Architectural Software

I was drawing on graph paper and thought, why aren't I doing this on the laptop?

Recommendations? Perhaps a little CAD program is all I need. My friend who is making building plans is using Photoshop because he couldn't find what he liked and wanted layers. Sounds like too much trouble!

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Thies
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Floorplan3D from IMSIsoft, ~$50 or so, easy to use and produces nice photorealistic 3D renders. TurboCAD (also IMSI) if you want to do more advanced plans.

Reply to
Pete C.

Chief Architect is very interesting and has a huge number of object libraries available, but I found it really tough to learn. That may have something to do with the 3D design model the software uses which is dramatically different than

2D CAD programs.

You can buy a cheaper version under the Better Homes & Gardens Home Designer label.

Reply to
Robert Neville

SketchUp - it's free, from Google, easy to learn, surprisingly powerful. Free plugins make it sit up and bark.

R
Reply to
RicodJour

Thanks to all.

I'm starting with SketchUp and working my way through the other suggestions. As a programmer, I like that (with SketchUp) I can write a little code and season it to taste. Not that I would, but I could! Free ain't bad either.

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Thies

I had a lot of trouble learning enough Sketchup to use, until I realized that it wasn't a CAD program. It's a 3-D modeling program. It's a whole different paradigm and takes requires one to think quite differently about the problem.

Reply to
krw

That sounds like the same problem I had with Chief Architect.

Reply to
Robert Neville

Linux / Windows / OSX / something else? That seems to make a huge difference when it comes to availability.

I searched around a while back and couldn't really find anything - found lots of 3D modelers (totally different way of working, as someone mentioned), lots of over-the-top CAD packages that take months/years to master (no good if all you want is something quick and easy), or various things that are quite easy to use, but lack symbol libraries (I really don't want to sit there drawing windows, doors etc. if I can help it).

Yeah, I did the same, using inkscape - but see my final point in above para. :-)

(I'm originally a programmer, so even considered just writing my own to do what *I* needed, but that has the same problem with a huge investment before seeing results that using something like Inkscape/Photoshop does)

cheers

Jules

Reply to
Jules Richardson

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