Home designers work within the budgets and time periods their clients specify to visualize and improve their clients' homes and building designs. They also help clients design features such as façades, porticos, and frontage areas to improve their appearance and aesthetic appeal. Home designers work independently or in association with architects and other building professionals to achieve their professional objectives.
The main responsibility of home designers is to ensure their buildings are secure, skillfully designed, cost-effective, and well matched to their clients' needs. Home designers have extensive knowledge of design, graphics, computing, and related fields, which allows them to generate appealing home designs.
Qualifications
Professional building designers do not need to possess licenses or pass special examinations as do architects. However, professional building designers who go by the title "CPBD" (certified professional building designer) are qualified individuals with exhaustive portfolios. Additionally, they have taken a variety of professional, vocational, or correspondence courses in architecture or structural engineering to support their credentials. Furthermore, they complete additional supervised work under qualified architects, structural engineers, and related professionals.
Many training schools offer courses in architecture and home design. Interested professionals can conduct independent searches to locate the academic institutions of their choice. Moreover, they should have professionally engaged in building design for at least six years for no less than 20 hours per week.
It is necessary to undergo on-the-job training to use the title of professional building designer. A variety of career resources can be accessed online and elsewhere to locate entry-level positions with architects, engineers, or other qualified and experienced building designers. Experienced building designers build portfolios of their work that help them apply for the certification examination.
Professional Organizations
In the United States, the National Council of Building Designer Certification (NCBDC) conducts examinations for aspiring building designers. Each candidate appears for a two-day examination once the council has approved his or her portfolio and letters of reference. Study and course materials are available to help candidates prepare for the examination.
In addition to the NCBDC, the American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) is another professional body dedicated to the progress and development of the building design profession. The AIBD provides quality continuing education to its members to keep them abreast of current trends and advances in technology. Other notable institutions are the National Kitchen and Bath Association, National Association of Home Builders, and International Code Council.
Summary
A career as a professional home designer offers excellent creative opportunities. With the appropriate experience and a suitable portfolio, a home design professional can look forward to an exciting career.
