Do You Need an Architect or Designer for a Remodel in San Jose?
Often not, if the remodel has no structural changes. In San José, cosmetic work needs no permit, and a minor kitchen or bathroom remodel needs a permit but no plans. Once a remodel changes the structure, you must submit project plans, and parts of those plans may need a California-licensed architect or engineer to sign them.
A designer or architect can still be worth hiring when you are unsure about the layout. The City itself recommends working with professionals, because inaccurate plans mean resubmittals and more fees.
When are no plans needed?
- Cosmetic work, such as painting, flooring, countertop replacement, and cabinet refacing or replacement, needs no building permit
- A minor kitchen or bathroom remodel needs a permit but no plans: you apply through SJPermits.org, pay online, and download the permit card
When does San José require plans?
For an addition or a remodel with structural changes, and for a major kitchen or bathroom remodel, which includes moving or adding fixtures or changing walls, windows, or framing. Our San José permit guide explains the categories. Repositioning a vanity and toilet, as in Landford’s San Jose layout redesign, is the kind of change the City’s definition covers.
Who is allowed to draw the plans?
Under California Business and Professions Code Section 5537, as the City explains it, anyone may prepare plans for wood-frame construction in one- or two-story single-family homes, including additions, remodels, and garages. That doesn’t lower the bar: plans must be complete and accurate and must meet the City’s checklists.
When must a licensed architect or engineer sign?
These items from the City’s list are the ones homeowners run into most. The City’s Building Official can also require a registered design professional on any project or part of one.
- Any part of the project that departs from conventional wood-frame construction
- Alterations that could affect the structural system or the safety of the building or its occupants
- Any interior alteration with an occupancy change, such as turning a garage into a room
- Any alteration that changes exiting requirements
- Cripple walls over 4 feet high or next to garage door openings
Architect, engineer, or designer: who does what?
- A designer helps with the layout, selections, and drawings where a license isn’t required
- An architect designs the project and can sign plans that need a licensed signature
- A structural engineer sizes things like beams and headers and signs those calculations, which is often the question when you remove a wall
What do plans have to show?
It depends on the city and the project, so ask for the checklist first. Cupertino, for example, asks remodel floor plans to show existing and new walls and windows, all doors, upper and lower cabinets, and the use of adjacent rooms, plus energy documentation. Los Gatos asks for scaled drawings at 11 by 17 inches or larger, with all pages the same size. Our guide to permits in South Bay cities compares more.
Is it different for a commercial space?
Yes. In San José, an interior alteration in an office, retail, factory, or storage space needs a licensed signature when walls and partitions are higher than 5 feet 9 inches or ceiling work covers more than 3,000 square feet. Our tenant improvement guide has the details.
Does Landford Construction draw plans?
No. Adam doesn’t make drawings. Landford Construction can help you find a designer or engineer when your project needs plans, and those arrangements are agreed separately, before construction starts. Landford then applies for the permit, manages it, and schedules the inspections for the whole-home, kitchen, or bathroom remodel it builds.
Send photos of your space with what you want to change, and tell Adam whether you already have plans. For suitable projects, Adam gives a free preliminary price range before a site visit.
The bottom line
Start with the scope. If nothing structural changes, you may not need plans at all. If it does, find out who has to sign before you pay for drawings.
Official resources
This guide summarizes City of San José pages and other official sources as of November 2026. It is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your project with the agency that has jurisdiction over the property.
About the author
Adam Tamerlan Yagibekov owns Landford Construction, Inc., a licensed general building contractor based in San Jose, California (CSLB #1160801). With 9 years in construction and remodeling, Adam prepares each estimate and stays the client’s point of contact through the whole project.
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