2025/09/05

Differences between an Architect and a Designer

“I have a villa project in Dubai, do I need an architect or a designer?” This is indeed an often asked question of clients, and the answer depends on the scale and purpose of the project. Villa design and build, and renovations have differences in work specifications and processes, which also differentiate the professionals who need to undertake the specific projects.

Architects and Designers in Dubai | DAT

In designing villas or any kind of building, there are architects, designers, and draftsmen who work collaboratively. Each of these professionals performs important roles, which rely on their different skills to perform tasks specifically. Respectively, for small modification projects such as window enlargement, door replacement, and the like, there is no need to hire an architect or a designer. Villa owners can easily handle such adjustments with the help of a contractor, as they only need to work on the proposed specification and consequent installation. On the other hand, in larger-scale projects such as design and build consultants, villa renovation, additions, overall remodeling, kitchen or bathroom remodeling, the expertise of an architect or professional designer is in high demand. Since such design modifications consider various details and components, which may include aesthetics, material selection, load balancing, and structural requirements. Let us explore the sphere of these two professions to learn about their views and capabilities.

Hire an Architect or Designer for Villa Projects in Dubai

So what is the difference between an architect and a designer?

A simple choice can be made if and only if we exactly know what expertise each of these two professions offers. However, one thing is definite, and that is they both can provide exceptional villa designs and project results. The assumption that designers charge less than architects is a misconception. Most architectural engineering consultants in Dubai offer a complete integrated design service package for residential, commercial, hospitality, and industrial projects, which involves expert architects, designers, and engineers with the assurance of a smooth process and high-quality results.

What is an Architect?

Architects are formally educated and trained in the art and science of building design. They acquire skills and experiences to extend their architectural capabilities in creating innovative and versatile solutions for simple to more complex projects while accenting the aesthetics. This profession excels with knowledge and ingenious skill to solve intricate design problems, exhibits well-versed in executing project demands, and pays close attention to detail. The assumption that designers charge lower than architects is a misconception. An architect’s professional fees or charges always vary based on factors such as the location, type, and scale of every project they undertake. An additional percentage on fees may also be charged on top of the regular pricing when assigned to more duties, such as project management, bidding requests, and contractor selection. Such architects who serve as project managers will ensure every progress of work while collaborating with contractors throughout the phases of the project. Their expertise is beneficial regarding complicated projects such as design and build.

Hire an Architect for Villa Design and Build

For remodeling and Design and Build projects, the expertise of an architect and structural engineer is required before hiring a contractor. The architect is responsible for developing a design plan based on the needs and prerequisites of the client. An extensive plan showing architectural and structural details from foundation to roof will be provided for the client's validation and acquisition of necessary authority approvals, then presented to the contractors for the bidding process.

Whenever challenging structural segments are identified and proven, architects modify the plan; however, with supplemental charges. An architect can also be hired as a project manager, which is the ultimate form of service that clients can access, since they will only have to pay the bills, and all will be taken care of. The day-to-day management of the project will be overseen by the architect, confirming that the contractors optimize their responsibilities to meet the projected time frame. Their expertise is almost a full package, especially for villa design and build projects in Dubai.

What is a Designer?

Building designers, interior designers, and draftsmen accumulated most of their skills from experience on top of acquiring their design knowledge academically. Unlicensed architects often fall under the designer category. Designers are usually equipped with the skills for interior design planning, kitchen/bathroom remodeling, room addition, and such. Their design plans are required to be checked by engineering consultants, such as structural engineers, to ensure that the design follows the standards and to avoid strains and the possibility of collapse. Minor modifications for villa renovations in Dubai can be entrusted to the hands of a designer, along with the contractors, to ensure quality output.

Hire a Designer for Villa Renovation

Designers set meetings with clients to assess their project requirements, like the usual process with architects. Preliminary drawings, which include wall, elevation, and floor plans, will be presented for client approval. The detailed plans shall be completed for the necessary authority approvals. The designer then finishes the drawings once the budget is approved. Any revisions from other parties, starting at this stage, will need appended charges. When hiring a designer for villa renovation or modifications, it is important to note their education, skills, and experiences through their previous projects and clients to ensure that projects are with the right experts.  

We have learned that most of the differences between the two professions are basically in the role yet still exhibit similarity, especially in the design process that they follow. The major difference is that architects possess licenses and more technical knowledge about architectural design than designers. Through the comparisons, we have examined their role on specific projects, which helped us understand the particular works that they can undertake.  

At DAT, we have both professionals working hands-on for villa renovations and villa design and build projects. Our architects and designers are all well-equipped to work on architectural design for residential, commercial, hospitality, and industrial projects in the UAE. Our expert engineers also contribute to the optimization of our projects and ensure a permissive process and successful results.