Drawing program to design a house

DenSweeP

DenSweeP

New member
As the topic says, I'm looking for some software I can use to design a house with. It must not be something I need a varsity degree for just to be able to use it. It must be fairly simplistic, but be able to to give a nice look of the house inside and out. Basically I want to draw the plans for an idea of space and also be able to "render" what it will look like inside. Basically Sims 3, but something a bit more official, because I would also like to be able when done give it to the official architect and he can see what we have in mind!

Suggestions please.
 
Sorry I'm stupid, If you just want to make a 3d model you could use sketchup. free

There is turbocad, I think it can be bought for R950 at Incredlibe connection

Qcad don't know what its like http://www.ribbonsoft.com/qcad.html (There is supposed to be a community edition, can't find now)
 
I would recomend Sketchup - its easy enough to figure out. You might also be able to get a trial version of autocad or autocadlite - but good luck. They are not easy to use unless you are trained on it.

Ive managed decent 3D models of houses on sketchup - but then again I work from the architects drawings.
 
pretty much any 3D software. czc mentioned Sketchup, that'll do the trick. You can download funrature models aswell is you need.
 
Raven Gold said:
pretty much any 3D software. czc mentioned Sketchup, that'll do the trick. You can download funrature models aswell is you need.
Click to expand...


Keep in mind its not all to south african building regulations - especially their doors and windows. I have had to readjust a lot of the models or recreate my own to suite SA NBRS.
 
I keep in mind that these things don't have to be exact, the archetect should be compitent enough to fill in the blanks. If not, time to find a new archetect.
 
Hehehe, see I work with the architects - I make the models from their designs. They expect the models to be to scale and exact.

I was just mentioning it more for the fact that its sometimes easier to just make your own models than using the warehouse.
 
Well yeah, for that I understand doing it the manual way. :p But for what Den needs, just to setup a layout for a new house I doubt it'll be an issue.
 
Turbocad, It is the simplest to use professional CAD solution and can be store bought from a few retailers.
It does 3D extruding (3D modeling from Line Drawing), is precise to a mm and contains all of the necessary functions and feature you would need to do a planning design, ie, industry used icons for doors, windows, wall mount brackets, light fittings etc.

Failing that and if you want to spend a bit to do things really properly, AutoCAD
It is the industry standard in the engineering field and most architects use it or some derived form of it to draw on

** EDIT
Forgot to add, TurboCAD has a nice little auto stairwell creator that automatically calculates vertical distance with horizontal floorspace to create stairs
 
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I wasn't talking about the LT version, no experience with it
I use the Civil 3D version
 
Yea we use Autocad LT again here, I dont tho since they all confuse me. I just import the architectural drawings into sketchup and draw the houses from that.
 
Isn't Sketchup too inaccurate? or are you speaking of the Pro version ?
Sorry no idea as I've only ever used it casually, not for anything that required accuracy
 
We have a Pro licence. You use the mm template, import the drawing (unfortunately a few lines here and there doesnt always get imported properly.) What I do is I work from the imported drawing as well as a paper plan that is plotted to scale. between the two of that I get the scale spot on.

Rendering%2011.jpg

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This is the kind of sketches we show clients to give them a better idea of the look and feel of a house. Those were done by one of our staff that decided to work from home now. Ive been teaching myself (just need to learn to do the gradient on the ground level still - my houses are all flat on the floor :P)
 
Okay, what's happening is this. The missus and I are buying a nice piece of land on the South Coast. 1450 squares.

We are obviously eventually going to build, but will do so in stages to minimise cost. But we want to do so that we benefit as soon as possible. ie being able to build something where we can poop, shower, sleep and eat, but also be able to incorporate into the rest of the house, as all the stages must slot into each other, without it being obvious it was done that way.

So, I need to draw plans, but would also like to be able to see it in 3D with colour, textures etc to get a proper feel for it and also see if I put a queen sized bed in a room how much floor space is used up. If I put a Windows here and here, how it affects the room. You get the idea. Ideally I would love to get a pro to do this, but don't want to spend a fortune paying someone just for pictures. I basically want to do all the prelim and just get a architect to do the official plans.
 
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