Legal Question in Construction Law in Florida

Copyright rights for building plans

My question is quite simple. If a client enters a drafting professional's office with thier own design. ie, floor plan and elevation drawings and asks the drafter to put them into working engineered plans, who do the plans legally belong to? My husband and I have spent 1 year designing and building our dream home. We pulled the permits as an owner/builder and used no other outside source except an unsrupulous drafting company. The house is almost at C/O and the we literally are fighting people away asking questions as to who the builder/designer are. We are afraid the drafter can sell our plans to another builder or individual and make a profit on our design and hard work. What are our rights????


Asked on 1/12/03, 6:13 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Randall Gilbert Gilbert & Caddy P.A.

Re: Copyright rights for building plans

Your question is not an easy one at all, and has become the source of recent litigation in the past few years amongst architects, engineers, and owners. The question being who owns the copyright to the plans. If you would like you may contact my office during normal business hours at (305) 769-3000 to discuss.

Yours truly,

Randall Gilbert

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Answered on 1/12/03, 7:28 pm


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