Creating Cheap and Easy Floor Plans

[AWheating]

Another one i have tried and recommend.

Chief Architect Home Designer Suite 9

RRP – £59.99

Price - £39.02 @ www.amazon.co.uk (version 10)

by Chief Architect

Home Design Software - Home Design Projects


(please note that it has now been updated to version 10)



REVIEW:



Program Layout: the company that makes this software Chief Architect makes some very expensive CAD software, and this shows through in this version of there home designer software. The layout design and program structure is very clean and slick, and it feels very professional.



Tools: everything you need to create good looking floor plans is here, walls are easy to draw and you can choose between several wall types. Door, windows, stairs are very easy to place. You also get all the needed basic cad drawing tools to help you add details to the drawing (line, circle, rectangle, arc, dimensions, and text including others) the only negative being that you can not alter line weights.



Features: you get a vast library to select objects from, most things are there for detailing a floor plan but you can not create your own symbols which is a shame. On the plus side you can save/export your drawing in a standard cad file format (dxf), so it can be viewed by people that do not have this software. You can import picture files and add to the drawing so you can add company logo's and manufactures diagrams.



The quality of its 3d tools and rendering is very good and although this wont effect your basic floor plans if you were interested in these features this is the best software I have tried.



Ease of Use: Compared to most of the competition this is nice and easy to use, the learning curve is not that big and it becomes enjoyable to use after a while.



Support : the support available is very good, you get the normal built in manual and help function but you also get a large amount of guides and video tutorials online to guide you though different things. You can also join there talk forum to discuss problems.



value for money: its very good value for money, especially if you will use the 3d side of the program.



Summary: This software is excellent, and my personal favourite to use, you may not see it from my example plans but when printed out they do look very clean and professional. If it had a set of 2d BS symbols and a line weights tool then I could not fault it at all. If you are looking for the full home design package then I would get this.



You can not download a free trial of this software, you can download a free trial of there full cad software if you want.

At www.chiefarchitect.com/



here are a few screen shots and example plans.

 

[AWheating]

I had to make use of a similar package and found one or two freebies on the internet. I also found a couple of great packages with a 30 day free trial and used one of those and never had to pay anything.

thats how i tryed most of the software i have, checkout the links to trials. I think when you have a free trial once, you cant download it again. I have been told that if you know how to remove the registry files from the download then it may be possible to just keep using the free trial.

its also best to make sure that you can save and print as some free trials not let you, to try and make you buy it. some even leave a water mark on your printouts until you purchase the full version.

I will post a full list of all the software i have tried including the free ones and then if anyone uses them, hopefully they can post a review and let us know whats its like.

 

[AWheating]

Google sketchup its free!

last time i used it which was a few years ago i found it very hard to use and currently i cant get it to work on my computer, keep getting an error on load up.

Have you used it? post your experiences please.

 

[tamz]

I must say on reading this post i am thinking what is the point.
On new build or for extentions the drawings are supplied and if the builder or archietech wants an as is pipework drawing i do it on one of theirs in pencil. No one else ever gets a drawing because they don't require one and i am not being paid for it. Gas line diagrams are never required for domestic stuff.
If they want to know where the pipes are in 10 years time phone me and for a small fee i'll do my best to remember :lol:

 

[unguided1]

Who can afford the *** packet when the software is cheaper?

Yeah but I cant light up a down load!!!

 

[sweet]

Is their an app for floor plans on the iPhone ?

 

[dontknowitall]

Is their an app for floor plans on the iPhone ?

No idea but you'd probably want a microscope to be able to read it???

 

[ecowarm]

This is a 3d project I have been doing on google sketchup, only downloaded it the other day and just trying to get my head round it

 

[tweakyboy]

Sketch up is a amazing bit of free kit, I've done all my house with it. Making my rooms and playing around with ideas etc.

 

[AWheating]

Wow Tweakboy , that looks cool. i must say sketch up can produce some good stuff in the right hands.