Most residential homes do not need an architect to be built. However, many commercial and big residential building projects in BOTH North AND SOUTH Carolina, whether new construction or rehabilitation of an existing structure, need the involvement of an architect to oversee the planning, design, documentation, and construction. The architect must be licensed to practice in the state of the project. In addition, there are certain neighborhoods, or ares, that require that the homes are designed by a competent, qualified architect. This is meant to uphold the existing standards and meet the high-quality design.