You can adjust the units under the scene properties and switch from metric to imperial there. You can also type in fractions, but they will be converted to decimal. For example you can enter 3/4in and after you hit enter Blender will show it a 0.75″.
Edge length is just one of the many tools for precision modeling. Most of the standard tools can be used with very high precision for all things like Arch-viz, furniture and complex cabinetry. There are a few videos on those topics on my YT, that should give you a good start.
For a clean view you can additionally turn off the overlays.
