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Home Design (Sales Rank)

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Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 8.0 / SalesRank : 55

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Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 8.0

Amazon Price : $69.99 30%($30.00) OFF
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DVD-ROM ( ) [ Chief Architect ] [ Release : 2008 / 03 / 01 ]
EAN : 0750839011554 / ASIN : B0013MCZRK
[ ListPrice : $99.99 ]

Average Customer Review :

4.5stars [ See more reviews ]

I think this is the first 5 star review I've ever given. I am so impressed with this product, I believe it may be the best piece of software I've ever used.

I started with another program by IMSI that got me through a rough sketch of what I wanted for our new home. Bug after bug and limit after limit got me to give up after a few weeks. This program was highly recommended on Amazon, so I purchased it with moderate hope. Nearly everything was intuitive and easy to do. Most importantly, I have yet to find a bug anywhere. It simply does what I want it to do quickly.

Between the two programs (both similar in layout) it took me about a week to get pretty comfortable to do just about anything I wanted. I do learn applications quickly, but it is by no means a complicated thing to learn. That and the numerous videos make this a pretty nifty package for quick education.

The company also has a website (inside the help section is a link) that has answers to everything you could imagine - either through the online help, or via the forums.

Great product, and not too expensive.

5stars - "Best Software I Think I've Ever Used" (Watercayman)
I think this program beats any home design program out there. It is based on the old Home Architect program, and I have always thought it was the simplest, best program. Roof design is tricky, granted, but I think it is in any program. I give it a four because it is not perfect, but I highly recommend it.

I think this program beats any home design program out there. It is based on the old Home Architect program, and I have always thought it was the simplest, best program. Roof design is tricky, granted, but I think it is in any program. I give it a four because it is not perfect, but I highly recommend it.

4stars - "This is an old favorite." (C. Battles)

I have been an avid user/teacher of Chief Architect Inc software since 1995 (I mainly use Chief Architect X1 in my /drafting and design business) but the line of consumer software like Home Designer Suite 8 is a steal for anyone wanting to quickly play with Architectural ideas and scenarios. This program will not produce construction documents (blue prints) but is perfect for communicating ones creative ideas to building professionals.

David J. Potter

5stars - "The Perfect tool for "What if!"" (D. Potter)

I am a girl who is very interested in architectural things, when I once played "The Sims"TM I realized I just had to get a cad software for designing. It is very good to design your dream home, or simply design a room or a kitchen. It has pretty good graphics, even though I think that the could have done their foliage better. I was so excited when my dad bought it for me for a graduaton present. When most kids were getting software, I was getting software. Eventhough I was going to get a cellphone anyway, which I stll haven't gotten. This program is worth the money please buy! note that it does not have elevators. If a thing that pops up and says update available for the product,I downloaded it, and nothing happened, all it does is gives a few more things. If you go on the website, you might find a couple of update things, for 7.0 and 8.0 I tried downloading a 7.0 it didn't work, but the updates are really cool. I have Windows XP and the software works great! If your looking into this I'd buy it, and I submitted 4 of the customer images.

5stars - "Awesome, and worth the Money!!"

Have just tried one structure - an outdoor pavilion. This product is definitely geared toward traditional applications. Try to do anything "outside the box" and you are in for a long session trying to find creative ways around standard commands and insertable, pre-developed architectural elements. If you have any CAD experience at all, it is frustrating to not be able to just create your plan from scratch. Cannot seem to save file to file type that is compatible with my plotter. Consider your options carefully before purchase.

3stars - "Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 8.0" (Truth Seeker)

HGTV Home Design & Remodeling Suite / SalesRank : 89

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HGTV Home Design & Remodeling Suite

Amazon Price : $39.99 20%($10.00) OFF
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CD-ROM ( ) [ Nova Development US ] [ Release : 2008 / 12 / 01 ]
EAN : 0727298407617 / ASIN : B001HWLCQ6
[ ListPrice : $49.99 ]

Average Customer Review :

3.5stars [ See more reviews ]

I have tried many brands of home design software--this is the worst! I would not recommend this to beginners--it is not user friendly or easy to learn Tutorial to walk you through it is impossible to find. Graphics are amateurish-similar to much cheaper programs. Performance is sluggish at best, and I ran this on a very fast computer with loads of memory and a top line video card. HGTV should be ashamed.

1stars - "worst of the worst" (jay mclaughlin)

My background is in Architecture and I have been using similar products for over 12 years. I have am not a representative of either HGTV or Nova Development but I did extensive work, based on my background, on the images used for the advertising of HGTV Home Design series.

I can say that there is no product at this price range that is as user friendly. It is both extremely easy to use and extremely flexable. But do not think that it cannot do more advanced and complicated projects. The great aspect of HGTV Home Design series is that it is realtively new compared to others on the market. This then allows for the latest innovations to be built into the code base.

Commands as simple as using a Paint Brush to apply textures to walls and the ability to select/ right click and 'REPLACE' an object with a new one without deleting the old, are examples of how new innovations are being implimented. Curving a wall and having the roof automatically adjust to that new wall configuration are not available in some older code based programs.

While Real View Rendering is relatively simple, I have not found ANY program that so effectively impliments Radiosity rendering. The ability of the rendering engine to calculate light as it bounces off of various textured surfaces can be a long process in most programs. In HGTV Home Design series, Radiosity solutions are not only extremely realistic but the fastest I've seen.

Anyone having a problem using the program must realize that such 3D programs can eat up your computer. You MUST have the latest Graphics Card Driver on your machine and the more memory you have the better off you are. Older machines can run these 3D programs but faster is better.

I highly recommend this product.

Jack Zimmer
aeccadpro.com

5stars - "Pro Review" (Jack L. Zimmer)

I love HGTV. The programming is great, and the Internet resources are incredibly helpful. So, naturally, I was excited to learn that they now make software. And it definitely hasn't disappointed!

I am just about the most novice person there is when it comes to computers. (Sadly, my 9-year-old runs circles around me. :-) So I was a little intimidated when I bought the software ... but it turns out the software is really easy to install and easy to use.

Basically, there are two programs: one that allows you to bring in your digital photo and change paint colors, fabric colors and such - and a second that is a very cool 3D program that you can use to lay out rooms or an entire house and add doors, windows, cabinets, appliances, etc. Both are a cinch to pick up.

There are also HGTV videos on a wide variety of subjects and a great user manual for help.

I really had no idea home design software could be so easy to use. I strongly recommend it.

5stars - "Way to go, HGTV!" (Julie Honore)

This is the worst piece of software that I have ever tried to install and run. The book does not match what is on the screen and there are features discussed in the manual that do not exist in the software. In addition, the software stopped responding and had to be closed and restarted about every 5 minutes. I tried it on a second computer and it displayed some of the same issues with the software not matching the manual. While it did not close down on the second computer, different problems were noted with some functions not working at all. Whatever you do, do not buy this software. HGTV should be ashamed for putting out junk like this. I plan to return it and try the Home and Garden version.

1stars - "Don't Buy this software" (Phoneless)

I admit I was skeptical of home design software, thinking it'd be too technical and complex. Not so of HGTV Home Design and Remodeler. My wife has been wanting to redecorate our family room, and so in a moment of rare compliance on my part :-) I surprised her with a whole rendering of the new room. In literally 10 minutes I was able to open a photo taken with my digital camera and to change the paint color on the walls and the fabric on our sofa and chair. It gave us both a great idea of what the room would look like ... well, at least what it would look like before she goes putting her bric-a-brac all over the place. :-) Then we went out and bought the corresponding paint color (the software actually tells you what brand and paint number to buy) and slipcovers for the furniture (cheaper than reupholstering) and, voila, the room turned out exactly as we expected - and I was the hero (another rarity). Very impressive stuff. I haven't really gotten into all the 3D stuff yet, but it looks cool and so far is very easy to use.

5stars - "Easy as cake - and great results" (James Altaretti)

Better Homes and Gardens Interior Designer 8.0 / SalesRank : 469

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Better Homes and Gardens Interior Designer 8.0

Amazon Price : $79.99
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DVD-ROM ( ) [ Chief Architect ] [ Release : 2008 / 08 / 10 ]
EAN : 0750839031378 / ASIN : B001DIMDTY

Average Customer Review :

4.0stars [ See more reviews ]

I have really enjoyed this program. I am using it just for fun. Over the years I have purchased several of these by different companies. All were hard to use and frustrating. This is easy to use and works like the tutorials show. The tuorials are short and on just one small topic. This makes it easy to follow. I was able to create a complete dream house, including kitchens and bathrooms, after watching about 5 of them. The 3D navigation is easy to use and very beautiful to see what you created. I highly recommend this product.

4stars - "Excellent Product" (Gamer)

Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Pro 8.0 / SalesRank : 470

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Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Pro 8.0

Amazon Price : $479.99 3%($16.00) OFF
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DVD-ROM ( ) [ Chief Architect ] [ Release : 2008 / 04 / 15 ]
EAN : 0750839015101 / ASIN : B0015GKRKG
[ ListPrice : $495.99 ] [ Used Price:$470.00 ]

Average Customer Review :

5.0stars [ See more reviews ]

I've been using Autocad for +20 years, and taught Autocad for 4 years. I JUST PUT IT TO SLEEP after using Home Designer Pro 8.0 !!!!!! If you are into designing Custom Homes, the software pays for itself on the preliminary design phases. Designing in 3D is a wonderful experience!!! However I did purchase it considering it as a full trial before purchasing (+2000 dlls) the full blown version Chief Architect for detailing the design. Once I buy it I will still use HD 8.0 for designing interiors, remodeling or landscape jobs.
IT IS THE BEST SOFTWARE I HAVE EXPERIENCED.
After so many years, Autocad is too big and complicated rocket science tool, expensive, 2D process, time consuming, if you are designing Custom Homes. With HD 8.0 I feel liberated and enjoy designing, with Autocad, you never finish feeding the beast!!!

5stars - "Forgett Autocad !!!!!" (Arqui)

5stars - "Pro 8 is a very good deal" (D. Potter)
Product is great - much better and more powerful tool than 7.0 or Designer Suite.

5stars - "Great Product" (D. E. Wood)

The Home Designer Pro software is a cut-down version of the full Chief Architect product (allowing a building to be drawn that is less than 4 stories tall). It is a good product for professionals in the residential construction field -- WAY better than the others available. If you have version 7.0, Chief Architect's website would be a good visit -- they update to version 8.0 for products purchased between certain dates.

5stars - "Finally" (N. Hunter)

Punch! Home & Landscape Design Suite with NexGen Technology / SalesRank : 246

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Punch! Home & Landscape Design Suite with NexGen Technology

Amazon Price : $64.49 36%($35.50) OFF
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CD-ROM ( ) [ Punch! Software ] [ Release : 2008 / 10 / 20 ]
EAN : 0664446208002 / ASIN : B001CS9URS
[ ListPrice : $99.99 ] [ Used Price:$93.50 ]

Average Customer Review :

3.0stars [ See more reviews ]

I bought this product with the single purpose of designing and building my workshop. Having been involved with steep learning curves on other software, I also enrolled in Punch University to learn how to use the software. After looking at the first lesson, I realized I couldn't find the tools they were using. I couldn't find the toolbar. After an email to them, I get a call from Customer Service telling me that the University provides instruction in an entirely different product and no, there is no training available for the version I bought. Tuition was rerfunded a few days after they said it would be so I decided to go it on my own. Understand that I am no neophyte to drawing and CAD programs. After many false starts and hitches, I have the building drawn and fire up their "Power Tool" called Framing Editor and hope to get a materials list and a drawing. No joy. Software wouldn't print from that view and the materials list didn't include framing. Gave up and threw in the towel. They got me on this one so be careful if you're considering this software. I gave it one star because the system wouldn't let me go lower. On the piece of [...] scale this thing reeks.
Jim

1stars - "Wasted Time and Money" (James A. Wolfe)

Although I'm unable to compare this with other titles in the same category, I think Punch! Home & Landscape Design Suite is a great program. If you're interested in home improvement or construction, this is a great tool! Getting started is quick and easy but all the possibilities will keep you involved with this program for a long time. I created a model of our current house and the 3D walk-through is an uncanny experience. The ability to visualize improvement ideas is of great assistance. Much better than heading out to the store and looking at samples and trying to picture it in your head.

5stars - "Great Program" (D. Lahrman)

HGTV Home & Landscape Platinum Suite / SalesRank : 263

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HGTV Home & Landscape Platinum Suite

Amazon Price : $99.99
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CD-ROM ( ) [ Nova Development US ] [ Release : 2008 / 12 / 01 ]
EAN : 0727298407624 / ASIN : B001HWLC66

Average Customer Review :

5.0stars [ See more reviews ]

5stars - "Great for Landscaping Layouts" (Jack L. Zimmer)

Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer 8.0 / SalesRank : 1996

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Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer 8.0

Amazon Price : $59.99
amazon.com availability ： Usually ships in 24 hours

DVD-ROM ( ) [ Chief Architect ] [ Release : 2008 / 04 / 15 ]
EAN : 0750839012407 / ASIN : B0017QZPNI
[ Used Price:$49.99 ]

Average Customer Review :

4.0stars [ See more reviews ]
it not as nice as autocadd but the price is right

easy to use so far.

4stars - "its ok for a house design program" (THOMAS UNDERWOOD)

I purchased this product as a replacement for my old, OLD 3D Home Architect. Having used software of this type before, it was very easy to use right out of the box.

It comes with a tutorial which may be helpful to someone who is not familiar with how to use different features, but I was more impressed with the online Home Talk user forums. If there is a question as to how to accomplish something, chances are it has been discussed there.

Overall, I find that Home Designer software is a much more stable program than my old 3D Home Architect; (it hasn't 'crashed' yet) and gives me plenty of options to play with.

Although this version is nowhere close to the Pro version, it its ease of use and attractive pricing make this a good choice for anyone who wants to "play" with changes to a structure or landscape.

4stars - "Easy To Use" (D. Price)

Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer 8.0 / SalesRank : 1334

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Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer 8.0

Amazon Price : $79.99
amazon.com availability ： Usually ships in 24 hours

DVD-ROM ( ) [ Chief Architect ] [ Release : 2008 / 04 / 15 ]
EAN : 0750839022499 / ASIN : B0015QC13C
[ Used Price:$68.00 ]

Average Customer Review :

2.5stars [ See more reviews ]

The two posted reviews for this product are stark contrasts to each other. I think that if you have loads of extra time or are paid by the software designer, you might find this product useful. But for the remaining 99.99% of us, well, just read on.

The first day I got this software, I built the house, painted the walls green, and aside from a struggle to get the roof to look like my house's roof, it went okay, so I was still optimistic.

The next day, I anxiously sat down and started to lay out the perimeter of my yard, and after another struggle to get the curve in the road for my front border, I was a little frustrated, but it turned out okay. Then after trying to get a gentle slope down from the house and managing to create big mountains in the yard, I learned how to use the undo button...over and over. I tried to design a deck in the back, and the act of doing that changed the color of the house back to a drab gray color. So I changed it back to green, and decided to erase the deck and try for a different design. And my house was gray again. Aarrrgghh!!!

Did I mention that my garage door appeared a foot above the driveway? I don't own a Hummer, so I tried to lower the door (can't do it) then raise the driveway (more mountains). All I got was more practice with the undo button.

Okay, I gave up on the deck and the garage door for the time being, and decided to try to create some raised areas where I thought some decorative rock and some bushy things and maybe a tree would look good. Well, the terrain feature tools only allow a kidney bean shape, a rectangle, or a circle. These can be modified by selecting the object (which is a major chore in itself - first you have to right click on it, then select object. But by now, the "floorplan" view looks like a mangled mess of lines, because it shows all the elevation lines, some dimension lines of the house, fence, plot lines, sidewalk, road, camera angle lines, and I haven't even planted any trees or bushes yet - so every time you try to click on something to modify, you stand a GREAT chance of clicking on something nearby. AND if you forget that you need to right click first, you will have a new terrain feature where you just clicked...undo button) Where was I? Oh yeah, the shapes of the rocky areas - I wanted to create a curvy line to run along the sides of my driveway, and these three shapes don't allow that. Undo button. So they have this tool for creating a landscape curb, and although I didn't want a curb, I assumed I could use that to frame what I wanted so as have an area to plant bushes. Sigh...You can't just draw a curvy line. There is a "spline curb" tool, which supposedly makes curves by clicking and dragging straight sections of curb that will attach themselves end to end to each other after they're drawn. Finally, I figured how to create a beautiful curvy border for my rocky area. Problem solved, right? Wrong. It doesn't work. I ended up with a bunch of parking blocks in my lawn. Forget the undo button. I give up. Trust me, you will too.

The tutorial videos are indeed short, and they do show you how to use basic functions. But there are no answers for most of the questions that you will encounter. You must trial and error your way through this non-user-friendly program to accomplish anything in your mind's eye. I thought the whole purpose of a landscape program was to quickly try many different ideas for landscaping and see it in 3-D before you do any grunt work in your yard. But you end up doing tons of grunt work by just trying to figure out how to use this annoying product. The most frustrating thing is how exhausted you feel, and then you catch a glimpse of your yard out the window and realize that you haven't done anything yet.

I guess you could probably create what you want if you spend months of agonizing time in front of your computer, that is if you can resist the urge to chuck it through your living room window and onto your neglected dirt lawn. Seriously, you could spend as much time getting your yard the way you want it in this program as you would just drawing it on a piece of paper, then actually landscaping your actual lawn! Use your fifty bucks for an extra bush instead of buying this useless program.

1stars - "Frustrating" (Justin Bogley)

This software is a total waste of money. I used it for 5 weeks straight to put a deck on a house. I never got it done.

They say they have tech help, but they will only answer one question at a time. The tutorials are nice, but they cover 3 or 4 products (this is actually a stripped down version of better program), so the menus in the videos are NOT the same as the one you have. Very frustrating to use. Before buying, ask yourself if you are feeling lucky.

1stars - "I need a 1/2 Star to rate this!" (JCL)

I looked at a few software programs and downloaded free trials and none came close to the power and ease of use of this program.

The program offers many options that you can spend hours looking through. The plant library has a good selection. You can search for plants pretty easy, name, zone, sun requirement and about 20 other attributes. A blank search with no specific requirements showed 3,784 plants.

I found that it was good to design the landscaping in 2D so I could see the flower beds, patio, paths, etc. and where they were located with respect to the house. The 3D tools are helpful in visualizing how it should then look in `real life'. I definitely made changes to my original idea after using the software. There are built-in templates you can use - they're okay if you don't already have an idea of what you want.

I do recommend watching the tutorial videos they were quite helpful. Bottom line, I think it's a good bargain and recommend it before you take on a project.

5stars - "Good Landscaping Product" (Mark)

3D Home Architect Home & Landscape Deluxe Suite Version 9 / SalesRank : 200

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3D Home Architect Home & Landscape Deluxe Suite Version 9
Primary Contributor:Windows & Macintosh

Amazon Price : $30.99 23%($9.00) OFF
amazon.com availability ： Usually ships in 24 hours

DVD-ROM ( ) [ Encore Software ] [ Release : 2007 / 05 / 15 ]
EAN : 0705381139102 / ASIN : B000PIENFK
[ ListPrice : $39.99 ] [ Used Price:$7.95 ]

Average Customer Review :

1.5stars [ See more reviews ]
Amazon gave fast service. Arrived at my home within a few days. Gave this to my son as a Christmas gift and he is really enjoying it.

Amazon gave fast service. Arrived at my home within a few days. Gave this to my son as a Christmas gift and he is really enjoying it.

4stars - "Christmas Gift" (Pamela Hemphill)
Was extremely happy with the service from this supplier. Goods arrived in Australia very quickly and in excellent condition. Would not hesitate in using them again.

Was extremely happy with the service from this supplier. Goods arrived in Australia very quickly and in excellent condition. Would not hesitate in using them again.

5stars - "Excellent Service" (Linda Walker)

I thought I was getting a super bargain on some older software. No. Whatever company is making this has just taken the brand name. I was looking forward to replacing a program I had used in the past. This was completely different. The menus and tools don't make any sense. I can't drag walls to where I want them to be; everything ends up with crazy angles. Cheap software made for a quick buck. No effort of any kind went into making this product. I'm just going to throw it away. Would not burden anone with such a useless "gift".

1stars - "Total waste of $10.00" (Terra)
Where's the manual???? A manual is not included with this software. The help files are not helpful either. I don't even know where to begin. I'm very disappointed.

Where's the manual???? A manual is not included with this software. The help files are not helpful either. I don't even know where to begin. I'm very disappointed.

1stars - "3D Home Architect Home & Landscape Deluxe Suite Version 9" (S. Black)

I purchased this program direct from the 3dhaonline.com website, because I had used it years before on my old PC...and it did a decent job of producing what I wanted. I was pleased to see that a Mac OS version was available (and this should have tipped me to investigate further before buying).

Well, after downloading it and stumbling through the non-intuitive activation process, I anticipated opening up my old 3DHA files. Well now, it doesn't seem to recognize the old file format, and the only Import option is for "Punch 3D" objects. Combing through the online help, I come to learn that version 9 is not compatible with anything prior! Didn't see that bullet in the features list (on later re-review, I saw that their promotional page does in fact declare incompatibility...but then what justifies revving the name?).

At that point I decided to check Amazon's reviews...and what do I see, but ten 1-star ratings out of 14 reviews with many comments reflecting exactly what I just experienced. And as further punishment, I see that the latest price is under $9.00!

I have personally confirmed each of the weaknesses mention in the other reviews, plus some:
- The editing of walls is cumbersome, as once two walls are connected, you cannot lengthen one without dragging the other along. The Wall Break tool is pointless, since the two halves are still connected.
- The dimensioning is lousy. Dragging to a desired length and then releasing the mouse button does not yield the choosen length, and requires many retries to acheive the desired measurement.
- It has no provisions for modeling porches.
- It doesn't do garage doors.
- It does not provide for pocket doors.
- There is too much emphasis on frivilous details, such as lighting.
- Roofs are not connected to walls...they are just separate objects that float above walls, with large visible gaps and no provision for adjusting their height.
- The zoom mechanism is imprecise.
- The 3D views are controlled only by the mouse, making for erratic movements and much wasted time in seeking the desired position.
- and so forth...

I am seeking a refund from the publisher. As mention by another, this is really a prime candidate for a class-action lawsuit. There is no connection between this program and the ones bearing the same name in pass iterations. If it were a decent program in its own right with backward compatability, I wouldn't mind some of the changes. But, as others pointed out, many many useful features of earlier versioned programs are no longer supported. Instant junk, and all those involved with it should be ashamed of themselves for its poor quality.

1stars - "A Blatant Ripoff" (R. Heyen)

Punch! Home Design Studio (Mac) / SalesRank : 1932

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Punch! Home Design Studio (Mac)

Amazon Price : $96.99 35%($52.01) OFF
amazon.com availability ： Usually ships in 1 to 2 months

CD-ROM ( Mac OS X ) [ Punch! Software ] [ Release : 2006 / 09 / 20 ]
EAN : 0664446901002 / ASIN : B000I4PAQC
[ ListPrice : $149.00 ] [ Used Price:$141.87 ]

Average Customer Review :

2.5stars [ See more reviews ]
I used 3D Home Architect for years on a PC, going back several years. I finally found this program for the Mac, and was hopeful, but the program is useless. The interface is not intuitive, and nothing seems to work the way it should. Even simple features like copy and paste seem to fail. What a disappointment!

I used 3D Home Architect for years on a PC, going back several years. I finally found this program for the Mac, and was hopeful, but the program is useless. The interface is not intuitive, and nothing seems to work the way it should. Even simple features like copy and paste seem to fail. What a disappointment!

1stars - "Terrible Program!" (D. Rose)

This is absolutely the worst home design program I have ever used. In the past I've used 3D Home Architect and Better Homes and Gardens, but I recently bought a Mac so I could no longer use my old programs. I bought this one because the Punch website had tons of beautifully rendered graphics and they supposedly won several awards. Here's the truth-the graphics are the worst I've seen on a home design program since the early 90's. Far from being realistic, they remind me of that old Dire Straits video "Money for Nothing". The objects lack basic details like door knobs and trim with beveled edges. Also, there are very few objects to choose from, for instance there's only one shower and it's a corner shower. So if you would like anything other than a corner shower in your bathroom, that's just too bad. They also only have one style of kitchen sink-a double bowl. So again, if you would like a single or a triple sink, I guess you'll just have to use your imagination. The program is also supposed to draw curved walls. Well, that's a lie. The truth is it draws a "curve" by using a group of straight and diagonal walls. So if you want to draw a circle, it will come out an octagon. The other major problem I have with this program is how hard it is to use. All of the other home design programs I've had in the past were so easy, I could immediately start using them without having to study the manual. But this one is so complicated, I had to read half the manual just to figure out how to zoom in and out of the screen. I've now read the entire manual with the hope that once I've learned everything, I'll be able to enjoy it. But every time I use it, I just want to cry because it's such a terrible program. Bottom line, don't let Punch's fancy ads and awards fool you. This program just sucks!

1stars - "Worst Home Design Program Ever" (Shannon Jefferies)

As the other reviews have pointed out, this Mac version has turned out to be a big disappointment. After spending the money and a fair amount of time trying to figure out the unintuitive software, I learned there were virtually no construction-related tools (framing designer, etc etc). I'd consider this more a sophisticated toy than a serious house-design software. It's too bad Punch is not more honest and up-front about the limitations of this software.

1stars - "Much less developed than Windows version" (spinoza)

I've been working with this software five days a week, 7-plus hours a day. I've read many reviews about it. And I confess to being completely baffled by this puzzling mystery: Why don't the Punch software people invest in some good interface design for a major new Punch release? This software has such obvious potential.

The review consensus, here and at other sites, seems to boil down to this: it is hands-down, the best home-design out there. AND this is faint praise because it has few competitors that can touch it in power and flexibility, short of a professional CAD program. This is a mass-market product; there are lots of small businesses trying to use it as well as plenty of homeowners. Judging by these reviews, the program's actual use seems simultaneously to be a most frustrating experience for many reviewers, with clumsy navigation, less-than-optimal implementations of half-thought-out features, barely adequate libraries, and just plain missing features, along with the best graphics engine in its niche.

After using it myself, I have some suggestions to make. In fact, I'll lead the redesign team myself, if they want me to, because for me, it was hours of fun. Really. with so much missed revenue-generating potential, I'd work for stock options. The property has SUCH potential that I don't know why it's been overlooked by its publishers.

First, I think the rendering engine on this program is really impressive. It has reasonable rendering rates on reasonably affordable platforms such as the Intel-backed iMacs. It seems quite stable and responsive, even on older Macs, though the speed differences can vary widely with different OS/hardware combinations (I did not test it on the PC).

That said, the critics are only partly right about the usability problems. I am an experienced user of 3D programs, and after an hour or so, I had the navigation down pretty well in the Live View window. It is reasonably usable, meaning my sense is, if the features justified the investment, most people who could benefit from using this software would be able to learn it.

Usability could be improved, and brought closer to standards established by other graphical design and visualization software, especially for navigation and window control in the 2D tools. But most of the core features are in place.

The real missed opportunity here lies in features. Many of the features most useful to users are also target-marketing opportunities to die for. For instance, the program has Content Libraries, and advertises their availability as a feature. The libraries include content from home design product vendors, such as tile, paint, and wallpaper vendors. I was pleased to see they had a Partner program that included Sherwin-Williams, since there was a store near the design site. I'd looked forward to picking up paint chips and trying out various colors. The problem was, there was no way to match the color samples at Sherwin-Williams to the representations of color in the program. After three weeks, I hadn't discovered any way to know what color to buy once I'd chosen something from the S-W paint library, nor had I found a way to input a color by number, update new samples from the Sherwin-Williams web site, or mix a color from a palette and find the closest match to paint that met my criteria, such as interior vs. exterior, or finish availability.

You see what I mean? This is an obvious win-win if Punch can work a bit on that partner program and the business model supporting it. Sherwin-Williams would sell more paint (and get an edge on Behr's until THEY sign a partner agreement with Punch), and the consumer is delighted to buy the software when they find out they can actually preview their actual paint color. Doh! What am I missing here? Can it be this easy?

Punch's concept is right, but the libraries are so disappointingly limited that its utility as a design tool is likewise limited. Design features we wanted to add, such as a greenhouse window, were missing. Simple window features, such as recessed frames, are missing. These are missed opportunities for manufacturers of windows. Well, you can't have everything before you ship, right?

No, but you can provide ways of updating content, and importing and exporting content so users who have unique architectural features can create them. Perhaps they could share objects with others. Users creating and sharing (free) content creates user communities. User communities create more marketing opportunities. More content attracts more users.

Punch's decision to use a proprietary graphics format just doesn't seem to make economic sense. I could find only one "power user"" advertising her work on the user forums, a clear sign that the format is a forbidding hurdle even for users with considerable 3D modeling experience. This is an old business model, and Google's SketchUp, with it's open formats, may eventually catch up with it.

All of this is a shame, because the software is lots of fun, despite these gripes. We've found it useful. So on the whole, I'd buy it again. But what a shame.

3stars - "A Puzzling Product Story" (iQuest Media Design)

If you are looking for a program to do a 3d view of your dream home without any substance, this program is for you. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a program to help you design real projects for a do-it-yourselfer you are going to be sorely out of luck.

Punch Home design Studio is just a toy with little substance. You can put up a wall and throw down a sink but you cant run piping to that sink or electric to the bathroom lights. Its like a great big content editing program for a 3d video game with as much use as that. A toy to be experimented with but not appropriate for much more. When I querried about how to put in piping for my radiant floor I was told that you dont do that because the plumber does that. Now what if I am going to be the plumber, Im supposed to just shoot from the hip? Ditto for the rest of the details.

When it comes to the landscape editor, the joke gets worse. Of 32 plants I had planned to put in my renovated garden, PHDSP had 2. Yest, only two plants of 32 were found in the library and the interface to that library stinks.

While we are on the subject of the interface, the Mac interface is very bad. Clearly this is a bad hack port of a windows program. The user interface is not like a mac program but more like Office for Mac -- clearly a low quality hack. If that wasnt enough, when running it on leopard, it tends to crash and erase everything you did since the last save, so if you do intend to play with this thing, save often.

So why am I making this post? Well because I tried to return the software and was unable to return it even just the next day. I was told that the $149 I plopped down for a lemon with overinflated advertising was lost. Maybe I can eek out some cash on eBay for it. Yes I am upset.

In summary, I was looking for a program that was useful for helping me design my home do-it-yourself projects from installign radiant heating to planning my sprinkler system and what I got was a poorly implemented toy to assemble pre-fabricated 3d objects into a pretty picture. Advertising scores a 10 of 10 for promising much but the program will only be minimally useful.

1stars - "Great Toy, Light on serious features" (Robert Simmons Jr.)

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