Better Homes and Gardens Architectural Home Designer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've been playing with this product for about a week, I bought it because It looked like a major upgrade from Home Designer Suite 7, which was a little quirky but got the job done. Maybe its just my expectations but the final renderings you get with this program don't look very good, as in not close to photo-realistic. They are no better than the Suite 7, and because this really isn't intended as professional home design software, the real function of it should be great visualizations. Bottom line they look pretty cartoonish.
There are a lot of great features in this software, like being able to design in the 3D view, importing your XYZ terrain data (DTM), stair tools, plant choosing tools, a whole bunch of authentic items like windows, furniture, fixtures, floor coverings, etc (although a good bit of the extra ones you have to download, which is odd because the software only ships on DVD-ROM). You can probably design your exact house using this software and maybe even build from it (if you're an experienced builder) but you may become frustrated in the process because of 2 fundamentals of the Better Homes & Gardens line of software.
They are:
1. It is real quirky and some of the "automatic things" can ruin your design if your not careful. For example, I added an "automatic stairwell" once and as it turned out ruined my design because it created "attic walls" that were not able to be deleted. I had to go back to my last save point because was unable to undo it. The zoom & pan tools work but they are very unintuitive and nonstandard. It just isn't fun to try new things for fear of screwing something up. If you are patient and creative you can get your design done, but not without some frustration. In short, the quirks are numerous, and I've only used this software a couple of weeks.
2. The maker of this software have 2 more expensive products ($500, & $2195) that are subtly hinted can do more. This is a gateway product, teasing you enough to want just a little bit more. The renderings of the $500 product don't look any better, however.
I think bottom line, if you are determined to design your house and learning new software is fun for you, this will do nearly everything, but if you get frustrated easily and/or only like easy to use software, steer clear.
Also, if you use Vista, it turns off Aero-glass while it is running.

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Better Homes and Gardens Architectural Home Designer is an all-in-one Home Design software and provides feature rich tools for design projects including: Home Design, Remodeling, Decks & Landscaping, Interior Design, Site Planning & Estimating. Quickly place and arrange walls, windows, doors, and cabinets.Choose colors, place furniture, create decks and landscaping. Powerful building tools like standard CAD tools, automatic roof generation, dormers, stairs, framing, foundations, and Plan Check make it easy.Choose from a Library of more than 7,000 items including windows, doors, lighting, furniture, interior/exterior fixtures, cabinets, and more.A Sprinkler Designer tool and full landscaping capabilities including a library of 3,200 plants are included.

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3D Home Architect Professional 5.0 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)From the negative reviews of the 5.0 product, I decided to do some research on another product that was recommended: Chief Architect Home Edition 5.0 (or CAHE5).
Apparently, the vendor who makes CAHE5 also made Broderbund's 3D Home Architect v4.0 product. But they did NOT make the new v5.0 software; it was sub-contracted out to another company. Probably explains the new interface and the fact that v5.0 is not compatible with v4.0 (you cannot import v4.0 designs).
CAHE5 *is* compatible with 4.0, and it will import v4.0 files. The vendor says that CAHE5 is the true update to v4.0.
FYI, The vendor also says that the next release of their software will be renamed to Better Homes and "Home Designer Suite" v6.0. It's available now, in fact.
...
NOTE: I do not work for Chief Architect, Broderbund or any other computer company. I'm just a homeowner researching for the best home design software and I believe in sharing the knowledge.
Regards,
Roland Thomas

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From your first rough sketch to the final coat of paint, 3D Home Architect Professional 5.0 helps you realize your home dreams. Based on an industry-grade computer-aided drafting (CAD) engine, the 5.0 release of 3D Home Architect Professional gives you everything you need to succeed with your design, remodeling, or addition project. Advanced 3-D editing and photo-realistic rendering bring home plans to life, while the intuitive interface is easy to master. Enjoy unlimited customization of objects, colors, and textures. View every aspect of your design details with eight vivid rendering modes. Explore the extensive library of home plans, furnishings, and more. Plus, you receive 3D Home Interiors 2.0 along with landscape and garden software.

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AutoCAD LT 2011 - 5 User Pack Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been using AutoCAD for over 22 years and by far this is the worst release that Autodesk has ever produced. First of all it runs slow. I am running it on a Core i7, 8 GB Memory, 1 GB Graphics, Windows 7. I also have AutoCAD 2010 running at lighting speed on the same computer. 2011 is infested with bugs and Autodesk so called enhancements in 2011 are just blowing smoke and mirrors. They have all but destroyed the Hatch command with graphic crap that takes three to four more steps to hatch an object in your drawing, if you can get the hatch pattern to even work. There are many, many more commands that they have also slowed down just for the WOW factor and has nothing to do with productivity or speed. And why did they changed some of the icon to "mickey mouse" looking icons. Skip this release and wait till next March when 2012 comes out. If you are on Autodesk Subscription (highly recommended) then keep 2010 and do not install 2011.

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AutoCAD LT 2D drafting and detailing software is the professional choice because we focus on boosting your productivity. A comprehensive set of tools enables you to accurately and efficiently create, document, and share your drawings. Creating in the genuine DWGTM file format provides stability and compatibility when you communicate with clients and colleagues. And, with varied menu and user interface options, you can optimize the software for the way you work. Packed with powerful features, AutoCAD LT is built for professional drafting.

Five-Seat Stand-Alone License The MSSA license allows you to install, register, and activate stand-alone licensed Autodesk products on several workstations using a single serial number. You can use the Autodesk Deployment Wizard to create preconfigured install images. Only one serial number is required to install and activate multiple workstations.
Install and activate each seat of the MSSA license on one additional workstation for each user, such as on a home or a remote workstation. You can do this only if the two workstations are used at different times, by the same user, and are owned or under the control of the license holder.

Take Control
AutoCAD LT 2D drafting and detailing software is the professional choice for productivity, reliability, and compatibility. Extend your competitive advantage by using industry-standard AutoCAD LT software for 2D drafting and detailing. Create drawings in the genuine DWG file format for enhanced stability and compatibility when communicating with clients and colleagues. And get even better performance by optimizing your software for the way you work. Packed with powerful features, AutoCAD LT is built for professional drafting.
Document Use a complete set of 2D drafting and detailing tools to produce precise technical drawings--accurately and efficiently.
Document in 2D Create simple or complex drawings from standard shapes such as lines, arcs, and circles. Modify existing geometry with commands such as stretch, copy, rotate, and scale. Add annotations--including text, dimensions, and tables--to help convey your ideas.
Be More Productive AutoCAD LT is designed with one goal in mind: increasing your productivity. Each release of AutoCAD LT includes feature enhancements and additions that introduce new ways to promote drafting efficiency.

Collaborate Work easily and effectively with clients and colleagues.
Get Industry-leading Reliability and Stability Create drawings in the genuine DWG file format and have confidence in data integrity when sharing your work. Maximize productivity by reducing time lost tackling corrupted or incompatible data.
Enjoy AutoCAD Compatibility AutoCAD LT is fully integrated with other Autodesk software products, making it easy for you to share data with others or expand your capabilities.
Incorporate External Files Reuse data and create richer documents by referencing external information from colleagues or clients--such as DWG files, JPG and TIF images, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, and DWF and PDF underlays--in your drawings.
Share Files Electronically Electronically publish and distribute drawing sets in a single DWF or PDF file for fast, secure collaboration.

Optimize Improve efficiency by making AutoCAD LT work the way you do with a variety of user interface options.
Standardize Drawings Save time and standardize drawings by using blocks, adding dynamic properties to accommodate multiple sizes or views in a single block. Get quick access to frequently used content, such as blocks, hatches, and commands with tool palettes.
Tailor Your Environment Quickly find your way around the screen with tools to locate commands, view all open drawings, and navigate between different areas in an open drawing. Optimize your work environment by tailoring the location and appearance of commands to meet your needs and company standards.


Top Reasons to Buy AutoCAD LT 2011 Software
Improved Drafting Tools Continual enhancements to 2D tools in AutoCAD LT software help make drafting easier and more productive. In AutoCAD LT 2011, new grips for polyline and hatch editing enable you to more easily add or remove vertices or convert line segments to arcs, and vice versa. A new Hatch contextual user interface enables you to change a hatch's scale, angle, or origin on the fly. Text in linetypes always stays readable, regardless of the line's direction. When rotating a viewport, you can use one command to choose whether the view shown will maintain its original orientation or rotate along with the viewport.
Better Communication of Design Intent Publish high-quality PDFs directly from AutoCAD LT to easily share information. Objects and layers in AutoCAD LT 2011 can be made transparent, so you can see through them. Transparency affects both plotting and on-screen appearance, giving you more options for identifying phases of work, highlighting areas of a drawing, and more. The new Hide and Isolate Objects tools enable you to display only the objects you need, regardless of their layer.
Windows 7 Certification AutoCAD LT 2011 is the first AutoCAD LT version to be Microsoft Windows 7 certified. Upgrade your hardware and operating system with the knowledge that both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of AutoCAD LT 2011 software are compatible with--and are supported on--all available Microsoft operating systems, including Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.
Additional AutoCAD Functionality Several tools previously available only in AutoCAD software are accessible in AutoCAD LT software. In AutoCAD LT 2011, the new Quick Dimension tool enables you to more easily create a series of dimensions for selected objects. Create irregular boundaries or trace over objects with the Sketch command. Add colors and patterns to your drawings with gradient fills. Use the Align command to move, rotate, and scale objects to line up with other objects. Non-rectangular viewports are also supported, enabling you to create a viewport in any shape you need.
File Format Compatibility AutoCAD LT software enables you to open DWG files received from colleagues and clients, regardless of the version of AutoCAD software used to create them. Save your own work to a variety of file formats, as far back as R14-compatible DWG files and R12-compatible DXF files.
Powerful External Reference Tools The External References palette supports the use of PDF, DWF, DGN, and image files (JPG, TIF, etc.) as underlays in DWG files, in addition to the traditional DWG references. Use object snaps with vector-based PDF or DWG files to locate new objects relative to geometry in the underlay. Open externally referenced files of any format with a simple mouse click, or edit DWG references in-place to make changes while continuing to view the host drawing's geometry. Use the Clip External Reference command to show only the relevant portions of a referenced file.
Dynamic Blocks The flexibility of Dynamic Blocks provides a powerful alternative to bloated block libraries containing multiple variations of similar block definitions. Dynamic Blocks enable you to modify a block's geometry without editing the block definition or erasing it and inserting a different block. With the Synchronize Attributes command, you can easily add or remove attributes from existing block definitions.
Flexible Annotation Tools Significant improvements in recent releases of AutoCAD LT to text, dimensions, multileader, and tables enable you to create and edit annotations faster and with more flexibility. Tables can be easily split into columns to fit into the available space. Misspelled words are automatically indicated with a dashed red underline. Add jog lines to dimensions, control the linetype of extension lines, and break extension lines around objects. Use multileaders to align notes, group similar keynotes, and associate multiple leader lines with one symbol or note. The Annotation Scaling feature automatically calculates text and dimension sizes, as well as block and hatch pattern scales, based on the drawing scale.
Better Layer Management Modifications you make in the Layer Properties Manager are instantly applied to the drawing, enabling you to immediately see the effects of your changes. The same layer can have different properties, such as color or linetype, in different viewports, so you can easily highlight specific information in each viewport. Layer management tools also let you select objects in the drawing in order to freeze, turn off, isolate, or lock their layer.
Streamlined User Interface and Online Help The AutoCAD LT user interface helps increase drafting productivity by presenting commands in a concise visual format that responds to both active commands and object selection. Quick View Layouts and Quick View Drawings provide fast and visual methods for activating a layout in an open drawing. The Quick Access toolbar provides constant one-click access to frequently used tools and commands. The new Online Help system in AutoCAD LT 2011 includes access to regularly updated content. You can link from a help topic directly to related information in the online AutoCAD Knowledge Base, discussion groups, and the AutoCAD Exchange community site to save time searching and navigating.

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Chief Architect Home Designer Essentials 10 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)... but still not quite great.
The short version: About the closest I can come to a recommendation for it is this: everything else I've tried is much worse. Punch! is a waste of money and the 2 or 3 other packages I tried before that were even worse. So Chief Architect wins the race but only by default.
It has a pretty decent user interface but I get so annoyed by the constant signs of money grubbing by Chief Architect. They don't add features to make the more expensive versions valuable enough to buy, they disable trivial/expected features in the cheaper versions in the hopes that you'll be so annoyed with it that you'll spend money for the "better" version.
Some examples:
They disable ledger sized printing in Home Designer Essentials. I have a really nice 11x17 color inkjet printer. The paper size is there in the printer properties dialog, but they prevent it from being used. It pops up a dialog telling me I can't print that size. To get around that I have to make the Home Designer window full-screen, hit Alt-PrintScreen and then open Paint.NET and paste the screen capture as a new image. Then I have to crop the window borders and menus from the image. Then I can print it ledger sized. Every time I want to print our plan I get that little jab in the eye from Chief Architect saying "give us more money and we'll stop jabbing you" :\
Another dumb one - it doesn't save your toolbar settings when you exit the program. It's not the end of the world to have to keep restoring the tape measure, the door styles, the window styles etc. every time I start it up but it's just another reminder every time I use the program that "for only another $250 we'll stop poking your in the other eye" mentality.
They just pick really pointless things to disable and they do it just for the annoyance factor, not because it costs them more to produce or support. If it had a limit on the number of square feet in the design or if they added extra libraries and the ability to do spiral staircases in more expensive versions then it would seem reasonable to charge more for more capable versions.
The good news is that if you can ignore the constant reminders that they want more money from you, it works pretty well. The user interface for constructing the plan is quite good, definitely light years ahead of Punch! It can usually figure out what you're trying to do and the objects behave pretty much as expected, cabinets try to stick to walls, walls join together as expected.
The less than wonderful technical bits:
It has fairly limited libraries and is missing some pretty obvious objects in them. For example it has no bathroom vanity. If you want a standard vanity like at the home improvement store you have to build it out of multiple cabinets, add a counter top and add a sink and faucet to it. I'd guess that about 30% of the items you'd expect to find in the libraries won't be there.
If you fiddle around with the camera position/height/angle too much you'll get it into a state where the perspective is so distorted that you'll have to close the 3D view and open it again.
The rendering is slow and pretty low quality - it's about video game quality circa 2000 which is to say somewhat crude looking/pixellated. The default coloring and lighting is really bogus, floor coverings and wall colors that look okay in the library browser look very dark and muddy when applied to the model. A faster video card doesn't help the rendering either, I'm running a $300 HD6950 video card. The rendering is CPU bound. Even with an E8400 processor it takes more than 30 seconds to render a fairly simple model in high quality. That's on a 2400 sq ft ranch style without any landscaping or terrain. If you're planning on designing a three story 5,000 sq ft McMansion you better bring an alarm clock.
The upgrade from V9.6 to 10 corrupted some of the library objects and textures. It also seems to have fewer objects in the libraries though I don't know that for sure.
It uses a binary file format so you can't search plans or compare alternative designs using text tools like you could if it were in .xml. You laugh, but after you've been working on your plan for 6 months and you've got a bunch of different .plan files saved you'll really wish you could search the plans for the one with a note in it that says "With bathroom rotated 180 degrees" or something like that. It doesn't generate previews so you can't quickly flip through the plans to look for the one you want. The only way you can find which file you've saved a specific change in is either use that for the file name (which isn't feasible if you've made more than one change) or else keep a separate .txt file with your own crib notes on which file contains which alternatives.
Putting the "get off my lawn" factor aside, it's a decent quality package and it's *much* better bang for the buck than anything else I tried.


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Home Designer Essentials is an entry-level title to help you with your home design, remodel and landscaping projects. With over 4,000 library items you can create your perfect design. It's fun and easy--start your project today! Professional tools for designing your dream home. View larger.

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Landscape, Deck and Patio Designer with NexGen v2 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been searching for a good, but in expensive, program for helping me get some ideas for building a deck and patio for my back yard. I basically "took a shot in the dark" and decided to buy this program (Office Max was the cheapest I found - ~$40). I was very apprehensive about this software because I had not had luck with similar software in the past, plus reviews for version 1 were not that great. However, I have been pleasantly surprised so far. It takes a little time to "enter" you house floor plan to get it ready for your deck ideas, but once you are there the program is great. The software gives you a lot of deck and patio templates to choose from, plus you can easily make changes to these templates to customize it to your home (i.e. it is very flexible). Most of the reviews I read on Amazon (on version 1) say that the program is not user friendly. I found it relatively easy. If you can navigate around Photoshop, CAD and similar programs, you should be able to use this program fine. If you have difficultly with productivity programs such as Photoshop or Excel and such, then you will likely have a hard time. There are a couple of glitches in the software, but nothing that causes a major crash or loss of material (just some minor inconveniences). I started using the software on a Thursday and by Sunday I feel I am about 80% proficient with it (working/playing on it for about 2 hours per day) and already have a design for a deck and patio. Bottom line: the program does what I wanted it to do, its relatively easy to use and its working above my expectations.

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Create beautiful outdoor living spaces! Start with a photo of your house or from scratch, Fast and Easy! Thousands of plants to choose from; the Plant Finder will help you select the right plants for your area. Create the perfect Deck or patio then add outdoor furniture and accessories. Place pre-made outdoor kitchens or create a custom outdoor cooking island. Custom fences, concrete stains and paints let you finish your outdoor spaces. Add a pool with Pool Designer and light it up with outdoor lighting. Integrated training provides help if you need it. Make Punch! your landscape design partner.

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Punch Home and Landscape Design Professional, Version 2 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this software at a chain office supply store. After working fine the first day, I booted up the pc, and started the program the next day. Not only would my program keep lagging, it would have an error pop-up, and completely close the program losing any unsaved work. The 3D view was insanely slow, and wouldn't show any furniture that I had loaded into the 2D view. I was very optimistic about this software initially, and it is pretty easy to use. I tried calling the company for tech support, even went so far as to submit a ticket. "There is nothing we can do, it's your pc's fault" We have a great top of the line pc, enough storage for 10 of these software's, and it has the main operating system that the software recomends. Needless to say, I took it back to the store today, I exchanged it for another form of home design software (from another country) and it is installed and as I am writing this review, I have a pretty little floorplan completly done and no system problems whatsoever.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Punch Home and Landscape Design Professional, Version 2

Design your home or landscape like a professional! With our easy to use tools, choose from editable home templates, or design from the ground up, it's like you are your own architect! Punch! Home and Landscape Design Professional gives the most advanced tools, features and designing options in one package! Want easy? No problem! With our QuickStart feature you can design a house in 60 seconds, choose from editable home templates, floor plan trace or scan in a photo to add landscaping to an existing house or change the paint color of an existing room. Interiors, landscaping, additions, outdoor living, renovations or from the ground up, it's all here! Need help? With just a click of the mouse get video tutorial help or tap into our Training Center. Watch your designs come to life in vivid 3D or create blueprints with a touch of a mouse!

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Chief Architect Architectural Home Designer 9.0 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First, let me say buyer beware. I also had a problem purchasing through J&R Music/Computer World. They essentially did a bait and switch by advertising the Architectural Home Designer version but by shipping the base version. The software arrived in a cardboard envelope and the software box was crushed. After opening, I was suspicious because it was not marked with the version. However, all the order, invoice, and packing information indicated the Architectural verison. I highly recommend the software, but purchase it from a different seller. I have not yet contacted J&R for various reasons.
I actually dealt directly with Chief Architect after discovering the switch. I wanted to see if I could just upgrade the base version without going through the hassle another reviewer mentions. Surprise! They immediately took care of the problem and sent me the correct version at what amounted to a $150 discount. EXCELLENT customer service experience, especially considering this was not really their problem. I have not had to use their technical support, but I have high expectations based on my customer service experience and other reviews of their support from various sources.
The software: I have 3 prior versions of this software. This version is a big improvement and includes a lot of additional features, but the basics for manipulating the objects and navigating the interface are the same. A big deal since I didn't want to invest a ton of time learning something completely new. The interface is very intuitive and there are several 'how to' videos included to help you do most common and a few complicated tasks. The help function is easy to navigate and gives very clear step by step instructions for building just about any structure, handling complicated roofs, etc.
To start, I wanted to reproduce my existing house. I very quickly created my property boundaries and correctly placed my house on the defined terrain. After a few more minutes, I had a rough copy of all 3 floors. About another hour and I had all the doors, windows and fixtures in (basic, not customized or exact) and all the dimensions accurate. (Obviously, you do have spend the time to take measurements or crib from a blueprint ahead of time!) This is an excellent tool for planning remodeling and doing 'what if' scenarios. Changing walls, door placement, fixtures, etc. takes literally seconds of pointing and clicking. While you can get things to the point where you can either get very accurate materials lists or enough information to save time and $$ with a contractor, it does take a bit of time investement. There are dozens of included object libraries and you can download (free usually) additional content like name brand fixtures, paints, cabinents, etc. from the Chief Architect site. You also have a ton of choices that allow you to customize all the properties of a particular object - countertop, cabinet face, and so on for color, texture, grain, etc.. In addition, Chief Architect maintains an on-line user community area for chat and Q&A. Definite plus.
One of the main reasons I purchased this was for the changes and updates to the landscaping portion. My yard is currently a disaster and has all kinds of variations in elevation and grading. I'm working with this feature now and it does take some time to figure things out, but I can already see that I'm going to have a very accurate template for mapping out a bunch of ideas we have. Changing elevations and messing with the terrain in the software is actually pretty easy once you figure out how the tool works. The hardest part of this is getting good measurements of the variations in my yard so that I've got an accurate starting point to transfer to the software. If you are starting with a clean slate and not trying to reproduce something that exists, it is obviously much easier. If I ever get around to it, I'll update this review with what I learn.
The only knocks I've found so far are: 1. I'm not very happy with the way stairwells are represented. You usually need to play around with the 'open below' room type and 'invisible' wall option to get things represented correctly; 2. It is sometimes a bit difficult to get odd lenghts to come in exactly when drawing or connecting objects. It usually depends on the viewing/image size and your mouse sensitivity, but there were a few occasions when I spent several minutes trying to get clipped corners on a deck and odd wall sizes to come out exactly as measured.
Overall a great product for the money. Lots of features and easy to use. Highly recommended.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Chief Architect Architectural Home Designer 9.0

Architectural Home Designer 9.0 is the latest release from Chief Architect, the professional software design company and the software of choice by more builders, architects and designers. Architectural Home Designer leverages the same professional quality from Chief Architect making it the most powerful and easy to use home design, remodeling and landscaping software.

Exclusive All-in-One Home Design Solution
Choose from over 2,500 Sample Plans
Choose from built-in home style templates, create your own custom home design or use the House Wizard
Powerful building tools like automatic roof generation, dormers, stairs, framing and foundations
Artistic rendering techniques for Watercolor, Glass House and Technical Illustration

Get Started Quickly and Easily
The Quick Startup Options Guide will help you begin with "How-To" tutorials based on the type of your project
Use the House Wizard for quick and easy layout of your rooms
Select from the pre-designed Home Design and Landscaping Style Templates complete with colors, cabinets, decks and more
The online help system provides detail information on all types of building projects
Includes over 40 easy "step-by-step" tutorial training videos that will quickly get you started on your next home design project

Kitchen and Bath Design
Design the Kitchen of your dreams--move walls, create new cabinets, add appliances--Design your perfect workspace!
Plan the new layout of your bathroom with custom cabinets, sinks, showers and garden tubs. It's easy to visualize your ideas in 3D.
Create custom cabinets in minutes by choosing your own colors, countertops, door styles and more
Design your new kitchen or bath using the Cabinet Designer Tools
Use the Cabinet Designer tools to create unlimited cabinet styles. Choose your own colors, countertops and door styles.

Interior Design
Material Painter lets you apply colors and materials quickly and easily
Choose from thousands of colors and textures or create your own materials using a digital photograph
Design for your lifestyle and personality--change colors, add lighting and choose furniture to accent your new room
Choose from a variety of interior items--including chairs, tables, sofas, fabrics, accessories and more. Resize, change colors and materials to meet your exact needs.
Import your own symbols from 3D files types including .SKP, .OBJ and .3DS
Smart Design Objects, Drag-and-drop from thousands of design objects in the built-in Library organized by category

Decks and Landscaping
Powerful deck and patio tools allow you to design and visualize your new deck with 3D models and can help you estimate the costs
Design single or multi-level decks complete with automatic deck framing
Quickly lay out your deck with stairs and arrange furniture
Deck foundations automatically generate to match sloped lots
Plant Encyclopedia to learn more about the plants in your designs
Choose from over 3,600 plants with the Plant Chooser
Plant Hardiness Zone reference maps
See what your plants will look like in 0 - 20 years
Pathways--Use the Pathway tool to design curb-appealing landscaping using stone, pavers, or sidewalks--line with trees, shrubs, flowers and more

3D Models and Virtual Tours
Design in 2D and 3D. 3D Views are automatic with a point-and-click of the camera tool.
Glass House View provides a full translucent view of your design. Choose other Artistic rendering techniques for Watercolor and Technical Illustration views.
Planning of furniture placement and traffic flow
Create a Virtual Tour--draw your record line to Automatically Generate; or record your camera movements
Visualize your home with day and night views
Assemble a scale model of your design with Model Maker
Generate shadows from the sun for realistic 3D views
Point-and-click to remove wall surfaces, or use 3D Cross-Section Elevation Slider to quickly create a 3D slice of your desired view

Site Planning & Estimating
Use Automatic Build Terrain and Terrain Perimeter tools to create flat, irregular shaped, or sloped lots--use a GPS to import or enter elevation data
Create plot and perimeter plans; automatically generate a 3D model of your actual terrain
Make your backyard design come alive using several easy-to-use terrain and landscaping tools. Add a pool or pond and visualize in 3D.
Sprinkler Designer tools to easily layout sprinkler zones
Fences and Driveways--With the Fencing tools you can choose a variety of fencing styles and custom gates. You will also find driveway, sidewalk and curbing tools
Hill and Valley tools make it easy to add gardens, beds and slopes that automatically appear in 3D views. Choose from landscaping style templates or create your own.
Cost Estimating--Don't be surprised by the cost of your project. Automatically generate a complete spreadsheet for your project costs, broken down by category. Calculate the amount of lumber for your deck or concrete required for that new patio.

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Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Pro 8.0 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Home Designer Pro software is a cut-down version of the full Chief Architect product (allowing a building to be drawn that is less than 4 stories tall). It is a good product for professionals in the residential construction field -- WAY better than the others available. If you have version 7.0, Chief Architect's website would be a good visit -- they update to version 8.0 for products purchased between certain dates.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Pro 8.0

Design your dream home like the professionals with Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Pro 8.0 which is professional home design software for the serious home enthusiast. Developed by Chief Architect this new product includes exclusive design advice by the experts at Better Homes and Gardens magazines. It is perfect for Home Design Remodeling Interior Design Kitchens Baths and Deck and Landscaping projects.Some of the features include Advanced CAD tools it enables you to create blueprints includes manual framing tools it contains over 9000 items to create a 3D model of your home and more.Minimum System Requirements:Windows XP/Vista2.4 GHz processor or greater2 GB of disk space512 MB of Memory on XP2 GB of Memory on VistaDVD driveFormat: WIN XPVISTA Genre:PRODUCTIVITY UPC:750839015125 Manufacturer No:HP80-MN-NXX1

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Chief Architect Home Designer Architectural 10 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I liked Home Designer so much I bought the Pro version right away and wrote an enthusiastic review giving it 5 stars (see the Chief Architect Home Designer Pro 10 Amazon web page). The Pro version may be a bit more than most home users need but my Amazon review contains some useful tips on getting the 30-day free trial, the PDF User Guide, and the PDF User Manual (very clear, well-organized technical reference manual). Since many of the features of the Essentials, the Suite, and the Architectural version overlap with the Pro version but there is only a free trial of the Pro version, my recommendation for people considering purchasing any version of this excellent product is to download the free trial Pro version and give it a spin using the excellent online video tutorials at the homedesignersoftware.com web site. The tutorial on each topic shows which software versions have that feature. Very useful in deciding what level of product is right for you. And by doing the tutorials, you can already be up and running by the time you decide whether to buy. I also recommend the free version of Google Sketchup 8 as a useful helper program. With Sketchup, you can craft simple 3D objects and shapes if you don't find exactly what you need in the extensive Home Designer library (need to save Sketchup objects in a previous version file format as Home Designer does not yet know about v8 of Sketchup, which just came out).
Home Designer is very addictive and fun to use. One of the best software programs I've ever owned with extensive video help actually showing you how to construct things. If you are drawing home plans from scratch and need measurements, be sure to get yourself a laser measuring device like the one I got Bosch DLR130K Digital Distance Measurer Kit. You'll still need a tape measure for very short distances but a laser measuring device really takes the pain and effort out of getting dimensions and is accurate to 1/16 of an inch at distances up to 130 feet! For $10, a pair of laser enhancing goggles is very useful for taking measurements outdoors in bright light or off very poorly reflective surfaces-see Bosch DLA001 Laser View-Enhancing Glasses
P.S. One of the best reasons for trying the trial version is to make sure you won't be caught short on needed features in the version you decide to get. Here is a link to a detailed matrix of the capabilities of each version. [...](EDIT:since Amazon deletes links, see Comparison Matrix, lower left HomeDesigner site-scroll thru list). Some of the details may not mean much to you until you try the trial version with the tutorials. But for example, I got the Pro version because I have a complicated roof and I wanted complete manual control over roof design.

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Home Designer Architectural 10: Advanced and easy-to-use software for home design, remodeling, interior design, kitchen and bath design, landscaping, decks, and cost estimation for any do-it-yourself user. Home Designer Architectural offers all of the tools you need to complete your next home project. It's fun and easy, start designing today!
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Chief Architect Home Designer Pro 9.0 Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased "Chief Architect Home Designer Pro 9.0" DVD-ROM after purchasing the Chief Architect BH&G Landscape Designer for our design and general contracting business.
A little background on me: I am proficient at 2020 Residential Design CAD, have a good working knowledge of AutoCAD, and as I mentioned, own and have used C.A.'s Landscape Design. In addition, I've used Plan3D and GoogleSketchUp in a pinch to create initial conceptual renderings for clients. What drew me to "Chief Architect Home Designer Pro 9.0" was the ease and beauty of the landscape renderings from the Landscape program. For conceptual design, Landscape was very adequate to the task. What I really needed though, was a program that not only rendered images beautifully, but could create accurate prints and elevations. Bonus points if it was easy to learn.
If you're looking for an easy entry level design program, this isn't the product for you. Despite the 250+ page User .PDF manual, my own knowledge of CAD language, and my experience with crafting hundreds of plans, prints, and renderings over the years, "Chief Architect Home Designer Pro 9.0" confounded me time and time again. I crafted a simple addition to an existing structure. Had I drafted the blue print by hand, it might have taken me 3 hours or so. It took over 12 hours using 9.0.
Why did it take so long?
I'll grant you, there's a learning curve to any new product of this type. And to C.A.'s credit, the step by step User .PDF manual was easy enough to read and understand. Problem was that every time I moved from one step to the next, it would change some thing I had already created. Specific example: My basic structure was drawn, and according to the manual it was time to move on to the exterior terrain. I input my elevation data and a helpful pop up window informed me that such a move would change the roof line and would I like to rebuild? No! But you can't click 'no'. Even clicking the little X at the top of the pop up to close it changed the roof line. What does the ground level have to do with the roof when the baseline is the 1st floor? You got me. I must have redrawn that roof a dozen times. In addition, implementing the Elevation Points, Lines, and Features is a real pain. Good luck with creating terrain for a split level with a walk out basement. Draw your terrain elevation lines a bit too long and the 'grass' appears to swallow the house, draw them too short and your house is floating in mid air. And then there's the roof thing, but I digress.
So I finally get the layout where I want it. By this time I'm really wanting to strangle some one, but I must press on. I've made a decent monetary investment, you see. As my frugal father might say, "I PAID GOOD MONEY FOR THAT!!!!!" It's now time to send the plan to layout. Basically what you have to do is set your printer settings to a .PDF creator, at which time the program creates a printable copy of your plan. Kinda handy if you need to run blue prints for a job site. So I download Adobe, I set my printer to it and.... it doesn't look like an industry standard blue print at all. I dig back into the Manual. 'The user must create all borders and title blocks.' Crap. Okay. I create a 'template' so that when I export my plan to layout and elevation it looks like a blue print should look. For the record, every other CAD program I have used has a ready-to-go templates for this sort of thing including a standard copyright notice, the name of the company, the print view name, the date, etc... None of this on C.A.'s product, however. You gotta make the thing yourself. I spent an embarassing amount of time creating title blocks that matched in size, configuration, and font size from one print to the next. A hint in the User manual tells me to check out page 500 and something for more details. Might have been helpful, but the manual is only 250 or so pages long. (Actually, this was a problem through out the manual, referring to pages that weren't there.)
Anyhoo...now it's time to create a layout! By this point I'm as excited as a kid at Christmas, I'm almost done! Unfortunately when I exported the plan to layout, the plan was so large that it covered up all of my lovely title blocks. Crap, again. Although the User manual didn't specify exactly how to solve this issue, I was able to draw on my prior CAD experience to make it work. Someone who doesn't have any CAD knowledge would have never had a chance to resolve this issue without calling the Chief Architect hotline.
So at the end of the day I had a technical blue print ready for the field. W00t! It took me far more time and faaaaaaaaaar more patience than it should have. Some of this had to do with the default settings of the program, some of it had to do with constant SEC errors, some of it due to the User manual referring to pages that weren't there, and some of it to learning curve. I have little choice but to master this program now. The investment has been made. And again, I can't stress enough how beautiful and quick the 3D renderings really are. It's just getting to that point that'll drive you to drink.

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Home Designer Pro 9.0 is the latest release from Chief Architect, the professional software design company and the software of choice by more builders, architects and designers. Home Designer Pro leverages the same professional quality from Chief Architect making it the most powerful and easy to use home design, remodeling and landscaping software. Design Like a Professional!

Professional Software Chief Architect Home Designer Pro 9.0 is professional home design software for the serious home enthusiast. Enjoy the same tools that the professionals use for home design, remodeling, interior design, decks, landscaping and cost estimation.
Home Designer Pro has all the same great features as Architectural Home Designer, Interior Designer, Landscaping and Deck Designer plus advanced CAD tools, advanced building tools, the ability to create blueprints, manual framing and roofing and much more.
Designing like a Professional has never been so Easy!
Home Design and Landscaping Software Create accurately scaled floor plans that automatically generate 3D models in minutes. Create any detailed view of your design using advanced 3D camera tools like Glass House, Doll House, Framing, Elevation and Cross-Sections. Create the Virtual Look and Feel Before You Build!
Home Design Software by Chief Architect
Choose from over 5,000 Sample Plans
Choose from built-in style templates or create your own custom home design, or use the House Wizard
Powerful building tools like automatic roof generation, dormers, stairs, framing and foundations
Artistic rendering techniques for Watercolor, Glass House and Technical Illustration

Integrated Design ToolsHome Designer Pro makes it easy to design and visualize your ideas on your next home or remodeling project with over 8,000 powerful integrated tools. Use the automated building tools to assist you in your design process. The tools have commonly accepted defaults for most building practices to help you in your home design projects.
Get Started Quickly and Easily
The Quick Startup Options Guide will help you begin with "How-To" tutorials based on your type of project
Use the House Wizard for quick and easy layout of your rooms
Select from the pre-designed Home Design and Landscaping Style Templates complete with colors, cabinets, decks and more
The online help system provides detail information on all types of building projects
Includes over 80 easy "step-by-step" tutorial training videos that will quickly get you started on your next home design project

3D Design Tools
Design in 2D and 3D. 3D Views are automatic with a point-and-click of the camera tool.
Glass House View provides a full translucent view of your design. Choose other Artistic rendering techniques for Watercolor and Technical Illustration views.
Doll House View, a 3D overview without the roof, is an effective tool for space planning of furniture placement and traffic flow
Create a Virtual Tour--draw your record line to Automatically Generate; or record your camera movements
Visualize your home with day and night views
Assemble a scale model of your design with Model Maker
Generate shadows from the sun for realistic 3D views
Point-and-click to remove wall surfaces, or use 3D Cross-Section Elevation Slider to quickly create a 3D slice of your desired view

Automated and Manual Building Tools
Design roofs and walls in 3D
Generate various styles of Automatic roofs or manually design any custom roof including curved roofs
Use the Automatic Dormer tool to quickly place dormers--shed, gable, eyebrow and barrel
Automatic Structural Dormers
Unblock and manually edit Automatic Dormers
Create any custom roof or ceiling plan with the Roof Design Tools. Edit and create roof planes to create a roof of any pitch and shape. Start with an automatic roof and then add custom details, or create the entire roof manually.
Automatic framing tools
Manual framing tools for fully editable framing, including joists, rafters, trusses, beams, posts and more
Choose from several built-in wall styles with individual wall layers or define your own wall style
Ability to read and edit files by Chief Architect Full Professional Software
ICC Residential Design Checklist will allow you to check your plan against national building codes

Kitchen and Bath Design
Design the kitchen of your dreams--move walls, create new cabinets, add appliances--Design your perfect workspace!
Design your new kitchen or bath using the Cabinet Designer tools
Plan the new layout of your bathroom with custom cabinets, sinks, showers and garden tubs. It's easy to visualize your ideas in 3D.
Create custom cabinets in minutes by choosing your own colors, countertops, door styles and more
Use the Cabinet Designer tools to create unlimited cabinet styles. Choose your own colors, countertops and door styles.
Design and edit custom countertop shapes and styles

Interior Design
Smart Design Objects, Drag-and-drop from thousands of design objects in the built-in Library organized by category
Material Painter lets you apply colors and materials quickly and easily
Choose from thousands of colors and textures or create your own materials using a digital photograph
Design for your lifestyle and personality--change colors, add lighting and choose furniture to accent your new room
Choose from a variety of interior items--including chairs, tables, sofas, fabrics, accessories and more. Resize, change colors and materials to meet your exact needs.
Import your own symbols from 3D file types including .SKP, .OBJ and .3DS

Decks and Landscaping
Powerful deck and patio tools allow you to design and visualize your new deck with 3D models and can help you estimate the costs
Design single or multi-level decks complete with automatic deck framing and an advanced deck framing option for more complicated deck designs
Quickly lay out your deck with stairs and arrange furniture
Deck foundations automatically generate to match sloped lots
Plant Encyclopedia to learn more about the plants in your designs
Choose from over 3,600 plants with the Plant Chooser
Plant Hardiness Zone reference maps
See what your plants will look like in 0--20 years
Pathways--Use the Pathway tool to design curb-appealing landscaping using stone, pavers, or sidewalks--line with trees, shrubs, flowers and more

Site Planning & Estimating
Use Automatic Build Terrain and Terrain Perimeter tools to create flat, irregular shaped, or sloped lots--use a GPS to import or enter elevation data
Create plot and perimeter plans; automatically generate a 3D model of your actual terrain
Export Material List to spreadsheet programs including Microsoft Excel
Save snapshot Material Lists for different stages of the project
Add detail to each individual component in the material list for a comprehensive cost estimate breakdown
Master Materials List allows you to store and manage commonly used material prices
Sprinkler Designer tools to easily layout sprinkler zones
Fences and Driveways--With the Fencing tools you can choose a variety of fencing styles and custom gates. You will also find driveway, sidewalk and curbing tools
Hill and Valley tools make it easy to add gardens, beds and slopes that automatically appear in 3D views. Choose from landscaping style templates or create your own.
Define Terrain Elevation lines, Elevation Regions and Terrain Breaks

CAD Tools
Powerful CAD tools to detail cross-section views with insulation, cross-boxes and more
Advanced CAD editing tools such as replicate, line weights, point-to-point move, custom patterns and more (Compatible with AutoCAD patterns)
CAD-to-Walls allows you to convert CAD lines from DXF file format to walls
Layers can be used to separate key building components such as electrical or framing. Display or hide features of your design, set colors, lock layers and use reference layers for precise editing.
Create Back-Clipped Cross Section/Elevation Views to limit your view to relevant details for precise plan editing

Building Tools
Customize construction methods for walls, floors, ceilings and foundations. Identify the exact placement of framing components, specify wall layers, floor structure platform height, mudsills and more.
Advanced stair tools allow control of shape, starter treads, flaring, tread width and more
Create pony walls and edit wall shape or create a stepped foundation in cross-section view
Multiple-select editing. For example, select all your cabinets and change them all with one command.
Use callouts to reference between details, plans and cross-sections in a blueprint layout
Create blueprint layouts (up to Architectural C drawings 18" x 24") with 3D, CAD, Cross-Section/Elevation and Plan Views
Rotate and Flip Plan
Advanced dimensioning tools include angular, end-to-end and interior dimensions
Fully editable dimension lines and configurable dimension editing allow you to change where dimensions locate walls, windows, doors and other objects

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Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Pro 8.0 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased HomeDesigner Pro 7.0, and then upgraded to version 8.0. The software is pretty good, especially for a one level floor plan. It gets pretty iffy, for multi level plans. The videos are helpful, but I keep looking at Barnes and Noble, for a book that would explain how to use some of the really great features of this product.
What really bothers me, is that when I now start the program, I get this popup window that informs me that an "update" is available. Normally, when I see that an update is available, it is a no cost update to the current version. But...no, this update is for a $200.00 upgrade to the next version. THIS IS NOT AN UPDATE!!! And it's pretty annoying to have to click the NO button, just to start the software that I've already paid for.
Functionally, the libraries don't really include uptodate materials, and eventhough this is supposed to be a Chef Architect product, it's really turning out to be a poorly supported product.
And then there's this UBS device, used to make sure that the software is being run legally. Well, if you can tell that I don't have the latest version of your software, why do I need to have the stupid USB device taking up one of my ports?
So, I have to say that the product is not really bad, and can be pretty useful, but this whole issue of making sure that the software is being run legally, and the annoying "Update" messages makes me sometimes regret that I've spent the money. It's beginning to look like a money pit.

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Design your dream home like the professionals with Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Pro 8.0 which is professional home design software for the serious home enthusiast. Developed by Chief Architect, this new product includes exclusive design advice by the experts at Better Homes and Gardens magazines. It is perfect for Home Design, Remodeling, Interior Design, Kitchens, Baths, and Deck and Landscaping projects.Some of the features include Advanced CAD tools, it enables you to create blueprints, includes manual framing tools, it contains over 9,000 items to create a 3D model of your home and more.

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Home and Landscape Design Studio PRO for the MAC v2 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Software filled with bugs. There is NO customer support. I was on hold for a half hour and gave up. The online site doesn't function correctly. Impossible to leave any communication. Don't waste your time or money!

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Chief Architect Home Designer Pro 10 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've only owned Home Designer Pro v10 about a month so my review might be a little premature but so far, I'm extremely impressed and feel it's one of the best software products and drawing programs that I've ever owned. The learning support available on the HomeDesignerSoftware.com web site is exceptional and a good part of what makes me so enthusiastic. I've always been a drawing enthusiast(Corel Draw, Illustrator, Visio, you name it) and was going to do my house plans in 2D when I remembered those 3D programs I'd seen on tables in Costco and Sams Club. Checking out Amazon, where I buy most of my stuff now, I saw there was Home Designer, HGTV, and Punch!, amongst others. Some reviewers of HGTV and Punch! complained about awkwardness of use or difficulty in learning whereas users/reviewers of Home Designer more typically remarked how relatively easy the software was to learn and use. So I decided to give Home Designer a try, fell in love with it, and haven't looked back-never even tried the others.
One of the best kept secrets of Home Designer is that there is a 30-day free trial of the Pro version available from the Home Designer web site. It's hard to find because the home page offers a slide show and the free trial offer only comes up on the second or third slide. Look under the Pro product, too. My recommendation is to download the free trial, start trying it out using their excellent video tutorials at HomeDesignerSoftware.com, and look at the features matrix to see what you get in the basic Essentials version versus the Suite verus Architectural or the full-blown Pro version. I initially was just going to go for the Suite version, which at $83 right now is a sweet spot in price versus features (pardon the pun). I planned to upgrade slowly to the Architectural and then Pro versions if I liked what I saw. But since I REALLY liked what I saw and my house has complicated roof and ceiling planes that are easiest to model with the Pro version, I jumped in the deep end right away and am glad I did.
Home Designer is not basically a CAD program. You can draw lines in 2D plans and in elevation (vertical views). But Home Designer and other programs like it, such as HGTV and Punch!, are basically object-oriented drawing programs that allow you to model by placing pre-fab objects such as exterior walls, interior walls, windows, doors, roofs, furniture, cabinets, appliances, etc. You typically place these objects in 2D, then get to immediately review and adjust the results in a life-like 3D view in which you can place a camera(s) wherever you want inside or outside your house. Although usually best done for modeling within a room or a given area, you can also place and adjust objects directly in 3D. You can even create an animated movie to walk yourself through the structure, pause, look around, etc. Each of the objects has length, depth, height, color, texture, etc., that you can extensively adjust within the characteristics commonly found in construction or decoration for that type of object, e.g. layers within a wall. There is an extensive library of objects and materials for construction, interior design, landscaping, etc. You also import objects from other programs like Autodesk's 3DS or Google Sketchup. Since Sketchup is free, it is my choice for creating any 3D object from scratch that you don't happen to find a template for in Home Designer. You can't really create a 3D object for which there is no template in Home Designer itself. For example, we have a brick mailbox shaped like a pillar (rectangular prism). I drew it in Sketchup, imported it, slapped a brick texture on it all around, and my wife remarked "There's our mailbox!" Right now, the latest version of Home Designer (10) does not know about the latest version of Sketchup (8) but a Sketchup 8 drawing can easily be saved in a previous version format for importing into Home Designer. I found a triangular prism imported from Sketchup very useful for filling in an odd-shaped space in the vaulted ceiling of our masterbedroom that I couldn't quite complete with the tools in Home Designer by itself.
Home Designer's video tutorials took me a long way towards quickly learning to model. But what if I just want a quick reference or need to look up something in more detail than the tutorial has time for? another unfortunately too well-kept secret is that there is both a very well-written PDF USER GUIDE (239 pages) with written versions of tutorials and an in-depth PDF USER MANUAL (910 pages) that provides very organized clear explanations of the way things work (when you download the TRIAL, in the HELP menu there will be the option to view/save each manual). Plus the 29page Getting Started Guide that helps get you up and running. So there's a lot of excellent video and written help to rely on. Also, user forum, support database with solution finder, etc., on web site but haven't used those myself.
So, hope all these words convey my enthusiasm. Home Designer is a great product. It's a lot cheaper and easier to learn than something like AutoCad or 3DS. It allows the average home enthusiast to easily and quickly create and view amazingly realistic 3D representations of his/her home. Since Home Designer has a lot of power but it's not unlimited, you may find some things for which you have to settle for a close approximation or import something from another program like Sketchup where you can painstakingly create a 3D object from scratch. You're still going to have to work to truly master the program. But if you love your house and yard and want to model it, play around with it, see how it could be remodeled, don't just sit there. Give the free trial of Home Designer Pro a spin, try the video tutorials. And if you have as much fun as I did, you may soon want to own a version of the software that's appropriate to your needs. For me, there were too many times I said, "I can't believe I just did that. This view is amazing."
My final bit of advice. If you're recreating your house plans from scratch as I am, get yourself a laser-measuring tool. I got myself a Bosch DLR130K Digital Distance Measurer Kit and wonder how I ever lived without it. Using it is almost as much fun as drawing with Home Designer.
P.S. One of the best reasons for trying the trial version is to make sure you won't be caught short on needed features in the version you decide to get. Here is a link to a detailed matrix of the capabilities of each version. [...](EDIT:since Amazon deletes links, see Comparison Matrix, lower left HomeDesigner site-scroll thru list). Some of the details may not mean much to you until you try the trial version with the tutorials. But for example, I got the Pro version because I have a complicated roof and I wanted complete manual control over roof design.

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Chief Architect Home Designer Pro 10: professional software for home design, remodeling, interior design, kitchen and bath design, landscaping, deck design, and cost estimation for the serious do-it-yourself user. Home Designer Pro offers advanced design, building, and CAD tools with the ability to create blueprints, framing plans, roof plans, and more. Use the same tools as the professionals and design your dream home today!
Professional tools for designing your dream home. View larger.

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