10-13-2006, 09:58 AM
Autodesk products (AutoCAD, etc.) are certainly the industry standard in CAD software. However, when it comes to residential design, the offerings from Advanced Relational Technology - the makers of Chief Architect - bring a lot to the table for both the design professional and home users.
It is true that CA 10 runs about $2300 for the full Enterprise Package, but OTH AutoCAD 2007 is a $4K outlay and Architectural Desktop is close to $5K. Too, if you are starting from scratch additional $$'s have to be budgeted for training because as Cat alluded to, these proggies are among the least intuitive with some of the steepest learning curves in the commercial software universe.
For a draftsperson or AIA type, plans generated by Chief Architect have several advantages in addition to lower initial cost. While not up to AutoCAD in term of overall sophistication and power, for a CAD application it's relatively easy to use - you can bang out a basic box house within an hour or two of installation without doing much more than glance at the instructions. The software also provides beautifully rendered (almost photo-realistic) camera views of the project that can be panned, rotated. zoomed, etc. so that you can show the client a pretty good idea of what it will actually look like. One feature it has that to me is invaluable is the ability to create a materials list on the fly. I could be wrong, but I don't think other similar programs have this capability . . . at least not in stock configuration.
The consumer version of CA is actually called Better Homes & Gardens Home Designer, now at version 7.0. It costs any where from about $60 to over $500 depending upon features included, and is available from many bricks & mortar retailers including Costco (most of the time & most locations) and online.
There are other options available to homeowners using Windows PC's also, including 3D Home Architect, Punch! Super Home Suite, and Total 3D Home & Landscape Design Suite. Mac users are basically out of luck, although there used to be a program called Abracadata Design Your Own Home Suite. I don't think it's still being developed or supported, but stray copies may be available from liquidators.
All of these things let you play around with various design ideas so you can better help your drafter of architect actually translate your dreams into workable plans.
aloha,
Gene
_______________________
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
It is true that CA 10 runs about $2300 for the full Enterprise Package, but OTH AutoCAD 2007 is a $4K outlay and Architectural Desktop is close to $5K. Too, if you are starting from scratch additional $$'s have to be budgeted for training because as Cat alluded to, these proggies are among the least intuitive with some of the steepest learning curves in the commercial software universe.
For a draftsperson or AIA type, plans generated by Chief Architect have several advantages in addition to lower initial cost. While not up to AutoCAD in term of overall sophistication and power, for a CAD application it's relatively easy to use - you can bang out a basic box house within an hour or two of installation without doing much more than glance at the instructions. The software also provides beautifully rendered (almost photo-realistic) camera views of the project that can be panned, rotated. zoomed, etc. so that you can show the client a pretty good idea of what it will actually look like. One feature it has that to me is invaluable is the ability to create a materials list on the fly. I could be wrong, but I don't think other similar programs have this capability . . . at least not in stock configuration.
The consumer version of CA is actually called Better Homes & Gardens Home Designer, now at version 7.0. It costs any where from about $60 to over $500 depending upon features included, and is available from many bricks & mortar retailers including Costco (most of the time & most locations) and online.
There are other options available to homeowners using Windows PC's also, including 3D Home Architect, Punch! Super Home Suite, and Total 3D Home & Landscape Design Suite. Mac users are basically out of luck, although there used to be a program called Abracadata Design Your Own Home Suite. I don't think it's still being developed or supported, but stray copies may be available from liquidators.
All of these things let you play around with various design ideas so you can better help your drafter of architect actually translate your dreams into workable plans.
aloha,
Gene
_______________________
Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati
_________________________
"I've been on food stamps and welfare, did anybody help me out? No." - Craig T. Nelson
"I've been on food stamps and welfare, did anybody help me out? No." - Craig T. Nelson