An architectural draftsman is the one who prepares CAD drawings for buildings. The draft designs with all the details like the dimensions and all the measurements. Traditionally an architectural draftsman is the one who works under the direction of an architect. The architect works out the concept design and draw a rough sketch and then passes this to their architectural draftsman who would re-draw those sketches neatly with all the measurement and dimension details and give it to the builder for distribution. This method changed decades ago. As the draftsman are experts in making drawings and know the basics of building, they operate as an architectural draftsman or building designers. They undertake the designing work with no architect involved. A draftsman has a diploma in drafting which is a course of 2 years. On the other hand, architecture is a bachelor’s degree of 5 years and then there is a requirement of 2 years of internship.

Now, the question is when hiring an architectural draftsman is suitable.
The answer is pretty simple – for projects where there is no need for extensive planning and designing. As an architectural draftsman does not have a proper architecture degree, their knowledge is obviously not as good as a full-fledged architect. So, for commercial projects, it is pretty obvious that one would require the skills of a licensed architect. However, in the case of some residential projects and small renovations of buildings, it is more suitable to hire an architectural draftsman instead of an architecture. Jobs where you only need remodeling done, an architect would be overqualified. But, before making this decision, evaluate your requirements first. If you need a professional who can see your building project with scrutiny from the design and structural point of view, hiring an architect is your choice. But an architectural draftsman is a go-to person for home renovations and simple home designs. In case you have a limited budget or you already have a clear idea of what you need, you should hire an architectural draftsman. Mostly, experienced draftsmen have a lot of practical knowledge to help you out with minor building issues as well as structural issues. Also, get a draftsman if you are just looking for someone who can draw a plan that will meet the council requirements. But, if you’re still unsure about the design that you want, consider hiring a licensed building designer or an architect instead.

Benefits of hiring an architectural draftsman:

  • They can provide detailed plans based on your budget and also improvise on your ideas and requirements. With the experience they have, you will not waste money on experimenting with designs as they would have an idea of what would be suitable for your space and requirements.
  • It is like getting a building design just the way you need it at a lower cost. As you already have an idea about the design and just need a person who can improvise it, an architect would be highly overqualified for the job and thus would charge more. Instead, you get all the same services at a cheaper rate from a draftsman.
  • They will save your time by keeping you up to date with all the details of the latest trends and technologies in building design and construction.
  • As an experienced architectural draftsman has a lot of contacts, he/she can help you out in the process of choosing contractors, surveyors, and all the other professionals by recommending quality ones to you. Thus, a draftsman can bring experience and practical knowledge on board.

After contemplating this, remember one thing: no matter who you choose to design your building, ensure that you hire someone who has received a lot of positive feedbacks from the previous customers.

Author:  Justin Jersey