Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
azlee6574

Layout Software - what does everyone use?

azlee6574
13 years ago

Hi folks. I am new to the site and have been planning a major remodel of my home that I have lived in for the last 6 months. Unfortunately I am obsessed and can't think of anything else at the moment.

My question is: Can you tell me what software you are using to do the 3D views and layout and how much does it cost?

I have been driving the home depot people crazy! Thanks everyone.

Comments (7)

  • jonnyp
    13 years ago

    Google sketch up, its free. I don't know if it does 3d, I've played around with it briefly , it s ok for your purposes. There is also a ton of other free cad packages out there. Most of the 3d packages cost and some of them , dearly and are not designed for the casual user.
    The hd package is customized for hd , the users don't know what it is and don't know who the builder is.The program I have seen for kitchens allows the user to insert various cabinets and other elements in a plan view and automatically generates 3d view.
    If you got time and the resources Revit is now the de facto program for architectural work.The software is between $2500 & $3000 and you would be well advised to take training sessions. You could also use Autocad (which is owned by the same co.), about the same price and training , but can be used for other disciplines. Good luck

  • azlee6574
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    thank you jonnyp. There are a bunch of things posted on this site so I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction.

    HD - is that homedesigner? Thats what I saw on the side of one of the pics.

  • la_koala
    13 years ago

    Hmmm, I think jonnyp's "hd" might mean "Home Depot". They have their own program.

    I tried Google Sketch-Up two years ago, and couldn't get far on my own. It might be easier now and have more things from others to input and make easier instead of starting from scratch.
    We have Better Homes & Gardens Architectural Home Designer, and we have been delighted with the 3D views ("camera", "dollhouse", etc). Those views are so helpful to us so that we can see how it will really *feel* to be in the space. I'm not as proficient as my spouse, who was a whiz at graphic programs like Photoshop. Even so, I managed to mock up our existing kitchen so that it looked like our current kitchen. That's when I knew the program was really good. :-)

    I think AHD was $199 when I bought it. If I wasn't spending so much on my kitchen, I would have gone for the next higher version ($499) to get more flexibility on drawing custom cabinets. Still, the Arch Home Designer level was worth it for the visualizations out of the box. Plus every month, they have free webinars on how to do things--and those are good for learning as well.

    Here are some images from my use of AHD to plan my kitchen:
    http://s690.photobucket.com/albums/vv269/la_koala/June_kitchen_planning/http://s690.photobucket.com/albums/vv269/la_koala/June_kitchen_planning/

    I just love how I can pretend to walk in the rear door and see how it'll feel.

  • judithsara
    13 years ago

    http://www.sweethome3d.com/

    I used the online version, downloading it and then downloading the library turned out to be confusing and not worth my time.

    Here is a link that might be useful: sweet home 3d site

  • barbcollins
    13 years ago

    I use Chief Architects software: http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/

    I am very happy with it. It was $99.
    You can do 3D, and walk thru photos or videos.

    I like the 'Doll House View' which lets you look at the floor plan of the whole house in 3D.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Chief Architect Website

  • jeniferkey
    13 years ago

    Google Sketch Up for the house addition, and now for the bathroom. I went through the tutorials to get started, and now I rarely get stumped.

  • ideagirl2
    13 years ago

    We use Chief Architect. It's great. There are all sorts of "levels" to it--I mean versions from simple to complex--and you can upgrade to the next level if you decide you want more functionality. (For example, there's a level where it will compare your plan to national codes!). When we bought it I went from never having used it to having a complete kitchen drawn up in a few hours--not a bad learning curve.