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Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 8.0

from: Chief Architect

March 01, 2008
software of this scope and customer base should be first and foremost user friendly. I used other CAD software before. i believe the developer should hire someone that would actually try to make this intuitive. This program is supposedly designed for a regular Smith to buy and help design his home and garden. It does not work that way.

Every little task requires a trip thru a whole lot of menus and sub-menus. It does not have to be that way. I struggled with the even most basic features - set up the size of your yard is a total pain.

This is a good software with the worse user interface I have ever seen. It has a feel of being designed in early nineties, not in 2008.

I should add that the plan selection ... Read More:

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Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer 8.0

from: Chief Architect

April 15, 2008
it not as nice as autocadd but the price is right

easy to use so far.

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Better Homes and Gardens Interior Designer 8.0

from: Chief Architect

August 10, 2008
it not as nice as autocadd but the price is right

easy to use so far.

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Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Pro 8.0

from: Chief Architect

April 15, 2008
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 ... Read More:

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Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer 8.0

from: Chief Architect

April 15, 2008
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 ... Read More:

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Better Homes and Gardens Architectural Home Designer

from: Chief Architect

January 15, 2008
For the price- this is the best program available. I do find it a bit tempermental when adjusting location of windows and doors- especially if you are setting it up in order to do a remodle or redocoration of an existing room/house. Does have a lot more options than others in the price range- but is frustrating if you want to be exact. So- don't plan on making it that way- it does give you the 3D- but the walk thru option isn't as great as the box says. It helped me do what I wanted to do- add an extension onto our house & also consider a remodle of our master bath- but if you are serious about building more than once- it might be better to invest in the next level.
I haven't used the landscape portion yet- plan on that next.

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Better Homes and Gardens Interior Designer [OLD VERSION]

from: Chief Architect

August 31, 2005
Better Homes and Gardens Interior Designer [OLD VERSION] I was excited to get this product because I am going to be doing some painting, floors, furniture, etc., in a bedroom. I was anxious to get an idea of room layout and furniture placement to get a visual of the project before I begin. It never brought up the registration page or let me indicate the CD Key. Consequently, I couldn't get the updates, etc. Amazon is very good about letting me return this product for a refund, but I am VERY disappointed.

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Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer 7.0 [OLD VERSION]

from: Chief Architect

January 15, 2006
I wanted a program to help me document my "new" yard. I became a Master Gardener to learn how to do the yard and bought the program to record it. The program was more work than the yard (and it is a significant yard) It is limited, convoluted and took up so much space in my computer that it made my other computer tasks more difficult. I removed the program.

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Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer 7.0 [OLD VERSION]

from: Chief Architect

September 01, 2006
This is a lot of fun to use. You can plot out your entire house exactly, which was surprising. You can put in your furniture (with exact dimensions) and decorate it before you actually buy anything, to see if it will fit. I found this extremely useful and actually saved money by seeing how some of my current furniture would work with the new.

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Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 7.0 [OLD VERSION]

from: Chief Architect

September 01, 2006
They list this software as Vista compatible. Their vision of compatible is the software runs 10 minutes then crashes - if you can finish all your work in 10 minutes, you'll be fine.

The drawing tools are weak, doing a simple 45 degree bend in a kitchen island is impossible. Doing something simple like putting a sink where you want it on a countertop is impossible - it always centers the sink in the space provided. If you're used to even the drawing tools in MS Powerpoint, this will be a big disappointment.