Check first with your local governing building department, but typically the government wants to know about EVERYTHING you do to your home, mainly because of the tax dollars they’ll collect.  Small interior renovations where nothing, (no walls, no electric, no plumbing lines, no hvac, etc.), are being removed or relocated, a permit probably isn’t necessary.

The sooner the better, but at least 3 – 6 months. The farther out you can book a builder, the better your pricing will be too.

No.

For residential projects, building departments require plans for permits, but they don’t necessarily care who drafts them.  In cases where the building official needs to verify the structure, that is done by a Professional Engineer (PE).  Regardless of who drafts the plans, a licensed architect or engineer of the state in which the project is occurring, can review and stamp the plans drawn elsewhere for submission to your local building department.

203K loans do not require a licensed architect.  Banks holding the note may require the plans be stamped by either a licensed architect or Professional Engineer however.  We can provide either.

Commercially speaking a licensed architect (AIA or the like) is always required.  Many, many, more building codes, and life safety systems, exist in commercial construction.  99% of practicing architects work solely on commercial projects.