need a registered architect's stamp, but I feel like I remember something about houses under 2000 or 3000 s.f. being ok to do without a stamp. I'm certainly capable of creating all of the drawings that she would get in those online plans.

Anyone know about the laws regarding this? It's in MD if that makes a difference.

TIA!

It goes down to the locality. Some cities don't give a shit, and others really give a shit.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

depends on the local juridiction. some require a stamped plan for a doghouse.

 

[morkus64]

Ah, thanks everyone. I thought it was by state. That helps! Now at least I know where to look!

 

[Vette73]

For most places you will need an engineer stamp for ANY house. New code in most places is getting really stupid. Starting I think next year all houses will have to have sprinklers. They already HAVE to have wired in smoke detectors that are wired to each other. Must have R-38 in the attic (North VA). Etc…

I just got done doing a 1000sq/ft addition on my house so I heard a lot of stuff that was pure BS and some cost us a extra 10k when they saw something the permit office approved but the inspector did not like.
See if your permit office has a web-site. The one here in Fairfax VA has one with pamphlets that go over most basic stuff. And if you do go to the permit office het there ½ BEFORE they open. The one here in Fairfax makes the DMV look fast.

 

[CPA]

New code in most places is getting really stupid. Starting I think next year all houses will have to have sprinklers.

I assume you mean only in your area of Virginia, or even the state of Virginia, because that is not a law down here in the Houston area of Texas.

 

[Sluggo]

I assume you mean only in your area of Virginia, or even the state of Virginia, because that is not a law down here in the Houston area of Texas.

It is coming up in one of the code books.

Most cities and townships would prefer not to have their citizens and builders charging down to City Hall with torches and pitchforks, so the majority will just choose not to "officially" adopt that code for their construction. Of course by not officially adopting it, they can and will pick and choose what parts of the new code they want to enforce in their jurisdiction.

 

[shiner]

I designed the house we built in 2008 and live in now. Couldn't find anything we liked so I sat down one night with some graph paper and started laying out the arrangement/size of the rooms. When I had that the way I liked it I drew, poorly, what I envisioned the outside looking like. From there my wife and I took the drawings to an architect and had him clean up the plans and draw all the mechanical and plumbing details.

 

[Vette73]

I assume you mean only in your area of Virginia, or even the state of Virginia, because that is not a law down here in the Houston area of Texas.

As Sluggo said it will be in the national code next code update. But some areas are saying they will be very liberal with it.

Most major cities will just adopt the national code and inspect for it.
Here is a old article but covers most of it...

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/8962/code-change-alert-fire-sprinklers-in-all-new-homes

new code that requires fire sprinklers in all new one- and two-family homes and town houses. The code appears in the 2009 IRC, but doesn’t go into effect until the start of 2011.

 

[sdifox]

Building code is the first part you have to tackle, next is municipal by-laws. You may actually need consent from your neighbours.

 

[marvdmartian]

morkus64, you may also look at the possibility of doing up all the plans yourself (I'm guessing you have some computer program you'll use?), then take them to an architect to have them look the plans over, and see if they're up to snuff for what's required. If they like them, they might be willing to put their stamp on them for a fee.

If they really like them, you might get a job offer!

 

[Bignate603]

morkus64, you may also look at the possibility of doing up all the plans yourself (I'm guessing you have some computer program you'll use?), then take them to an architect to have them look the plans over, and see if they're up to snuff for what's required. If they like them, they might be willing to put their stamp on them for a fee.

If they really like them, you might get a job offer!

My grandfather did this for his barn. The architect charged a fee for his review and comments (he asked for a few details to be changed).

 

[morkus64]

morkus64, you may also look at the possibility of doing up all the plans yourself (I'm guessing you have some computer program you'll use?), then take them to an architect to have them look the plans over, and see if they're up to snuff for what's required. If they like them, they might be willing to put their stamp on them for a fee.

If they really like them, you might get a job offer!

Maybe I'll do that... I know plenty of architects, and though I couldn't ask them to put their stamp on it for free (I'd feel weird), I'd have no trouble asking them if they're up to snuff.

What I'm wondering is if they even need an architect's stamp. I feel like I remember something in a code from a project I worked on before about not needing a proper architect if it's a single family home under a certain square footage. I might have imagined that though.

 

[Sa7aN]

Maybe I'll do that... I know plenty of architects, and though I couldn't ask them to put their stamp on it for free (I'd feel weird), I'd have no trouble asking them if they're up to snuff.

What I'm wondering is if they even need an architect's stamp. I feel like I remember something in a code from a project I worked on before about not needing a proper architect if it's a single family home under a certain square footage. I might have imagined that though.

cant hurt

 

[sdifox]

Maybe I'll do that... I know plenty of architects, and though I couldn't ask them to put their stamp on it for free (I'd feel weird), I'd have no trouble asking them if they're up to snuff.

What I'm wondering is if they even need an architect's stamp. I feel like I remember something in a code from a project I worked on before about not needing a proper architect if it's a single family home under a certain square footage. I might have imagined that though.

Then draw up your plans, go to get a permit and if the permit office tells you you need an architect sign off, you go get that? Or you could just ask your architect friend