I would like to use some software program to design projects for my customers.
I would be using this software for basements, additions, second floor additions, decks.
Is there one software package that covers all or are there different ones?
What software do you guys use, what do you use it for and what do you like and dislike about it?
I'm a new Softplan user and so far am loving it. within a day or two you can be easily drawing very detailed floor plans. I'm still learning...haven't yet put together a full set of working drawings....but I'm close.
I also use autocad. Very powerful....just a little bit more of a learning curve to become really proficient with it.
autocad is a drafting program plain and simple, it doesn't "do" anything per se, it just follows input from the user using standard drafting, and geometry concepts. Whereas these programs that "design" for you are inherently flawed in that they interpret inputs within the perameters of how the program was designed, not saying they are bad or anything like that, only if you want complete design control, precision, and something that you can work from and make an accurate cut list from autocad is the way to go. just my humble opinion:smile:
You can do 3D with Autocad but that is where the learning curve gets steep. I prefer Autocad over the other programs listed but mainly because it is accurate, you are drawing in real units in scale. As far as walk-throughs, never had a need for them. I show customers exterior elevations and floor plans. And don't give any of this to them unless you get the job, they just use your design and give it to other builders to try to cut down on the price.
I use AutoCAD for all my detailed design work, but when a homeowner wants to see a visual picture of a kitchen, bathroom, basement or addition, I use Better Homes & Gardens Home Designer Pro. This allows walk-throughs and can create plan views from your 3-D designs. I believe this model also does decks and landscape design, but I've never used those features.
yeah...if you are going to be learning something new anyway, go with something like Revit rather than autocad.
Despite autodesk's hard sell, it's a very cool program. I have switched from autocad to revit for the architectural portion of my 3d renderings. Also most architectural and engineering firms i work with are switching over.
It'll probably be the dominant software program for the next 7 years, 3 months.
What about takes offs? Do you guys consider design software that "works" to be defined as being a tool that help you design and build, which means 1/2 the process is being able to do a design, but the other 1/2 is producing a take off.
Apparently Revit will do that for you too. I haven't played with that part of it yet, but I keep hearing that contractors (commercial) who my clients works with are using it.
Some architects are also using it to provide clients real-time cost analysis (although I'm a bit skeptical of this). I suspect what they are doing is sitting down with their clients and saying, ok...if you add these walls here and remove this gyp ceiling there then your project will change by x% (as opposed to by $x).
It certainly should be right on when it comes to sf of items such as flooring, walls and ceilings (and all things associated with that such as gwb, paint, studs, etc) since those elements are drawn in in 3d and structurally defined. It'll also be accurate on item counts for things like light fixtures and doors. It seems like it won't be so accurate on items such as wiring (unless someone takes the time to draw it...but that seems a bit extreme), outlets, toilet floor mount bolt covers and...hmmm...can't think of other things off hand. I can't speak much to the MEP side of things since I haven't played with those packages.
Finally it should do little to help out with labor problems, lazy employees and crack addicted architects (like me).
I started using using a program called Chief Architect many years ago when I got out of construction -to move onto being a drafter, and I must say, it does it all. 2d, 3d, schedules, cut list, con. sets, site plan, import and export - high end renderings, the list goes on and on and the best thing is -it took me 3 weeks to put together my first construction set. Drew a house in under 3 days, its just awesome.:thumbup:
I started using using a program called Chief Architect many years ago when I got out of construction -to move onto being a drafter, and I must say, it does it all. 2d, 3d, schedules, cut list, con. sets, site plan, import and export - high end renderings, the list goes on and on and the best thing is -it took me 3 weeks to put together my first construction set. Drew a house in under 3 days, its just awesome.:thumbup:
about 1/2 that price mics_54, it is an awesome program and there are a great bunch of people on their forum to help you out if needed.
One of them is Dave who does an unbelievable job on his website with free tutorials it's guys like him and others that make it well worth looking into.
Actually Mike I think it does I believe you have to set it up in the material list, but I have been using the program since ver. 3.1 (now up to ver.12) and never been able to figure it out although it is getting better but I use CadEstimator which works flawless with CA but a bit pricey if you are just going to do tile takeoff with it:thumbup:
It will give the sq. ft. if you're using a standard (boring) tile layout with one size...and you could pretty easily use a room polyline for a couple of different tiles to get that sq. ft. for each tile, but if you start having mixed tile sizes, borders etc, I don't think you'll get what you're looking for...at least not yet.
I've been using chief since '03 for interior remodeling only, but don't use the material list very often.
It will give the sq. ft. if you're using a standard (boring) tile layout with one size...and you could pretty easily use a room polyline for a couple of different tiles to get that sq. ft. for each tile, but if you start having mixed tile sizes, borders etc, I don't think you'll get what you're looking for...at least not yet.
you could get a total sq. ft. of both floor and shower I believe (using "polylines" for the shower (and assigning the material to it), but not a breakdown of each type of tile...so it wouldn't be real helpful in your situation.
Some of the real pros on chief talk (or dmd here) may have a work around that I'm not aware of.
I looked into it a couple of months ago, I was ready to plunk the money down on it, and posted on their site and what I got was that CA can't do it. All it came down to was a bunch of people telling me how to basically cheat CA into being able to create the rendering but it aint just about pretty pictures, a business needs software that allows actual work to be accomplished such as the take offs, printing POs to order the material... etc...
Mike, the way most if not all these programs do takeoffs is with a certain input. It comes down to the old saying, what you put in, you get out.
Take for example the software I use, Revit. The bath you have there is quite possible to do takoffs, accurate takeoffs. But this is how you have to input the design. You'd have to place one tile at a time, in the place you want it. Half tiles is another "block" (AutoCAD term) and you'd have to individually place those also.
Say for tile backer board. You can't just go in and draw a wall and it will understand 100% of the situations. It will give you sf items no problem.
However, if you want super duper accuracy, you will spend more time placing the specifics in the program file than actually just doing it manually.
If you set it up, you definitely could get very close. Even with CA.
What they told you about "cheating" to get things a certain way happens in all programs. If there was a program that worked 100%, everyone would be using it.
Revit and ArchiCAD IMO is getting there better than the others. SketchUp is great, and I think they will be changing the way things are done, but they aren't there yet. They have a ways to go. CA seems like a decent alternative, I have never used it.
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