Even with all the options, you can get everything you need for less than a quarter the cost of the average custom design. There are pros and cons of stock plans vs. custom plans as with all purchases. A custom plan gives you all the features you are looking for. Often at a much higher price and at the loss of you control of the project. Architects are often paid on a percentate of total construction cost so it is in their interest to specify much costlier materials and methods. Our plans have all been built and the construction methods chosen are the most practical available.

Yes, your local engineers and designers can easily modify our plans. We have as an option erasable originals to make it easier to alter the drawings and reproduce them. Due to the different site conditions and personal preferences we feel it is better to allow the local professionals to make these alterations.

Obviously prices will vary depending on how lavish your plans are. The most common way of expressing building costs is in "dollars per square foot". Most homes fall in the $75/foot to $100/foot. The area you live in will play a large role based on your material availability, material selection, and labor costs. My personal recommendation is to check prices on finish products such as bath and kitchen fixtures, flooring, windows, doors, cabinetry, etc. Once you have decided the finish materials that best meet your needs and your budget you will need to make a list of these choices (called construction specifications). The more detailed the list the easier it will be to receive bids based on the same finished product.

A small home or addition can often be completed in 90 days, while a major custom home can take a year or more. The average time for a conventional home is 6-7 months.

In 1990 the copyright law changed. The changes effected intellectual property, which includes architectrual drawings in any tangible medium or form, such as magazines, books, CD-ROMS, or the Internet. Under the law it is not permissible to modify a plan from such sources. It is Illegal! All home plans sold through Great American Homeplans are proected by copyright held by the designer. Reproduction of these home plans, either in whole or in part; including any form and/or perparation or derivative works, for any reason without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.

The purchase of a set of plans in no way transfers any copyright or other ownership interest to the buyer except for a limited license to use that set of home plans for the construction of one, and only one, dwelling unit. Similarly, the purchase of reproducible home plans (Vellums or Mylars) carries the same copyright protection as mentioned above. It is generally allowed to make up maximum of 10 copies for the construction of a single dwelling only. To use any plans more than once, and to avoid any copyright licenses infringement, it is necessary to contact the plan 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 materials, making photocopies from blueprints is illegal.

Copyright and licensing of home 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 $100,000.00 plus attorneys fees, damages, and loss of profits. Great American Homeplans when selling plans licenses the owner to use the plans for the spcfic address of the specific project. If the owner wishes to reuse the plans a reuse fee must be negoatiated and paid prior to the additional use of the plans.