May 192013
Home Designer Suite 2014 [Download]
![Home Designer Suite 2014 [Download]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51fo5JS9NjL._SL160_.jpg)
- Software for home design, remodeling, interior design, kitchens and baths, decks and landscaping, and cost estimation
- Take a virtual tour and use 3D views to know exactly what your project will look like before you build
- Design in 2D and 3D or both simultaneously; built-in style templates; 6,000+ library items
- Drag-and-drop from thousands of design objects; powerful deck and patio tools; Plant Chooser offers 1,500+ plant options
- Get started with “How-To” tutorials, 30+ step-by-step training videos, live online training webinars, and more
Chief Architect Home Designer Suite 2014: Take on any home design or remodeling project with Home Designer Suite. Take a virtual tour and or use 3D views to know exactly what your project will look like before you build! Perfect for Home Design, Remodeling, Interior Design, Kitchens and Baths, Decks and Landscaping, and Cost Estimation. Save time and money and start designing your dream home today! Home Design and Remodeling: Design your dream home with advanced design tools that are fun and eas
List Price: $ 99.99
Price: $ 99.99
Almost had a “refund”, so why five stars???,
Having been (and still am) a DIY enthusiast for decades, I began using Broderbund’s Interior Design software way back in 1995, loved it, and a couple of years later I came across Punch design software. It did an admirable job, and I continued with their software up until my very recent download of Chief Architect Suite 2014. (As an aside, I also want to state here that I have used AutoCad/Mechanical Desktop for mechanical engineering design work for years too, but obviously that software could only be used at work!)
Back to this product: It took a bit of getting used to in creating 3-D views (which reminded me of the Broderbund product in that regard). However, my biggest problem was that I was unable to get 90% of the textures to SHOW in my 3-D rendered views. I browsed their forum, and noticed that many others were having the same “white furniture/objects” problem, and the blame went to “graphics card problem”. I wrote to the company and they suggested a refund. I “sat on it” for a day or so, and went back on in to the program. I did NOT want to give it up as I “liked it too much”.
The reason for my review’s title of five stars and the refund comment is this: I SOLVED the “white furniture/object” problem quite accidentally. I was using the render option to view my finished room layout, and noticed in the drop down menu the last option to ‘toggle textures’. Hmm, I wonder… and YES, *that* was my problem all along. I kick myself for not having seen it sooner, as I wasted hours of frustrated tinkering – wavering from “get a refund” to “I wish it would work”. Sigh.
I wanted it to work because what I “could” see of the rendering in 3-D was superb – baseboards and crown moldings, EXCELLENT cabinet placement, whereby corner cabinet counter tops “automagically” fill in the missing space when two corner cabinets are properly aligned either side by side or angled – and the counter top is still editable for a different choice of granite, or say, marble (and the cabinets color/material can be changed too).
Another very nice feature (over Punch) is when you do a door cut-out – i.e. a “doorway” with no casing. The baseboard ACTUALLY WRAPS around the wall’s thickness. In Punch, there’s nothing there to cover the wall’s thickness… just sharp cut-off baseboard edges at the back and the front of the wall… so KUDOS to Chief Architect for giving me properly wrapped baseboards!
Also, I love the accuracy of the wall’s thicknesses – and choices – anywhere from standard 2×4 studs, to 2×6 – all the way to CBS or poured concrete walls! WOW!
I also like the choice of “style” when you first start a new plan. I have used “cottage” theme, and “traditional” already. In both cases, the doors and baseboards are styled to fit the theme. Cottage gave me bead board cabinets and such, painted in white. In Traditional, the doors were of dark wood. Why is this good? Back in my Punch days, the baseboards and doors and windows were always of a light wood, and if you wanted them to be painted white, you had to painstakingly select them and add the styling. That’s not to say you can’t or won’t change the colors of window frames/doors etc in your chosen theme using this software, but it’s very handy when baseboards/crown/window frames are already the color you want! I spend too much time using these programs as it is (ask my husband!!! he says it’s a sickness with me) – so any time I can save NOT having to do tedious painting of baseboards throughout, is just FINE with me!
Their texture/color library is excellent too (plus you can download “brand name” furniture groupings and the like, for free. (Some you have to pay for IF you have a more expensive version of this software). I actually can put LEATHER on my couches now! And there’s an abundance of different types of glass: block, stained, opaque, clear – for instance. I also love the smoothness of their rendered bathtubs! The Punch version was awful compared to this software (but then again, I’m running this on a brand new Win8 PC with upgraded memory etc. but with the standard video card).
The program seems to be smart enough to know that when you paint one wall a certain color, you don’t have to fiddle around “breaking” a long (interior or exterior) wall, so that you can have different wall colors and/or tile/textures in rooms on either side of the perpendicular wall.
Another reason I chose this software was due to my having a newly purchased Win8 PC, as mentioned. Also – THE PRICE of this software is unbeatable.
There’s much much much more about this program that I like, but right now this review is turning into a book. Sorry about that. If you’ve never used house design software before, I hope my review will help you in your purchasing decision. I won’t say it’s been the easiest to learn (as many other reviewers have stated) but then again, neither was Mechanical Desktop a walk…
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|Phenomenal!,
After reading reviews of alternative home-design software packages, I quickly settled on Home Designer Suite 2014. I was not disappointed. In a word, the application is phenomenal. I used it to develop a design for a significant remodel to a home I was considering for purchase. If the cost of a suitable remodel was too high, I wouldn’t be interested in buying the property. So, I wanted a fairly detailed plan to present to my contractor for his estimate.
Some reviewers have noted a steep learning curve for this application. Here’s my experience: I received the software on a Wednesday; spent 3 days (about 4 hr/d) exploring it; and then 3 days using it for design. Thus, in less than a week, I had input the design of the complete, existing structure, and completed design for the remodel! And my structure involved complicated split levels and several interior stairwells.
I am impressed with the number of options (materials, colors, textures, styles, etc.) for customizing a design. Sure, there are a few limitations (e.g. occasionally there are some gaps in the siding of 3D views above decorative windows placed below gables), but considering its modest cost, I rate this software as having the highest value-to-cost ratio of any software I’ve ever purchased.
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|Really good.,
I use a Mac and wanted to find good Mac software. I saw the free Autodesk app that runs in a web browser, but it did not do roofs and could not show a house from the outside – so it did not help me visualize the project or show it to others who have to give approval. I decided that if I was going to spend a tons of money on a renovation, it is better to buy $100 software than so something free but lacking.
The paid Mac programs – I saw some poor reviews and there were no free trials, so I decided not to buy any.
I got this PC program and it runs fine on my Mac in VMware Fusion. I am experienced with 3D design software, and it did not take me very long to see that this is a good program – not hard to learn but also very comprehensive. It is well worth the price.
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