Got a flier in the mail that a consulting firm here in Minneapolis is offering a class on Better Homes and Gardens software HOME DESIGNER SUITE 6.0 as a way to fill the continuing education requirements for license renewal.
They list it as a baby version of CHIEF ARCHITECT.
Anyone have any comments on this program.
Thanks in advance,
Shoeman
website for the software is www.homedesignersoftware.com
Replies
Not sure what you are looking for, but here is some background.
Borderbund has 3D Home Architect Delux. Up thru version 4(I belive that it is the version) that was a scaled down version of Cheif Architect.
Starting with version 5 of 3D Borderbund changes to a completely different different software engine and it is not compatable with CA.
CA then came out with a $500 home version, but I don't think that they where realy up to market it the the "home" market.
So now they are working with BH&G with 2 different levels of the product.
Thanks for the "skinny". I bought 3D Home Architect v.5 about a year ago, thinking that it was a better version of 4.0. About lost the little religion I had before taking it off my PC and returning it to Staples. I still use 4.0 for roughing plans. Do you have/know of a benchmark of 3D Home Architect vs. the BH&G 6.0 version?
Look here and download the comparison matrix. Now that is between 6 and 6 Pro. But by looking at the features you might get an idea of what has been added.
http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/products/products.htm
Edited 2/5/2004 6:13:16 PM ET by Bill Hartmann
Bill: Look where (i.e. for comparison matrix)? ... Jim
http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/products/products.htm
Bill, thanks for the input. Good to hear about the 3D Home Architect info. Someone else was reccommending them. Good to know about the change between versions 4 and 5.
I don't have much experience with any design software. Was thinking the class on the Home Designer Suite might be a worthwhile way to spend my required continuing ed time. Just wanted to get peoples opinions of that product - anyone use it? Do you like it? Good points - drawbacks, that sort of thing.
Thanks again,
Shoe
"Was thinking the class on the Home Designer Suite might be a worthwhile way to spend my required continuing ed time."
Continuing ed for what.
I have never heard of that requirement for anykind of construciton license and would not think that the course would be acceptable for PE or Arch license.
"Do you like it? Good points - drawbacks, that sort of thing."
Do you have an experience with CAD or even with any of the computer "drawing" programs?
With those you draw a line and if you want to make a wall you have to draw a second line next to it. Then if you want to add a door then you need to either draw all of the little bits and pieces of the door (usually already done for you in terms of a symbol) and cut the two line that make up the wall. Then if you want move it you have to cut the lines in a different place and redraw them where the door was.
With an architectural drawing package you define the characteristics of the wall such as thickness and height. Then a single operation draws the wall. And the software know that when you put in a door that is a 3D object and that the wall remains, just a cut out for the door. And if you move the door the wall is "repaired".
Then you click to 3D view and you can see your standing wall from any angle.
I have only used 3D Home Arch ver 3. I put my house in it and was surprised how much it looked like it.
I am on a hillside, and the house is T shaped. The garage and basement under it is in the stem of the T, but they are 1/2 story higher than the main part of the house.
The roof on the main part is raised so that the roof would have been a simple cross gable. But one arm of the T has a shed roof with clearstory windows and vaulted ceiling.
The only 2 problems that I had was the with the stairs between floors, with a landing at the ofset basement and garage levels. It often did not want to draw them and claimed that there was not enough room.
The other was with the roof. Anything that I tried to do with the roof just made it worse. Since it was not a critical part of what I was doing I just gave up on that. My last attempt has one roof plane floating in space and not attached to anything.
I understand that roof construction was a weak point in the older versions and has been improved.
Bill, the continuing ed is for my Minnesota Residential Building Contractor License.
They make you take 7 hours of Commissioner of Commerce approved continuing education every year before they renew your license. Also have to pay a couple hundred dollar fee every year when you renew.
I was kind of supprised this class qualified as well, but, I thought as long as it was approved it might be a good way to spend those hours.
I have used 3D Home Architect 3.0 a few times with fair success. Just never really took the time to read the manual to learn some of the trickier points. Seem to remember some trouble with the landing area on a split level I was trying to use it for once.
Thanks for your input,
Shoe
I got a copy of version 4 on eBay for about $40 shipped. I've only got Windows 98 on my VirtualPC, and it worked just fine. OK, fine as in don't try this without the tutorial, it's too confusing, but it works as advertised. If I ever strike it rich and get Chief Architect, it'll be nice to know it'll convert over.
Bill, is that 3D Home Architect 4 by Broderbund or Home Designer Suite 4 by Better Homes and Gardens?
<i>Bill, is that 3D Home Architect 4 by Broderbund or Home Designer Suite 4 by Better Homes and Gardens?</i>
Good question - if it wasn't out in a box in the shed at the moment (I'm just about done with the new office) I could tell you for sure. 3D Home Architect sounds right, but it came with some kind of landscape designer, and something else I haven't used in a "Suite" package.
Thanks Bill, good luck with finishing up the office.
Shoe