What is a Residential Designer?

A Residential Designer is basically an unlicensed Architect. WA State and many other states do not require residential projects under 4000 sq. ft. to be “Stamped” by a Licensed Architect (or engineer). Architect and Stuctural Engineers find it cost prohibitive to design small residential project just not cost effective. They tend to focus on Commercial, Multifamily, Industrial and large luxury homes. A Residential Designer, like LSD saves you time and money!

Small Commercial and Multifamily can be designed by a Residential Designer, if the are stamped by either an Architect or Engineer. Lake Stevens Design has a long standing relationship with a prominent Structural Engineer who will stamp their project. So, we do sometimes do a limited number of small Commercial and Multifamily Projects.

Western WA is in an earthquake zone; therefore, code calls for all building to be designed to earthquake specifications. In most cases that mean you must have buildings stamped and signed by a licensed structural engineer. LSD has relationship with appropriate structural engineer and will get you a quote at the appropriate time. However some Single story under 10’ plate height building, fall into what the code calls “Prescriptive Engineering”, which does not require a stamp and LSD can do. Prescriptive Engineering saves you time and money!

WA Energy is another WA Code that is require on all inhabitable structures. LSD uses the Prescriptive Worksheet method to satisfy the code.

There may be other profession services your project requires, like Drainage, traffic, wetlands or Septic design. We can steer you to some of these providers that we’ve use in the past.