House Plan Copyright

Hi Carl,

Is there any way to avoid paying astronomical fees to an architect if I know exactly what I want in my home?

I have the floor plan and know the dimensions of all the rooms. I slightly tweaked an existing plan from a builders website.

I just don't want to pay the fees if I don't absolutely have to.

 I'd appreciate any advice you could give me. Travis


 Hi Travis, As an alternative to an architect or buying home plans from a web site or magazine, you can have a home designer who is a drafts-person draw up most new homes.

However, most home designs are copyrighted even if it doesn't say so on the plans. You must purchase copies of copyrighted designs from the original designer. Hiring someone else to copy a design, even if it's not an exact copy, is a violation of copyright laws.

Read House Plan Copyright Basics on the American Institute of Building Design's (AIBD) website.

Carl Heldmann, byoh.com