Have any of you people used Sketch Up? What do you think of it and is it easy to learn? Any help would be appreciated.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Lighting up an exterior isn't just about ambiance— it's also about code compliance. Here is what the code says about safety and efficiency when it comes to outdoor lighting.
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Fine Homebuilding Magazine
Fine Home Building
Follow
-
Fine Homebuilding
Dig into cutting-edge approaches and decades of proven solutions with total access to our experts and tradespeople.
Start Free Trial Now -
GBA Prime
Get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field.
Start Free Trial Now
- Home Group
- Antique Trader
- Arts & Crafts Homes
- Bank Note Reporter
- Cabin Life
- Cuisine at Home
- Fine Gardening
- Fine Woodworking
- Green Building Advisor
- Garden Gate
- Horticulture
- Keep Craft Alive
- Log Home Living
- Military Trader/Vehicles
- Numismatic News
- Numismaster
- Old Cars Weekly
- Old House Journal
- Period Homes
- Popular Woodworking
- Script
- ShopNotes
- Sports Collectors Digest
- Threads
- Timber Home Living
- Traditional Building
- Woodsmith
- World Coin News
- Writer's Digest
Replies
Gene?
CaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
Sketch Up is revolutionary. It is incredibly easy to learn. It's free. What more could you ask for?
We have a guy in our office who started using it after some one-on-one tutorials with a temp worker, and now can produce 3D renderings with materials in less than a week of schematic designs that knock the socks off of our clients. We don't charge more for the service because it seems better as a value added kind of thing, but in two months, Steve has become a SU master. There is a pro version, which is worth the extra cost ($200?) for professionals due to extra visualization features, although we don't have it yet.
SU now has a built in interface (File Menu) to connect to the web for sharing of other people's models, entourage, and google earth.
I started to learn it and had to move off that project for another, but another couple co-workers (we're an 8 person) office have begun to get the hang of it easily as well, in no more than a weeks time. It's just awesome. Spend a few hours playing with the tuturial and checking out the online models and you'll be hooked.
I like it a lot. It's easy, but it's also it's own thing. So if you're used to 2-D cad, it's a bit foreign.
You are VERY right. It is NOT CAD. However, you CAN import CAD files into SU and use the lines to begin generating your 3D models. also, it is important with bigger models to use the component features (like CAD blocks and XREFS) so that you only have to draw as much as necessary and the redraw and regen time is reduced on the model.
The zoom / navigation features with the mouse and shortcuts make moving around the model quick smooth, and you can save view as tabs for quick navigation. So much to learn!"It depends on the situation..."
With a little time, you can make some great drawings. It's quick to learn, but still very robust in it's abilities. If you're familiar with CAD, you'll have a rough first day or two trying to unlearn your usual shortcuts.
It's worth learning how to use.
If you are a quasi creative type carpenter/builder/General and need to try concepts, show carpenters and clients ideas. Sketch Up is definitely the way to go. We do a good amount of design build and we have fully trained CAD vectorworks in the office but we hardly ever need to go beyond much beyond my concept Sketch Up. It gives dimensions and has great animation or preview options, including walk thru 3d. You can past photo materials, draw on inserted photos etc..
On the other hand I often find myself forgetting that its not a drafting tool. Its so easy to use and it took me so little time to get the hang of. Leave mechanical drawing to the professionals. They can even import my SU files and take it from there.
Arthur
this question and discussion comes up often on breaktime.. I responded today because in the last 3 weeks SU has significantly helped me on 2 different jobs. I would not have been able to do what I do with SU in the time that I did with any other CAD.. I am short on attention span and easily overwhelmed by long learning curve for something like that when I know its not going to be my primary occupation. I did this bathroom concept last week. (if the attachment works)
arthur
Thats a good sales toolChief Architect would take about five minutes for me for that because I'm a novice. I'm fairly confident that time could be cut in half on a bet by a more experienced CA user. FKA Blue (eyeddevil)
Thanks for the response. I like your website, very professional.
Did you find SU to be hard to use? Was SU difficult to navigate through? Do you have any experience with design software that helped you with SU? There are two versions of SU is your example the free version? Can you generated blueprints from SU?
Check out my website http://WWW.RENTACARPENTER.COM .