Copyright : Information you should know.
In 1990, the copyright law changed regarding intellectual property which includes architectural drawings in any tangible medium or form, such as magazines, books, CD-ROMs, or the Internet. It is a misconception that it is permissible to modify a plan from such sources. It is not! It is illegal!
All plans, photos, drawings and graphics on this site are protected by copyright. Reproduction of these plans / drawings, either in whole or in part, including any form and/or preparation of derivative works, for any reason without prior written permission is strictly prohibited. The purchase of a set of plans / drawings in no way transfers any copyright or other ownership interest to the buyer except for a limited license to use that set of plans for the construction of one, and only one, project.
Similarly, the purchase of reproducible plans (sepias, mylars, or CAD discs) carries the same copyright protection as mentioned above. It is generally allowed to make up to a maximum of 10 copies for the construction of a single building only. To use any plans more than once, and to avoid any copyright licenses infringement, it is necessary to contact the plans designer to receive a release and a license for any extended usage. Whereas a purchaser of reproducible plans is granted a license to make copies, it should be noted that as copyrighted material, making photocopies from blueprints is illegal.
Copyright and licensing of home/ building plans for construction exist to protect all parties. It respects and supports the intellectual property of the original designer. Copyright law has been reinforced over the past few years. Willful infringement could cause settlements for statutory damages up to $100,000 plus attorney fees, damages and loss of profits.