Thank You. Coming from software engineering background I expected that there would be at least some detailed plans with free licensing. In my industry people tend to share (sometimes) their work, at least for educational or non commercial use. Guess my assumptions are wrong. I searched for some books with any detailed plans for a small/medium sized house, but haven't stumbled upon anything yet.

If you are in the US, you can look at and get get copies of building permit drawings from a local building department.

Get the address of a house that you like and ask the building department for the file for that address. You would be allowed to look at the contents of the file in the department's office and get copies made. You might have to ask for larger drawings from an archive. Every building department stores documents differently, The drawings are sometimes viewable on microfilm or online.

These drawings are automatically copyrighted so you are not allowed to use them to build a house without the permission of the author.

You will probably need a few instruction books and possibly a computer drawing program. There are many for sale on the internet but I have no experience with them.

If you intend to design the structure and elevations, you have a lot to learn. You will find that the drawings available online are a bargain if you like the house. If you get the CAD file version, you will be able to modify the design.

Custom house designs are not generic; they are personal and unique. If you want to see examples, google "house construction drawing examples" and select "images". Don't expect to find the house you want to build. Transferring all that information to a house you want will not be easy; there are simply too many issues that need to be addressed (site restrictions/opportunities, family needs, budget, local architecture, the styles you like and your design skill).

> You can find lots of generic plans with no construction detail on line, but actual, detailed plans are copyrighted, just like any other intellectual property.

Depending on the details. Most details: foundation, flashing, connections, windows, NG, lot coverage[macro], siding, sprinklers, smoke detectors, countless notes, etc etc etc .. are in fact the Generics. I have 1000s of them in the architectural plan. Take any plan, attach the details .. send to layout. Cross sections are the ones that are private.

> Get the address of a house that you like and ask the building department for the file for that address.

Only works here if You claim to be the owner. The building department does not reproduce the copyrighted work also it is a part of the public record.

You may be better off seeking books on residential construction.

you can find blueprints (and house plans)on ebay for as little as $3

Best architecture reference books at: https://www.archtoolbox.com/career/book-reviews/best-books.html

DE, no one has made or used blueprints in the last 50-100 years or so...

Blueprints (white lines on blue paper) were phased out in the late 50's but were available in some locations through the 60's. The term is still used informally (i.e. as slang) by builders to describe any kind of technical design drawing but it would be inappropriate in a contract or other more formal communication.

There's a bit of a contrary tradition in the construction industry where archaic terms are favored even at the risk of misinterpretation like using "tar" to describe asphalt-based materials and "caulk" to describe elastomeric sealants.

When communicating with manufacturers, suppliers and designers, its important to use accurate terms.

As for not being allowed to copy building permit drawings, I have done so in a half dozen states and possibly 30 cities and I have never been denied access to permit drawings. In my city, for older projects, they will give me the drawings to keep and require that I return digital copies. More recent drawings can be printed from the internet. I find such documents to be indispensable for renovations.

Radford's book would be very useful for the restoration or renovation of a hundred year old house but of little use for the OP who will presumably be designing a new house. Almost none of the information would apply to modern materials, techniques and codes.

A more useful book would be the AIA's 12th Edition of Architectural Graphic Standards revised in 2016. Its a bargain at $250.

Well...is it time to suggest that building a house after reading some books may be a black hole into which time and money are poured for a considerable time...?

Search around on buildingscience.com.

https://buildingscience.com/sites/default/files/migrate/pdf/Westford_MA_House_Plan_Example_wm.pdf