The short version
Unclear appointments leave tasks without an agreed owner. An architect develops coordinated design information; approval and construction-stage work depend on what is commissioned.
This responsibility matrix is an editorial appointment checklist based on the AIA phase guidance, not a universal legal allocation. A project contract can allocate tasks differently.
Swipe sideways to see the other columns. The first column stays visible.
| Role | Scope to agree | Record before appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Architect | Design, coordination and named approval/construction services | Stages, drawing/specification list, review and visit scope: ____ |
| Engineer | Appointed discipline design and calculations | Discipline, interfaces, deliverables and responsible person: ____ |
| Contractor | Construction, site operation and agreed submissions | Work scope, programme and submission responsibilities: ____ |
| Client | Brief, appointments, decisions and agreed budget | Decision owner, sign-off dates and outstanding inputs: ____ |
Takeaway: Name who supplies each deliverable before comparing appointments.
What the role covers
Establishing the brief. Turning “we need more space” into a defined set of rooms, relationships, performance requirements, budget and programme. A vague brief does not save money; it defers the cost of the ambiguity to a later, more expensive stage.
Testing arrangements. Producing and comparing options for how the building sits on the site, how it is massed, and how the spaces relate. This is deliberately quick and loose, because the point is comparison.
Resolving the design. Fixing dimensions, structure, envelope build-up and materials, in coordination with structural and services engineers. Check the resulting design against the project budget.
Producing construction information. Dimensioned drawings, details, schedules and specifications — the documents a contractor prices and builds from.
Coordinating consultants. Making sure the structural, services, fire and other engineering inputs agree with each other and with the architecture. Uncoordinated information is one of the most reliable sources of cost on site.
Navigating approvals. Planning, building control and other consents, where that is in the appointment.
Construction stage services, if commissioned. Answering contractor queries, reviewing samples and shop drawings, making periodic observations, and administering the building contract within the agreed scope. The AIA phase guidance distinguishes these services from the contractor’s control of construction methods and site safety.
For how these group into stages, see the architectural design process guide.
What an architect does not do
- Replacing every specialist. Agree who performs engineering design; permitted scope depends on jurisdiction and qualifications. The California board’s design-limitations chart shows overlapping professional permissions.
- Building the building. That is the contractor. An architect administering a contract is not managing the site.
- Guaranteeing cost. Architects design to a budget and work with cost consultants, but a contractor’s price is a contractor’s price.
- Interior decoration, by default. Interior architecture is often included; furniture, styling and decoration usually are not unless named in the appointment.
How the title is regulated
Check the jurisdiction rather than assuming one global education, examination and insurance path.
United Kingdom: ARB’s public guidance says only registered individuals may use “architect” in business or practice, while architectural services themselves are not restricted to them. ARB approves qualifications for registration and expects registered architects to be adequately insured; check its applicable registration route for the individual.
California: the Architects Board’s design-limitations chart identifies permitted design work and statutory exemptions for other professionals and unlicensed persons. Before an approval submission, confirm who may prepare/sign the particular documents with the local building authority. Title or registration alone does not guarantee permission, and no designer guarantees approval.
Takeaway: Verify registration, insurance and approval-document permissions as separate questions.
What actually varies between appointments
Scope varies far more than people expect. Two architects quoting the same project may be pricing substantially different services. Before comparing fees, confirm in writing:
- Which stages are included, and where the appointment stops.
- Whether approval submissions are included.
- Whether construction-stage services and site inspections are included, and how many.
- Which other consultants are needed and who appoints them.
- How many rounds of revision are covered at each stage.
- What happens to the fee if the brief changes.
For each stage, record deliverable/version: ____; responsible person: ____; included/excluded: ____; decision date: ____; unresolved item: ____. This is a self-use appointment record, not a request for services from this site.
Working with one well
- Bring constraints. Budget, programme, how you live or work, and preferences; treat your own plan as an option to discuss.
- Decide at the right stage. Changing arrangement during concept design is cheap. Changing it after technical design is not.
- Read what you sign off. Approving a stage you have not understood moves problems downstream, where they cost more.
- Ask for the section. Heights and levels are invisible in plan. See floor plan vs elevation vs section.
For how the stages fit together and what gets fixed at each one, see the five stages of architectural design and the architectural design process guide. Before appointing anyone, work through the questions to ask.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an architect for a small extension?
It depends on the jurisdiction and the complexity. Many small projects can be done by other qualified designers, and some jurisdictions require an architect above a certain scale or for certain building types. Check the requirement where you are building.
What is the difference between an architect and an architectural designer?
In the UK, ARB registration controls use of the title in business or practice; ARB also says architectural services are not restricted to registered architects. Qualification routes, insurance and reserved work need separate local checks, rather than a universal distinction from the label architectural designer.
Does an architect handle building permits?
Frequently, as part of the appointment, but not always. Permit and approval submissions are a specific service that should be named in the appointment rather than assumed.
Does an architect manage the construction?
The contractor runs the site. An architect may administer the contract, answer queries, review submissions and make periodic observations when those services are included in the appointment. Confirm the agreed visits, review scope and reporting; periodic observation is not continuous supervision.
Sources
- Before hiring an architect — registration, insurance and title/services distinction — Architects Registration Board, UK Accessed October 8, 2026.
- Design limitations for professionals — statutory references and exemptions — California Architects Board Accessed October 8, 2026.
- Defining the architect's basic services — design and construction phases — American Institute of Architects Accessed October 8, 2026.