I am looking for software to aid me in drawing plans mainly for residential remodels. I have seen some CAD software that are very oriented to a designers perspective and i have seen software, such as vectorworks, that i would say it is for engineers. what i do is lay out footprints and elevations of existing structures, make modifications per homeowners request then when necessary send my hand written drawings to architects or engineers or sometimes work from my drawings. does anyone have any suggestions for software that might be oriented to my perspective? Assuming i have explained myself. i use mac osx. thanks shake
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You might want to try out Sketch Up. You can download it for free and give it a try. Works great for 3d and has fantastic tutorials on line. Good Luck.
You may want to consider SoftPlan. While Sketch Up is good for 3-D modeling, SoftPlan is best for overall residential design. You will have more comprehensive tools to draw floor plans. Elevations, Cross sections, Framing plans and 3-D Models are all generated automatically for you. All exterior demensions are drawn automatically. When you pop in windows with a click you have 11 standard window manufacturers to choose from including Andersen, Pella, Marvin and more. All of the libraries in SoftPlan are geared specifically for residential design and you can customize them. SoftPlan is also "parametric" which will allow you to make design changes in plan, elevation, cross section or in the 3-D model and they update simultaneously. You can create photo realistic renderings for presentations to clients and use as a sales tool. SoftList (add on module) runs in the background and generates a complete and accurate material list and cost estimate automatically as you draw. SoftPlan is considerably more money than Sketch Up but well worth it if you are a professional remodeling contractor or builder that will be using it again and again. When you invest in a tool, you get what you pay for.
Good Luck!
Thanks for the suggestion. I will check softplan out. Sketch up seems easier then most, but not really what i want. And I agree, a good tool is worth spending good money for.