I’m a builder and I’m looking for a drafting program that I can use for basic house design. I have been considering a program called Chief Architect 8.0. So far, all I have to base a decision on is their website advertising. Not, in my opinion, the only suggestions I should take before dumping $1500 into a purchase. Does anyone out there have experience with this program or with other programs I might check into? Or else know of a disinterested third party’s review of similiar programs? I’m not really interested in CAD because I don’t want to take all the classes. Chief architect looks easier to use and also does 3D modeling for the client’s virtual walk-through. Those are features that I really like. So, is it a good buy, or a bunch of hooey? Your input is sincerely appreciated.
Chad Oistad
Replies
I'm not sure how you're defining CAD to exclude a drafting program. CAD is just Computer Aided (or Assisted) Design. In my opinion, a drafting program you can use for basic house design is just as much CAD as full bore AutoCAD or any other high end CAD program.
I remember seeing a reference to a web site that reported results of a competition between various CAD programs. Didn't need it, so I didn't remember or record it. You might search in the archives for CAD and shootout, CAD and comparison, or CAD and review.
Or just do a search for CAD. The topic has been discussed often here, with no shortage of differing opinions.
I'm taking my definition of CAD from a good acquaintance of mine (my ex-wife) who does CAD drafting professionally. She makes it sound like CAD is a specific program that I'm not learning without some serious classes. Of course, this is my ex-wife so maybe she's just messing with me in an effort to make me look like a big idiot.
I'll try the search options you suggested. Thanks.
here's a link to a discussion about your subject..
I use Chief.. have since about '96... we like it.. our clients like it.. but you have to invest time , money & equipment to get it to do what you want.. just as you do with any of them...
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=23604.1Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Your wifey-x is probably talking about autocad by softdesk, abreviated ACAD. It is an industry standard (or so the providers would like you to think) and it is highly technical. Those who are addicted often seem to have a "look down my nose at you" attitude towards other cad programs, possibly because they have so much time invested.
I too, was confused abnout your title because if you do drawing with the computer it is a Computer-Aided-Drawing program.
As Mike said, some time investment is needed for any CAD but from all I read, this is one of the easiest to begin using. I think they have a free thirty day trial version to find out.
I use Softplan. http://softplan.com/
You can download or order a CD demo which is not activated (just a show and tell thing) but if you purchase it they have a thirty day money back gaurantee. I was up and running and making money with it in about ten days. The full package is more than chief architect but thewy have a lite version for less with upgrade credit to full. I think it is a little more powerful than Chief and definitely easier than full autocad .
Chief has a junior version in stores called broderbunds 3D architect for 50 to 100 bucks.
Excellence is its own reward!
3D Home Architect is great. There are a lot of automatic features to it. You can do walk throughs. You can drag walls and windows any time. The stand alone vesion is under $50. It comes bundled with some other stuff for about $89. I have tried several of the CAD programs ... Turbo Cad, Auto Cad, Easy Cad and Auto Sketch. Wasted my money on all of them because I could never get the nack of it.
I used Broderbund 3D Home Architect for the house I just completed. I printed out the plans and took them to the bank and building department and got my permits and construction loan. They are not blueprints, but they do export to Auto Cad for final prints after the design is complete. Getting contracts with the printouts can be tricky.
Isn't it fun now to look back at the layering of "experts" and techno-snobs to see where various positions fall/feel. I'm not sure when I became aware that the AutoCad users felt they were the big-time users while everyone else were still in the wilderness; but, it probably around the same time that I discovered that other CADAM, CATIA, CATEA, etc. users thought that AutoCad was a toy.
The truth is, if it does what you need, then it's perfect; if it does less, then you've irrevocably wasted your money; if it does more, then you've merely over-spent..
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
Those programs you mention are modelling and mechanical CAD....CAD/CAM software used for engineering/manufacturing....they have no architectural or small shop applications at all (just the thing if you're designing 747's though). What's a CATIA seat worth now? Still upwards of 30 grand? I know I just saw a CATIA quote for a review article....$320K U.S for 11 seats, and they're typically discounted for multiple seats (a quote I have for a woodworking CAD/CAM package has one seat at about 2K (educational pricing; industrial price is 15K U.S), 25 seats at 15K). Even if you have a CAD/CAM package, most people I know stil use a drafting package at least part of the time for 2d profiles to take into CAD/CAM.
As far as the student versions of Autocad go, be careful....at least with ACAD 2002, you get a plot stamp that is impossible to get rid of....all around the edges, there is large text saying 'this was done with an Autodesk educational product' or something like that...even if you do part of a drawing in the student version, and take it into a drawing done in a regular verson, you get the plot stamp. Clients may wonder.cabinetmaker/college instructor. Cape Breton, N.SWAY too conservative to be merely right wing
What Cloud is talking about is the difference between object-oriented programs versus a collection of lines. I see no reason to ever draft anything other than detail drawings from lines.
I've used VectorWorks and Chief Architect a fair amount. I like the control that VectorWorks offers and I like the automated aspects of Chief Architect. But I find Chief very frustrating exactly because of the automation as well. You often have to do clumsy workarounds to get something to draw the way you need it to be rather than the way chief knows how to draw it.
On the other hand Vectorworks takes more time to change things around because you have to go in and resize more individual parts and pieces when you make a change.
Both programs are object oriented. They are very similar, but essentially different too. I would try to get a little hands-on tryout of different programs, because it's very hard to know what aspects of which programs are going to be more important for you. Try more than one. I think most people just stick with what they first learn on. That can be very crippling if it's the wrong program for your needs.
Steve
Edited 12/8/2002 11:26:29 AM ET by STEVENZERBY
Hate to break the news to ya, but yer ex is jerkin yer chain. You're asking for 2x4's that don't come from trees, or scotch tape that isn't sticky,...
I'd say that technically there are some non-CAD drafting programs, just like there are 2x4's that don't come from trees (plastic or composite). A program like MacDraft could do all the shapes and simple dimensioning, but didn't offer any of the "intelligent" tools or pre-built objects normally associated with CAD. CAD has wall objects, door objects, roof objects, and on and on, and these can be resized parametrically and given different characteristics without YOU having to draw everything individually. CAD software will do stuff for you, while drafting software will make you do it all yourself. I've even seen people use MS Paint as "drafting" software. One woman did renderings of her dome that way, and they were nicer than most CAD-jockeys were doing.
That said, I agree with the others that it seems your ex was jerkin' your chain.
Not to argue, mostly a discussion item...The dome renderings...wouldn't that be considered more of an artists rendering rathert than cad plans? Done properly, which probably means taking a considerable amount of time, they can be stunningly rrealistic and a great way to convey the desired final product. IMHO there is a lot of skill and artistic ability required to be able to render something accurately, but maybe I think that way because I can't do it. And the programs where you pull together shapes, yes that's technically cad work, but I would consider than analguous (what?) to building a bookcase from scratch vs out of a box from Lowes. One's woodworking and one's assembly work, but both end up with a bookcase.
After reading some of the other discussions on this site, I'm struck by how they always evolve into something else. You always get more than you asked for. Hell of a deal at twice the price.
Thanks for all your suggestions,etc. I went back and looked at the old thread and found it very useful as well.
And thanks for letting me know that the ex is still successfully messing with me.
Some things never change.
Without covering all the details, she also did her floorplans with MS Paint. Glutton for punishment, huh? But quite the artist!
A company was at the same time selling a drafting product and a CAD product, which shared much of the drafting product's features and interface, but extended it with numerous automated tools. It's from that that I see some distinction between drafting and CAD.
Hi Chad,
This is a pretty interesting article (at least the intro), even though the reviews are old. He doesn't endorse any, just tells you what they do. http://www.cadonline.com/features/0402aeccad/aeccad.htm
It appears Chief is a good deal for the price: http://www.cadonline.com/features/0402aeccad/features.pdf
I've only used MicroStation of the 10 he reviews, and it is not terribly intuitive (not to mention expensive).
If you haven't already, download Chief's demo, and do the tutorial if there is one. Good luck!
If your interested in getting AutoCad for a fraction of the cost here's how:
Take a drafting class at your local Community College. After signing up for the class go the the bookstore and buy the student version of AutoCad. Then immediately drop the class and get your tuition back. Or you may want to take the class if you feel uncomfortable with the steep learning curve.
I did this a few years back and found the Student Version to be essentially the same as the commercial version.
I got a student version in a book, "ACAD for Arch..."
But it expired after thirty days because I wasn't enrolled anyplace. (Commuting to night school from an island is a challenge.)
That's a good idea. All I did was get my feet wet and then downloaded Intellicad. Good freebie!.
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.
The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."
--Marcus Aurelius
Not that I would do anything so illegal or immoral but you might, I hear, say visit a few warez sites and dig for a key code for that ACAD program so you can use it. There is usually also a back door. The key code, if past experience holds, need not be specific to your copy. Any key for the version you have will likely work.