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Software for amateur home remodel

Francorosso | Posted in General Discussion on July 21, 2007 08:05am

My wife and I are thinking about moving some walls, adding a sunroom on our deck, etc, and would like to download some home design software to help us.  I have already downloaded Google SketchUp, but before I start spending time learning the program I wonder if there are other options out there that might be more suitable for what we are doing.  I really don’t want to pay for it, but I would if necessary.  Any suggestions?

 

Frank

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  1. FastEddie | Jul 21, 2007 11:53pm | #1

    What do you want the program to do?

    "Put your creed in your deed."   Emerson

    "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

    1. Francorosso | Jul 22, 2007 02:18am | #2

      I just want to be able to visualize the current layout of my house and then try a few different options, such as removing a wall and adding a sunroom where my deck is, etc...  I would like to be able to print the design out and use it to get a permit, then give it to my carpenter to do the construction.

      Frank

      1. etherhuffer | Jul 22, 2007 02:51am | #3

        I tried this and it was not worth it. Took longer to learn the program than it was worth. I bought graph paper and ruler and went at it. If you use a pencil you can even erase lines! If you are quick to learn a program it may be worth it and the programs retain measurements, which is nice. 

        My 2 cents is do it out rough on paper to get close, then load the numbers. It will go faster. Also, if you have any odd sizes on doors or windows the programs often have no fudge factors to let you put in your dimensions. http://www.etherhuffer.typepad.com

      2. DanH | Jul 22, 2007 03:05am | #4

        Many years ago (a decade or two) there was "Home Design Architect" or some such that would ALMOST do this. Two problems:1) You had to draw walls virtually a brick at a time.2) Once you got a wall drawn the thing would crash.Other than that it was great!
        So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin

      3. FastEddie | Jul 22, 2007 03:59am | #5

        You're asking for alot.  Chief Architect or Soft Plan could do what you want, but it will cost $1k and take a little while to learn.  Any 2d cad program could be used to draw traditional blueprints, and for the basic features you can learn in 10-12 hours. "Put your creed in your deed."   Emerson

        "When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it."  T. Roosevelt

  2. andybuildz | Jul 22, 2007 04:50am | #6

    This isn't horrible...I've used it years ago.
    I think it'd be perfect for you guys.
    http://www.3dhaonline.com/home_designer_v9.htm
    http://cgi.ebay.com/Broderbund-3D-HOME-ARCHITECT-Software-DESIGN-DELUXE-5_W0QQitemZ110149119920QQihZ001QQcategoryZ42130QQcmdZViewItem

     

     

     

     how it sounds^-->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2shskL0AYuE

    http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM                                 

     
    1. User avater
      BillHartmann | Jul 22, 2007 11:00am | #11

      Did you use version 9 which you point to?3D Home Arch changed software engines (IIRC at version 5, but might have 3 or 6) and the current version is completely different from the older ones.The older version was based on Cheif Arch.The current "home version" of Cheif Arch is being sold at Better Home and Garden's Home Designer..
      .
      A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

      1. andybuildz | Jul 22, 2007 03:38pm | #12

        I think for their purposes and the amt of money they want to spend any of those would be perfect. They're simple and allow you to visualize and build. Not really good for a builder but they're not realy geared for that.

         

         

         

         how it sounds^-->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2shskL0AYuE

        http://WWW.CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM                                 

         

  3. Piffin | Jul 22, 2007 05:23am | #7

    In addition to having to learn a program, you need to learn residential construction princciples.

    I have never had a homeowner present me with their own plans that did not have to be extensively re-worked to make the concept buildable. not saying that you cannot do it, but a software program is only a tool like a pencil and paper is. There must still be experience and judegement behind the hand telling that pencil where to make lines.

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

  4. accable | Jul 22, 2007 05:33am | #8

    The program that AndyBuidz mentioned is one I have been using.  It will allow you to design the space, add furniture and then do a walk through.  Like you, I am designing a remodel, moving walls etc., and would be lost without it. 

    Just a warning, it is real basic and I never figured out how to do the roof correctly but it will help you get a basic design.

    1. Piffin | Jul 22, 2007 06:09am | #9

      roofs are one of the mmore difficult things for CD systems to do well. Even the more powerful programs had some trouble with that until more recent versions so don't let that be a bother for the simple DIY programs.My earlier point still stands. People with a DIY CaD think they can move walls in reality willy-nilly just as easy as they can inn the CAD, but it just ain't so. 'course, anything CAN be done - it just costs more to do the impossible! That is the point of working with a professional. Whenb clients choose to listen to me, they save thousands. When they choose to ignore good advice, they get to pay .The difference with a DIY who THINKS that everything is going just peachy, is that they don't even know what they dont know or where they are wasting their money 

       

      Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

  5. blackcloud | Jul 22, 2007 06:43am | #10

    To just get a idea of the different looks you are interested in you might consider Punch software.  It takes a little effort to learn and as stated before this will not be to any code unless you already know them.  My wife and I used this software to design our home and brought the drawings to a architect who then built the plans to local codes.  Not cheap but the right way to build in an earthquake zone.

    J

    If it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have Any!
  6. TJK | Jul 22, 2007 09:33pm | #13

    Home Design Studio (Punch Software) will do what you need to do. It runs on Macs & PCs. Amazon sells it for $50-$150 depending on which version you choose. Not fee, but darned close considering the learning curve and drawbacks of hardcore CAD applications and Google's time waster.

    1. Iconoclast2222 | Jul 23, 2007 12:55am | #16

      The web site for 3-d Home Architect states:

      PRODUCT NOTE:

      3D Home Architect Software is now powered by Punch! Technology - the leading technology available today in 3D Home Design software. Due to this exciting upgrade in technology, files created with previous versions of 3D Home Architect are no longer backwards compatible.

      It's only $30 for Version 9. Note that the link to eBay was offering version 5.

  7. john7g | Jul 22, 2007 10:26pm | #14

    You can do a lot with Sketchup.  1st you have to understand house basics (wall thicknesses, cabinet standards etc) but.  Then some basics about SU (it can only show flat planes/straight lines).  If you follow through the tutorials and print the Quick Ref card from the Help menu (and use it)(learn the keyboard shortcuts) you can do a lot.  I'm not that well versed with with other CAD programs but I found it easy to learn.  Search the archives here for Sketchup and you'll find a lot of info.  Spacial ability helps too. 

    Where's Gene Davis?  He's done some extaordinary things with the Pro (paid) version of SU but the free version has nearly all the same tools. 

    1. TJK | Jul 23, 2007 12:27am | #15

      Sketchup is OK considering the price, but I'd hate to try and design anything complex with it. It lacks photorealistic rendering but you can combine it with other rendering add-ons (i.e. fiddle for hours to color walls or project shadows) to make up for that.Life is too short to mess with half-baked software.

      1. john7g | Jul 23, 2007 01:12am | #17

        Works fine for what I use it for and you can do a 3d that get's people an idea of how a room is going to feel.  Have you seen what Gene Davis is doing with it?  Try the search for his posts. 

        1. TJK | Jul 23, 2007 01:32am | #18

          "[Sketchup] Works fine for what I use it for and you can do a 3d that get's people an idea of how a room is going to feel."I'm always amazed at the ingenuity and creativity of people. One fellow built a scale model of the M1 tank out of Legos: http://tinyurl.com/3aglw8Who am I to criticize his version of reality? (g)Come to think of it, a lot of builders out here are probably using Sketchup for their house designs. It might explain the serious absence of aesthetics and architectural consistency in new construction.

  8. User avater
    Gene_Davis | Jul 23, 2007 10:42pm | #19

    Google Sketchup is all you need to do what you want, and much more.  As with any software, there is the time necessary to get proficient, but there are some good resources out there for SU, plus a whole lotta stuff thrown up on the 3D warehouse site, that you can download for free and use.

    That one feature alone, the 3D warehouse, makes it very worthwhile.  Any other software you use won't have that kind of resource.

    Here are some screenshots of what you can be doing after a month worth of evening sessions.  Do the free download, buy a good how-to book from Amazon, and start sketching!

    And by the way, take your notebook and a tape measure, and measure your whole house, inside and outside, so you can begin by modeling what you have.  You can't go to "new" without first understanding what you have as "old."

     

    1. Francorosso | Jul 24, 2007 01:40am | #20

      Gene,  

      Thanks for posting the drawings.  All I really want to do is draw my house as it exists now, and then try out some decks and sunrooms to see how they look.  Looking at your drawings, I think I will try Sketchup.  Thanks to everyone who responded, I will post my experience when I get done in a month or so.

      Frank

      1. User avater
        madmadscientist | Jul 24, 2007 09:06pm | #21

        Though you have already made your decision I urge you to look at FloorPlan 3D.

        http://www.imsisoft.com/prodinfo.asp?t=1&mcid=391

        Its cheap ($40 bucks!) and look at the amazing renders it will do.  You will need a decently powerful computer but its pretty ideal for what you want to do. 

        I have built two entire Victorian houses in FloorPlan and they are pretty much exact replicas.  I can change things around show the wife how the new kicthen is going to look.  One great thing about it is you can put in your location and time of year and time of day and the renders will show you what the daylight looks like!!!

        It won't do scale drawings for building permits.  If you have another IMSI product, Turbo Cad Pro (which is a high powered full featured 2&3D cad program) you can import the Floor Plan files and it will convert it to a real cad drawing that you can produce scaled quality drawings from.  Its a bit of a clunkly process but it is possible. 

        Daniel Neumansky

        Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA.  Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/ 

        Oakland CA 

        Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer

        1. Francorosso | Jul 24, 2007 10:04pm | #22

          Daniel,

          I'm curious about your suggestion (FloorPlan 3D), because it's the same price as 3d Home Architect.  Have you played with that one, and if so how does it compare?  3D HA was the one I was going to buy before Gene convinced me that Sketchup would work well. 

          Frank

          1. User avater
            madmadscientist | Jul 24, 2007 11:07pm | #23

            I was researching them both several years ago and the reviews were running pretty much against 3d H.A.  Back then it was a buggy program that really didn't work apparently.  Another thing with FP 3D is the online help forum with a lot of skilled users.

            Sketch-up will never give  you then kind of 3-d renders shown in the page.  Or at least not without an insane amount of work.  FP 3-d is much more automatic in that sense. 

            Daniel Neumansky

            Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA.  Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/ 

            Oakland CA 

            Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer

          2. Francorosso | Jul 24, 2007 11:53pm | #24

            You don't work for 3dfp do you?  :)

          3. User avater
            madmadscientist | Jul 25, 2007 12:02am | #25

            No IMSI is the name of the company that makes FP3d.  I basically started using it because it came bundled with Turbo Cad Pro and that was a program that I used when I worked at the university.  When my copy of FP3D got old I looked around to see what else there was just incase I was using an inferior product and I determined that I was not.

            Daniel Neumansky

            Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA.  Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/ 

            Oakland CA 

            Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer

          4. User avater
            madmadscientist | Jul 25, 2007 12:14am | #26

            I take it back the 3-D home arch is a lot better product than it was 3 years ago.  I like the integrated landscape designer that shows you shadows when the trees grow!

            They look completely comparable now.  If it works and is not buggy go for it.  Though their online support site seems to be lacking a lot-any content.

             

            Daniel Neumansky

            Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA.  Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/ 

            Oakland CA 

            Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer

  9. mwgaines | Jul 25, 2007 01:24pm | #27

    Prior to starting my current remodel, I purchased the Better Homes & Garden "Designer" program. It was a huge waste of money, in my humble opinion. It took quite a while to get past the learning curve, and once that was accomplished, the end results were still very lacking in detail. To add insult to injury, they never sent me the rebate I applied for.

    If it's a visual  of a proposed idea that you want, you'll need an architect with the right skills and software to produce it. And it'll probably cost you more than you'd hoped for. However, in some cases it's worth it, depending on your goals and strategies.

    Good luck.

    New knowledge is priceless. 

    Used knowledge is even more valuable.

    1. User avater
      carloa007 | Jul 25, 2007 07:20pm | #28

      I use 3d Home Arch when I want to render 3d models to show the customer what something "will" look like. It has been great for me to quickly move things around, walls, cabinets, etc. I will admit my older version is lacking on the roof capacity. But the learning curve was significantly lower than a CAD tool. After I play around with the 3d, I export the file and import into AutoCad. Thats where I do all my detail work. And from there I generate my prints.I've played with Sketchup and it is pretty cool. Downside is the learning curve and the time to create 3d. If you want to drag and drop and have a 3d rendering in 5 mins, SU isnt your tool. But if you have the time to invest, you can do just about anything with it. HIH

      1. Francorosso | Jul 26, 2007 05:07am | #29

        Thanks.  I think I would rather pay 30 bucks for the ability to visualize in 3d and not have to spend a month learning how to do it.  3d HA is the FINAL answer for me.

        1. DianeA | Jul 27, 2007 04:19am | #30

          Just one more FYI to add to the conversation. I too wanted a simple tool to do some 3D visualization and bought the "Home Designer Suite" (V6.0 if I recall) by Chief Architect. It met it's basic need and was pretty easy to use. I'm a CAD drafter from days gone by and using a higher end CAD program would have been easy but this was a snap to use out of the box with very little learning curve. The one thing it sucked at was drawing roof lines. This version had no idea on how to do a shed dormer on the shed roof. Some sample output is attachedCheers

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