Architectural Designer – High-End Residential Remodeling

HHI Builders; Hilton Head Island (SC); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

HHI Builders on Hilton Head Island is seeking an Architectural Designer with 4–8+ years of residential experience to take ownership of drawings from existing conditions to construction. You will coordinate with project directors, interior designers, estimators, and engineers to ensure buildable, well-documented designs for high-end renovations and additions.

You will contribute to planning, detailing, and documenting complex remodels, while visiting active sites and upholding codes and

Qualifications

• Approximately 4–8+ years of residential architectural design or drafting experience.
• Strong experience producing residential construction documents.
• Remodeling and addition experience strongly preferred.
• Solid understanding of residential construction and building codes.
• Experience coordinating structural engineers and outside consultants.
• Strong attention to dimensional accuracy and drawing coordination.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.
• Comfort visiting active residential construction sites.
• Collaborative, team-oriented mindset.
• Experience with Chief Architect is strongly preferred.
• Experience with Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUp, or similar residential design software is also valuable.

Responsibilities

• Turn Existing Homes Into Accurate Existing-Condition Drawings.
• Capture and document existing conditions, including coordinating LiDAR scans, field measurements, site information, and other documentation.
• Remodeling requires understanding what is already there—not just designing what comes next.
• Develop Residential Design Solutions with the design team for high-end remodels and additions.
• Produce Construction Documents that can be built and clearly communicate design intent.
• Coordinate Structural and Technical Information with engineers and consultants.
• Work as part of the design-build team through reviews, redline meetings, estimating coordination, and handoffs.

Skills

Residential design

Drafting

Coordination

Communication

Tools

Chief Architect

Revit

AutoCAD

SketchUp

Job description

This is a full-time, in-person position on Hilton Head Island. You must live within reasonable driving distance or be actively planning to relocate to the area. HHI Builders does not provide relocation assistance.

You Know the Difference Between a Drawing That Looks Good and One That Actually Builds Well

You have probably seen it before.

A drawing gets approved, makes it into the field, and suddenly the questions start.

A wall does not line up. A structural condition was overlooked. A detail is missing. A trade has to stop and wait for clarification.

That is not how you like to work.

You believe good residential design requires more than drafting. It requires thinking ahead, understanding how a home actually comes apart and goes back together, and producing documents that give the people in the field the information they need to execute.

If that sounds like you, HHI Builders may be a place where you can do some of your best work.

We are a growing design-build remodeling company on Hilton Head Island specializing in high-end residential renovations, additions, and whole-home transformations.

Architectural Designer who wants ownership of the architectural side of the process and wants to see their work carried all the way from existing conditions through construction.

What You Will Get to Do Here

You will not sit in a drafting department receiving markups from people you rarely speak with.

You will work directly with the people responsible for selling, designing, estimating, and building the project.

You Will Collaborate With

• Project Directors who understand the client's goals and scope
• Interior Designers developing selections and interior details
• Estimators determining what the project will actually cost
• Project Managers responsible for building what you draw
• Engineers and outside consultants when structural expertise is required

And you will have the opportunity to see your drawings become real homes.

That feedback loop matters to us.

When something works well in the field, you will see it.

When something could have been documented better, you will see that too.

And you will have the ability to improve the process.

Compensation

$70,000 - $90,000 yearly

Qualifications

• What We Are Looking For
• Our ideal candidate will have:
• Approximately 4–8+ years of residential architectural design or drafting experience
• Strong experience producing residential construction documents
• Remodeling and addition experience strongly preferred
• A solid understanding of residential construction and building codes
• Experience coordinating structural engineers and outside consultants
• Strong attention to dimensional accuracy and drawing coordination
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines
• Strong communication and problem‑solving skills
• Comfort visiting active residential construction sites
• A collaborative, team‑oriented mindset
• Experience with Chief Architect is strongly preferred.
• Experience with Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUp, or similar residential design software is also valuable.
• What Success Looks Like Here
• Success is not measured by how quickly you can push drawings out the door.
• It means:
• The estimator understands exactly what is being priced.
• The Interior Designer understands what needs to be selected.
• The Project Manager understands what needs to be built.
• The trades are not constantly calling for clarification.
• The permitting process moves efficiently.
• The client receives what they were expecting.
• Problems are identified during design instead of during construction.
• That is the standard we are working toward.
• Why HHI Builders?
• We are not a volume builder.
• We specialize in complex, high‑end residential remodeling on Hilton Head Island, where thoughtful planning matters.
• Our philosophy is:
• Plan Slow. Execute Fast.
• We believe the best opportunity to protect schedule, margin, craftsmanship, and the client experience happens before construction begins.
• That means architectural design is not a support function here.
• It is one of the most important parts of our process.
• As HHI Builders continues to grow, you will have the opportunity to help improve standards, refine processes, influence how we document projects, and become an important part of the company's design‑build team.

Responsibilities

• What You Will OwnTurn Existing Homes Into Accurate Existing-Condition Drawings
• You will help capture and document existing conditions, including coordinating LiDAR scans, field measurements, site information, and other documentation required to accurately model the home before design begins.
• Remodeling requires understanding what is already there—not just designing what comes next.
• Develop Residential Design Solutions
• You will work with the Project Director and design team to turn a client's goals into thoughtful, functional layouts for high-end remodels and additions.
• That may include:
• Kitchen and primary-suite reconfigurations
• Whole-home renovations
• Additions
• Structural modifications
• Interior layout changes
• Exterior modifications
• Complex remodel conditions unique to existing homes
• Produce Construction Documents That Can Actually Be Built
• You will develop complete drawing sets that communicate design intent clearly to permitting authorities, estimators, Project Managers, subcontractors, and trades.
• Our expectation is not simply that the plans pass permitting.
• They need to work in the field.
• Coordinate Structural and Technical Information
• When engineering is required, you will help coordinate structural consultants and ensure their information is properly incorporated into the final construction documents.
• You will also help identify conflicts before they become expensive field problems.
• Work as Part of the Entire Design-Build Team
• You will participate in design reviews, redline meetings, estimating coordination, and project handoffs.
• You will be expected to ask questions, challenge assumptions when necessary, and help the team solve problems before construction begins.
• You May Be a Great Fit If...
• You are the type of designer who naturally asks:
• “How are they actually going to build this?”
• You enjoy solving complicated remodeling conditions.
• You care about dimensions, details, constructability, and documentation.
• You are comfortable walking a job site instead of designing exclusively from behind a computer.
• You would rather ask a question early than allow an assumption to turn into a field problem later.
• You enjoy working with other disciplines and do not view architecture, interiors, estimating, and construction as separate silos.
• And when something in your drawings is wrong, you take ownership of it, fix it, and improve the process.