At a minimum, in many states an architect is required by law to sign off on design plans for larger commercial properties. Often the plans can actually be drawn by designers who aren’t licensed as architects. Though such dubious plans are less expensive, one should be wary because going this route may cause even more expensive problems down the road. Effectively, the reason these plans are cheaper is because the architect can be more efficient on time but this can lead to oversights and poorer quality results. In fact, many architects refuse to even utilize these tactics because their license is on the line and their reputation is at stake. Instead they take a very hands-on approach, sometimes alongside other seasoned architects and other times with the assistance of newly minted graduates.