Terms of Sale & Disclaimers

Due to the digital nature of our house plans all orders are final and no refunds will be granted for any reason.

Open Book Build LLC owns the copyright in the house plans and we license rights to use the house plans directly to purchaser.  Purchaser agrees that the use of the house plan is for the construction of one house only. (Unless a multi-use license is purchased.)

The house plans from Open Book Build LLC have been designed to meet or exceed the local building codes where the prototype home was built. Due to varying local and regional building codes, Open Book Build LLC does not guarantee the house plans will meet building codes for all areas. It is the responsibility of the purchaser or purchaser’s builder to ensure these house plans comply with purchaser’s local building codes. Modifications may need to be made to the house plans to comply with local requirements including, but not limited to, local seismic and wind codes.

Some local building departments require a licensed architect or engineer to review and provide a seal/stamp on house plans to be built in their communities. House plans provided by Open Book Build LLC do not come with an engineer’s or architect’s stamp or seal. Purchaser may need to hire a local architect or engineer to seal or stamp the house plans. 

The house plans provided by Open Book Build LLC do not come with heating and air conditioning or plumbing drawings due to the wide variety of local codes and climate conditions. In many cases, the local subcontractors who install these systems will provide these drawings to the person building the home.

Open Book Build LLC has put care into designing the house plans. However, the purchaser agrees to check and verify all dimensions and materials before construction. Purchaser’s subcontractors are responsible for providing standard construction details and practices which will result in a structurally sound and weatherproof finished product.

Open Book Build LLC provides the purchaser with house plans and grants a limited, non-exclusive license to use the house plans to build the home depicted in the house plans one time and one time only (unless the multi-use license is purchased); and to modify and reproduce the house plans solely to the extent required for purposes of satisfying purchaser’s specific needs and/or to meet the requirements of specific state and local building codes, ordinances or regulations. Purchaser shall not sell, redistribute or publish the house plans. Purchaser may not create derivative works based on the house plans other than such modifications that may be required for use in building purchaser’s own personal home.

House plans provided are provided as-is and Open Book Build LLC disclaims all other warranties, expressed or implied, including merchantability or fitness of purpose. Open Book Build LLC is not liable for incidental, punitive, special, exemplary, consequential, or indirect damages of any kind, including, but not limited to, loss of anticipated profits, business opportunity, or other economic loss arising out of the use of house plans purchased from Open Book Build LLC. In the event any liability is imposed on Open Book Build LLC, Open Book Build LLC’s liability to purchaser or any third party shall not exceed the price paid for Open Book Build LLC’s product. Any use of the house plans, and/or modifications of the house plans, by purchaser, builders or others on purchaser’s behalf, is done at purchaser’s own risk.

Purchaser’s subcontractors and/or builder are responsible for assuring that all work is in accordance with the latest edition of all applicable national, state, and local building codes, construction industry standards and other applicable laws. Purchaser’s subcontractors are responsible for assuring that all manufactured material and equipment are applied, installed, connected and adjusted as directed by the manufacturers. 

House plans provided by Open Book Build LLC do not come with an energy analysis of any kind.

Open Book Build LLC foundation plans are intended to serve as a basic guide for a typical foundation system. This typical foundation system is not site or location specific. Open Book Build LLC recommends that purchasers have a local architect and/or licensed engineer review the house plans and provide a site-specific foundation design if necessary.

The roof structure is designed for roof trusses.  This truss design and layout is typically provided by the roof truss supplier and is therefore not included with the Open Book Build house plan.

Purchaser’s, or purchaser’s subcontractors, are responsible for proper installation of materials including caulking, nailing, gluing, flashing and weatherproofing and many other small items and details not necessarily indicated on the house plans.

Purchaser understands the Open Book Build Kit is not part of the house plan purchase and is a free resource distributed at the sole discretion of Open Book Build LLC. All terms of sale, limitations of liability, and disclaimers noted above apply to any house plan purchase, as well as all documents in the free Open Book Build Kit. 

Because local building costs and circumstances differ from one location to another, and because the person managing each building project has differing skill levels and competencies, Open Book Build LLC provides no guarantees that purchaser will achieve similar cost, schedule, or quality results when building this home.  In other words, it may cost more and take longer for you to build this home.  In addition to the labor and material costs to build this home, purchaser will incur additional expenses which include, but are not limited to:  insurance, excavation and grading, permits, house plans, driveway, utility connections, tree removal, erosion control, waste removal, engineered site plan, utilities, lot staking, sidewalks, loan fees, stone for backfill of foundation if required, ...etc.

The parties shall settle any controversy arising out of this Agreement by arbitration in Cuyahoga County, Ohio in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. A single arbitrator shall be agreed upon by the parties or, if the parties cannot agree upon an arbitrator within twenty (20) days after the filing and service of the demand for arbitration, then the parties agree that a single arbitrator shall be appointed by the American Arbitration Association. The non-prevailing party shall pay all costs of arbitration and the attorneys’ fees of the prevailing party, and the parties shall request the arbitrator to include such provisions in the award. The award of the arbitrator shall be binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction. 

Online Course:  The Open Book Build online course shares the experience of a professional builder.   Because the person managing each building project has differing skill levels and competencies, Open Book Build LLC provides no guarantees that purchaser/student will achieve similar cost, schedule, or quality results when building this home.  Online course enrollment fee is not included in the house plan purchase.

Costs:  The costs shown on this website are the actual costs for the prototype home finished in January 2020.  Both labor and material costs have increased since the prototype home was built.  Purchasers of the house plan should anticipate these cost increases and will find out the actual impact of the increased costs after bidding the project out to a minimum of three local companies per budget line item.