In fact, the two lines are different websites. Their second line, which goes under the “Home Designer Software” banner is for the DIY folks. This will cost you big bucks but it’s at a level that will pretty much generate all the plans and blueprints needed for a full build. Their first line is design software for pros such as architects and interior designers. Okay, we have to clarify some things about Chief Architect here because it can be confusing.Ĭhief Architect has TWO lines of products. I saved my pennies and finally invested in Chief Architect’s “Home Designer Software” which is arguably the Rolls Royce of home design software for non-professionals. Read this review to discover what I think of it. I've been using this software for days giving it a run for its money. You can also check out these alternatives to Home Designer for other ideas and options.I finally got my hands on Home Designer Software by Chief Architect which is the DIY home design software platform. Home Designer Suite costs $99 and you can buy direct from the developer Chief Architect or from Amazon. For this you need to upgrade to the considerably more expensive Architect or Pro editions.įinally, you’ll have to invest quite a bit of time to master Home Designer Suite but if you do, the payoff is well worth it. ![]() There are also no layers in the Suite edition for things like electrical layouts, foundations and plumbing. On the downside, Home Designer Suite can be slow at times especially when rendering in 3D. One of the stand out features of Home Designer Suite is the Outdoor Kitchen Designer which allows you to choose from name brand appliances and furnishings. There are specific tools for terrain planning with the ability to account for elevation, contours and show lot setback requirements to neighbors or professional landscape designers. There are also landscape templates available to speed things up which you can change around and customize according to your own designs and ideas. You can control the camera angles, sunlight and do 3D walk-throughs of your final designs. This isn’t exact but gives you a rough idea of how much it would cost to bring your dreams to life.ĭesigns are in made 2D but you can Home Designer Suite has very professional rendering tools which expand them into 3D. There’s also a useful Materials Calculator which helps you cost a project based on the materials you’ve used. To finalize designs, there’s also a Material Painter which allows you to add those finishing touches to decks, floors or tiles. The level of detail is impressive and there’s even a Plant Chooser which allows you to select plants by color, foliage and climate preference. There’s a huge choice of 3,600 plants for gardens with detailed botanical information including Hardiness Zone maps. There are other objects that you can import from the Chief Architect website and you can also import photos from your own yard or garden. There’s a Build menu for creating decking, fencing and railings plus a huge choice of interior design elements such as doors, windows, stairs and even chandeliers. This includes automatically creating angles and corners as you snap two parts of a wall together for example. To build a wall for example, you go to Build > Wall > Straight Exterior Wall and then drag it to where you want it on the canvas.Īny items or elements you use conveniently snap to the grid to make sure that everything remains organized and logical as you plan. ![]() It also asks what kind of landscape you want to design such as Urban Contemporary, Country etc.Īll of the tools are are located in toolbars across the top with tool tips to tell you what each button does. There is a setup wizard to get you started however and the first thing it asks is whether you want to use imperial or metric measurements. Home Designer Suite feels a bit intimidating at first glance with lots of features, menus and options on the main canvas. ![]() There is are also more powerful CAD software versions of Home Designer Architectural Edition ($199) and the Professional Edition ($495) aimed at professional architects and designers. It’s the cheapest package in the Home Designer range and aimed at beginners to landscape design. Home Designer Suite costs $99 which gives you a license for both Mac and PC. The Best Landscape Design Software For Mac & PC.In this review, we take a closer look at Home Designer Suite For Mac.
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