Best package for house drawing

Moggaman

I am looking at starting to draw houses and plans etc.... and was wondering what is the best software for doing this.....

Mellor

What are you doing that you are "starting" to draw houses?


The best packages would be AutoCad, Microstation or Vectorworks.

Atwat?

Mellor wrote: »

What are you doing that you are "starting" to draw houses?


The best packages would be AutoCad, Microstation or Vectorworks.

These packages are fine - but expensive. I put great store in Google SketchUp. It's free and legal! You need to upgrade for Layout in presenting drawings professionally, but you can manage without it. Also, it's great fun with a great web-support. 3D is the future, Sketchup is easy to pick up and if you don't want to go thru the learning curve in the ACAD world this is the way to go. In the industry, AutoCAD Revit is the future here now. But it costs big bucks and there's a whole different way of approaching the production of drawings. Results however are brilliant.

Mellor

Atwat? wrote: »

These packages are fine - but expensive. I put great store in Google SketchUp. It's free and legal! You need to upgrade for Layout in presenting drawings professionally, but you can manage without it. Also, it's great fun with a great web-support. 3D is the future, Sketchup is easy to pick up and if you don't want to go thru the learning curve in the ACAD world this is the way to go. In the industry, AutoCAD Revit is the future here now. But it costs big bucks and there's a whole different way of approaching the production of drawings. Results however are brilliant.

Sketch up is not a 2d drawing program, so it's completely pointless to suggest using that,
some people use it for 2d but these are generally people who haven't got a clue

Nemanja91

Are you in any college or do you have an old college e-mail, I'm in CIT and I got a 14 month student version of CAD architecture 2009 free, all you need to do was register with a college e-mail, only certain colleges may apply though

Atwat?

Mellor wrote: »

Sketch up is not a 2d drawing program, so it's completely pointless to suggest using that,
some people use it for 2d but these are generally people who haven't got a clue

Mellor, saying my contribution was completely pointless is harsh. The thread started "I am looking at starting to draw houses and plans etc.... and was wondering what is the best software for doing this....." With that information (no mention of 2D or 3D) I was justified in recommending Sketchup as an option. Also lots of people use it for 2D - you just don't seem to realise that. Check out Sketh-ucation and other sites. You sound like you have troubles. I hope you get over them soon. Best wishes.

Mellor

Atwat? wrote: »

Mellor, saying my contribution was completely pointless is harsh. The thread started "I am looking at starting to draw houses and plans etc.... and was wondering what is the best software for doing this....." With that information (no mention of 2D or 3D) I was justified in recommending Sketchup as an option. Also lots of people use it for 2D - you just don't seem to realise that. Check out Sketh-ucation and other sites. You sound like you have troubles. I hope you get over them soon. Best wishes.

Sigh, I've no troubles. You appear to be sulking because I pointed out that your suggestion was pointless for 2D.
FYI, he said he wanted to draw plans, plans are 2D.

The fact that you still suggest sketch-up a decent 2D program because "other people do it", is a little silly.


OP, if you want to draw plans, you'll need a decent CAD program. There are many of free versions, but the ones I mentioned are the best.
If you want to give 3D a bash, sketch is a good place to start.

Atwat?

Mellor wrote: »

Sigh, I've no troubles. You appear to be sulking because I pointed out that your suggestion was pointless for 2D.
FYI, he said he wanted to draw plans, plans are 2D.

The fact that you still suggest sketch-up a decent 2D program because "other people do it", is a little silly.


OP, if you want to draw plans, you'll need a decent CAD program. There are many of free versions, but the ones I mentioned are the best.
If you want to give 3D a bash, sketch is a good place to start.

Not sulking at all. The guy wanted advice on drawing packages. You gave him your advice and I gave mine. I didn't denigrate your advice. You appear to have an inferiority complex because you have to dismiss my valid suggestions as "completely pointless". Read his request. "Starting to draw houses as well as plans etc". BTW, have you used ACAD Revit and what do you think of it? For a moderator you seem to have a great attitude. Do you find it stressful? I hope you have a pleasant and relaxing Easter.

Mellor

Atwat? wrote: »

Not sulking at all. The guy wanted advice on drawing packages. You gave him your advice and I gave mine. I didn't denigrate your advice. You appear to have an inferiority complex because you have to dismiss my valid suggestions as "completely pointless". Read his request. "Starting to draw houses as well as plans etc". BTW, have you used ACAD Revit and what do you think of it? For a moderator you seem to have a great attitude. Do you find it stressful? I hope you have a pleasant and relaxing Easter.

I think you mean superiority complex.
I'm not a moderator on this board.
I don't it stressful, in fact I enjoy t.
I have used revit, and two other BIM packages. They are clearly going to be the way forward.
I had a great easter, the weather was fantastic.
I think that covers it

bfocusd

Nemanja91 wrote: »

Are you in any college or do you have an old college e-mail, I'm in CIT and I got a 14 month student version of CAD architecture 2009 free, all you need to do was register with a college e-mail, only certain colleges may apply though

On the Autodesk.com website there is a section now available for people who are unemployed, so that they can continue to use autocad, as far as i know you have a choice between programs (revit, inventor etc)
i think the licence is valid for almost a year, you would need to look into how you prove the unemployed thing.. but its worth a look!

davidoco

If you learned how to draw like I did in school the hard way with a pencil and a set square then http://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/products/velocity/solidedge/free2d/index.shtml
which is free is the business. I've spent hours trying to get small details right on autocad and autocad arch but if you just want to run up some relatively straightforward 2d building drawings then solid edge 2d is handy.

SeamusG97

I suspect you don't intend doing this professionally - if so you wouldn't be asking the question in the first place. Assuming you just want something to quickly easily and cheaply draw up a basic set of plans and 3D visualisations here's something I used a few years ago. It's cheap and (in relation to the price) very powerful. If you want to get basic floor plans quickly it is fine. Good as well for 3D visualisations of rooms, walkthroughs (with furniture, fittings etc). Also does basic checks on building regs. (e.g vents in bathrooms) and Bill of Materials. Can export plans via DXF to AutoCAD or others if needed. Not up to the technical detail needed for planning applications IMHO (It's American) but still a very useful design tool that can be learnt in minutes rather than days. I used it to design an extension to our first home and to plan the layout of the house we live in now. Of course the planning drawings were done in AutoCAD.....
http://www.plan3d.com/pages/homeChlgr.aspx?rd=1
It costs $39