Legal Question in Technology Law in Illinois

I understand you to be asking if you can copy and modify a copyrighted website template. Yes, but not legally. That is copyright infringement. However, if you modify it significantly detection of the infringement will be difficult and unlikely. Downloading websites, modifying them and posting as your own is an extremely common occurrence. What the template sellers are counting on is that for most people, the price of the template is less than the value to the consumer of not having to do it themself. For you, that apparently is not true. So, as a copyright lawyer I warn you that is illegal. As a webmaster myself, I know the risk is minimal. For my websites, I tend to simplify and just use MS Word or Open Office to do the website and 3rd party forwarders for the contact forms.