Architecture - Residential

Some architects work in both commercial and residential design, whereas others specialize in residential architecture alone. In addition, some residential architects specialize in custom luxury homes, or they do remodeling or room addition projects. One firm, Donald A. Gardner Architects, offers pre-designed floor plans to customers across the country. Publications including Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Living have featured Donald A. Gardener’s home designs and floor plans.

To become a residential architect, you need to have a professional degree in architecture. In most states, you must have a degree from an accredited school of architecture. Degree options include a five-year bachelor’s degree in architecture; a two-year master’s degree for people with an undergraduate degree in architecture or a related field; and a three- or four-year master’s for individuals with an undergraduate degree in another discipline.

You also need to gain work experience through an internship. Duties of an intern-architect center on the use of CAD, or computer-aided design technology. They also research building codes and materials, and they write specifications for new building materials, installation criteria and so forth. Architects need to pass the Architect Registration Exam (ARE) to become licensed. To be successful, an architect should have strong communication skills and computer skills. Working in architecture also requires creativity and problem-solving abilities.

During the economic downturn, design and construction projects have slowed down. Architectural firms expect 2009 to be a challenging year. However, people will always need shelter, and in the long run things look good for people in the profession. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the employment of architects to increase by 18 percent between 2006 and 2016. According to the BLS, during 2007 the mean annual salary for an architect (not including landscape or naval architects) was $73,650.