Great class! Very informative.
Great class! Very informative.
Very Satisfied
I’m a hobby designer and I’ve recently upgraded to the latest Home Designer Suite after using an older version. The ease of use, the graphics and the extensive product libraries are great, and I’ve found the software to be very intuitive and easy to use. Also, the website links, the back-up support and the tutorials are very customer friendly.
I’d definitely recommend.
Old outdated catalogs
I’ve been a Home Designer Suite user since 2018. Five years of buying expensive updates later, and the catalogs are still the same old out of date stuff. Even the base architectural designs are woefully out of date. If you want to build a house straight out of the 90s, this is the suite for you. The only recourse is to import from some other program. Sketchup has the biggest library but the quality is all over the place (usually poor). Of course you can build everything from scratch, in which case you don’t need Home Designer Suite. As it stands now, I can’t find a reason to support another pricey update.
Quick but inadequate response
I requested online support about a feature that appears to be missing. I sent clear screen shots. The response was to call tech support at my convenience. If a call was convenient I would have done that in the first place.
Disappointing
Only bought Designer pro because you can no longer purchase chief architect premier outright. Corporate decided to make it a yearly subscription and as a small business starting out I am disappointed by this decision. Hope they would reconsider their decision, and make it available to purchase outright. Just disappointing….
Pro Version
Its is very functional and much better than other versions i have owned of there products. Where i am a bit let down is that for all the video requirements it has i expected much better level of realism in the 3D rendering as so many are now almost life like renderings.
The library’s offered are ample and work well.
Overall a great product.
Powerful, Intuitive and very easy to learn. Also very engaging/rewarding & fun to use.
I’m doing an addition to my home – a new level over the garage.
I tried several options – including one that was about the same $$ as Home Designer Suite.
I’m amazed at how easy it is to put together a plan of my existing home – which is absolutely perfect, with relative ease – which is an absolute must, before I then add that new level, based on the existing layout.
I’m impressed with the stability of the program. I’ve spent many hours in the program making complicated layouts and it has never frozen or crashed, and quietly makes backup’s . For example my computer rebooted after an OS update. When I opened the plans I was working on, the program let me know it had a more recent version than the last one I saved on my own.
Figuring out how to do things is a breeze using the Chief Architect web site. Example, I did not know how to put just a counter top with no cabinet – that was clearly explained, and easy to find in the help facility. Vaulted ceilings -also easy to find.
I have a lot of custom cabinetry which are not standard, or cookie cutter -and after a little experimenting changing the shape and door/drawer layout is a breeze. I’m sure I’ve only scratched the surface – but I really love using the program, it is engaging and fun to use and infinitely adjustable. There are some things I don’t yet know how to do, have poked around a little but not dug in deep. Like making a mirrored or glass cabinet door with no ‘lites’ or a full-height cabinet with only glass on the top doors. Mostly, if something doesn’t exist, they give you the tools to make it. My fireplace is full height rock with an oak mantel and a flat-stone hearth. Making the hearth, I just created a base cabinet at the right size and made the ‘counter top’ smooth stones, and the cabinet ‘finish’ as stone to match the rest fireplace definition – it doesn’t look 100%, but it looks fantastic.
I have always enjoyed architecture and drawing – but this makes it so fun, it is sometimes hard to put ‘down’.
Great program!
Great program! 2023 version has some handy upgrades in the layout tools. Tutorial videos are very helpful and there’s an easy link to them. Thanks a lot!
Great Product – Some Minor Drawbacks
I have used CA’s Home Designer for many years to design several buildings and a multitude of home remodels. No commercial use, just personal use. The capability of the product is amazing, and I haven’t used a fraction of it’s functions. And therein lies it’s biggest drawback for me – the inability to “word search” it’s extensive instruction manual. I always know what I am looking for, I just can never find it since you have to first know “where” to find it in the manual – and most of the time I don’t know. And searching each of the hundreds of sections in the manual is frustrating. Otherwise, it’s the best architectural tool I have found and I will continue to use it religiously.
Good Product, but need low cost video card in system requirements
Home Designer is a good product, but I spent extra money finding the right video card to make the 3D work. I ended up buying a RADEON RX550 to get it to work OK. Add this video model as an option in the FAQs. I would like to see more options for adding appliances and fixtures.
User friendly
I am a small builder and have no experience with any CAD program and in matter a few days I am starting to feel comfortable with this program.
Eats my homework
The biggest problem I have with the program is that it seems to eat the files too often. Had a design I was working on, made some changes then saved it, made some more additions then saved it again under a new filename. When I went to work on them the next day all files (primary and archived) were corrupted. The entire files contained nothing but zeroes. I have had this happen to me several times over the last couple of months. Very aggravating to have to start over to recreate your files.
Unable to use 3D functionality
I just upgraded my HDA software and my computer doesn’t have a powerful enough graphics card to support the 3D capability. I wasn’t planning to buy a new computer specifically to run this software.
I finally had to get a newer model
I am an occasional user; and have successfully used my Better Homes and Gardens, Home Designer Deluxe, 2005 Edition, migrating to each newer model computer using the purchased CDs. But, guess what, my newest computer doesn’t have a CD player. So… it was time… some would say, beyond time, to purchase this new edition. I love it. There is just enough familiarity to make the upgrade easy to work and explore for me, and the newer features are fun to explore and learn.
Amazing Product and Better Support!
I been working and learning the software for almost 5 years and the product is just amazing and when I need technical Support the respond really fast, I am so happy with the software, has a few details to improve but part of that improve is from my own side. Full recommended
Extremely Easy to Learn and Use
I’ve been using Chief Architect Home Designer Suite for several years, mostly to design new office buildings, additions, and remodels for the company I worked for. I also used it to design our own home and remodel projects for friends. Many people have difficulty visualizing a space just from a blueprint, so It’s helpful for them to see a picture of the space with floor and window coverings, furniture, etc. The program is extremely easy to learn and use. You can be up and running in just a matter of hours. If you do have difficulty using the program, their customer support is light years ahead of any customer support I have ever experienced.
You can’t beat the customer service!
Not only is the product wonderful, but you can’t beat the customer service. An element of my design was wonky and prevented Chief from building my roof properly. I messed with it for days and finally called. They had me send them the plan, and within a few minutes, they figured out the problem and helped me correct it. They took their time and were very patient with me as they went through my design. I am very happy with the product and the company. I’m a DIY designer, and this software is great for people without experience. Highly recommended.
Game changer for me!
This program is easy to use and is a game-changer for me!
Excellent software
Really like the software, actually pretty easy to use quicky out of the box.
Would be nice to have some office / commercial drop in desks, cubicle, commercial refrigerators, etc for small commercial tenant improvement projects.
Thank you
Amazing tool!!
I love the functionality of this must-have home design application. It takes several days to master but the training videos are superb. The 3D views are excellent and the ability to upgrade to create more detailed construction drawings and materials cost estimates are particularly valuable. Very nice piece of software at an affordable price.
