Can anyone recommend an inexpensive building design/blueprints software for use on a PC. I am adding a master bedroom suite to my home and intend on getting the bldg. permit myself. I’ve created plans manually many times but would like to try my hand at a software program that is user friendly.
Thanks,
Richard
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Replies
Check out 3d Home Architect http://www.3dhaonline.com/home_designer.htm. It costs about $40 on their website, but I've seen it cheaper at Staples. I've used it and it is set up much like Chief Architect but costs about $2000 less. It won't do anything very complex, but it will work for basic prints.
The current version is nothing like Cheif Arch. The current consumer version of Cheif Arch is published under the Better Homes and Garden brand.
I had an older version of 3DHA and it did function in a similar fashion as my Chief v 8. It would work well enough to floor plans do a simple addition.
AFICT there is no such thing. There's a lot out there but it all takes more effort than it's worth for a one-time addition submittal.
I'd recomend getting a local draftsperson to draw in autocad for you if you *need* to have it in a digital file or just draw it yourself with a pencil and paper.
Sorry to sound negative but the preparation of architectural and structural plans is a *profession* and as such, the tools and techniques take a while to aquire and become profecient with.
Good luck with your project.
inexpensive and recommendable are not co-existant terms
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And "user-friendly" doesn't apply at all.
If you already know how to draw with a pencil, I guarenrtee that if you sit down with a drafiting table and a box of new software, your addition will be done with the pencil long before you figure out how to use the software. If you have an interest in the software, that's fine. But if your goal is to get a planset submitted, use the pencil.
Thanks to everyone for your comments.
Richard
I have been playing around with Design CAD to do my floor plans for my house. It is surprisingly powerful, but I would hesitate to call it user friendly. More user friendly, and much cheaper, however, than AutoCAD. Design CAD Express V16, which is the one I have, is somewhat of a crippled version, giving only 2D, of the regular Design CAD.
The documentation, such as it is, is for the full 3D version with no indication of what is left out for "Express". I would rate the user documenation as fairly poor. It does a decent job of listing all the commands and how they work, but there is not real user guide in which you look up what you want to do and it points you toward the commands you need. I spent a lot of time searching the on-line command reference trying to figure out what I needed.
The Design CAD Express is $49 on-line but I got it for $10 off at Fry's. The regular DesignCAD is not too much more expensive. The company also markets TurboCAD. I have no idea how the DesignCADl and TurboCAD compare.
The DesignCAD Express is suppoedly oriented toward architecture, but the that appears to be primarily from a small library of architectural symbols which are pretty rudimentary - and most of which I can draw from scratch faster than going into the library and copying them into the drawing.
If you are familiar with drafting and have some acquaintance with drawing programs, it might be worth a look.
an inexpensive building design/blueprints software for use on a PC. I am adding a master bedroom suite to my home and intend on getting the bldg. permit myself.
That's three separate things right there.
Best way to learn software is not under completion pressure (like everything's waiting on the permit drawings). Some of the drafting s/w out there is intuitive for board drafters, some is not. Much of it seems aimed at those with little or no knowledge of draing or illustration (and less of construction).
As to permits, get the complete list of requirements they want first. Won't do you any good to fight your way through a week or two of learning new s/w to find you need 24 x 36" stamped drawings ($99 for s/w & $1100 for a used plotter not very economical). If you have a copy center nearby, you have to know exactly which file types they can print large scale from (you may need to be able to save your files to PDF).
None of this will do a lick of good if the AHJ requires a licensed person to stamp the drawings and fill in the "applicant" portion of the permit forms. Few enough licensed pros will just take your drawings just because they are electronic.
Now, having been a bit of wet blanket--tell us about the addition. What features are you aiming for? Have you decided how you are handling transitions of insulation, v/b, fascia & roof lines yet?