The following statement is provided by the Council of Publishing
Home Designers,
an affiliation of the American Institute of Building Design.
HOME PLANS ARE COPYRIGHTED
Just like books, movies and songs, federal copyright laws protect the intellectual property of architects and home designers.
These legal protections exist to protect all parties. Copyright
laws respect and support the intellectual property of the original
architect or designer, and prevent anyone from using the design without written
permission.
DON'T USE PLANS TO BUILD MORE THAN ONE HOUSE
All home plans include a copyright release and a license to
use the documents to construct a single home. When you purchase
construction documents, we, as licenser, are granting to you, as licensee, the
right to use the documents to construct a single unit.
This is an exclusive license, which may not be resold, duplicated, published
or distributed without written permission of the designer,
architect or publisher.
REPRODUCING BLUEPRINTS
Construction blueprints may not be reproduced without prior
written consent of the designer or publisher. If additional sets are required
for
estimating or construction, please contact us for additional sets at a nominal
cost. Copy shops and blueprinters are prohibited from making
copies of these copyrighted documents. MAKING DESIGN MODIFICATIONS
As a plan licensee, you may customize the design to fit your
personal preferences, but you must understand that the modification of the plan
is performed at your own risk and should be reviewed by a professional architect,
home designer or engineer prior to the start of construction.
Modified plans are considered "derivative works" of the original, and it is
critical that you understand that these "derivative works," as well as the
original work, still retain copyright protection. Any "derivative work" or revised
design, even if completely redrawn, may not be sold, duplicated,
distributed or used to construct any units without the purchase of a license
from the publisher, architect or designer.
DON'T COPY DESIGNS/FLOOR PLANS FROM THIS WEB SITE OR ANY
OTHER PUBLICATION,
ELECTRONIC MEDIUM OR EXISTING HOME
It is illegal to copy home designs found in any plan book, on
a CD-ROM or on the Internet. It is a common misunderstanding that it is permissible
to copy, adapt or change a floor plan or a design found in this book. It is
not! It is also illegal to copy any existing home that may have been built,
that is protected by copyright, even if you have never seen the plans for the
home. If a particular home plan or existing home is desired, a set of plans
must be purchased from an authorized source.
USING THE HOME PLANS
As a plan licensee, you may lend the home plans to third parties
(builders,contractors, sub-contractors, inspectors, governmental agencies, etc.)
as necessary to assist in the construction of the dwelling involved. All such
lent plans must be retrieved and destroyed, except for the owner's
reference sets, and those sets required by governmental agencies, after such
assistance has been completed.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT?
All parties, including the purchasers, designers, drafters,
home owners, builders, contractors, sub-contractors, copy shops and blueprinters
may be responsible if a copyright is violated. It does not matter whether an
individual knows that a violation is being committed. You've heard
it before: ignorance of the law is not a valid defense! To avoid legal complications
and damages, it is critical that you be certain of the original
plan source, and refuse to be a party to any illicit copying or borrowing of
designs, derivative works, prints and design features.
PLEASE RESPECT HOME DESIGN COPYRIGHTS
In the event of any suspected violation of a copyright, or
if there is any uncertainty about the plans purchased, the publisher, architect
or designer
should be contacted before proceeding. If a violation of a home designer's copyright
is suspected, the designer or architect, and the Council of
Publishing Home Designers should be contacted. Awards are sometimes offered
for information about home design copyright infringement.
PENALTIES FOR INFRINGEMENT
Penalties for violating a copyright may be very severe. The
responsible parties are required to pay the designer or architect's actual damages
(which may be substantial), plus any profits made. The copyright law also allows
the designer or architect to recover statutory damages, which may
be as high as $100,000. Finally, the infringer may be required to pay the architect
or designer's reasonable legal fees, which often exceed the damages.
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