With the proliferation of home-design software, such as Google's Sketch Up, homeowners are designing their own plans, often times saving thousands of dollars in architect fees. But general contractors are leery of this new found enthusiasm.
f used properly, the do-it-yourself products can save thousands of dollars in architects' fees on a major project. But the growing popularity of the products is making them a point of tension between builders and their clients. Homeowners can spend hours on a design, only to be told they've taken out a key beam or put in a toilet where there are no pipes...
In contrast to computer-assisted design programs of the early 1990s, which were cumbersome and often crude, the latest programs feature realistic graphics, automatic processes for complex steps like adding cabinets, and thousands of materials, textures and even landscaping plants to choose from...
For homeowners dreaming up a project, builders say it's important to be aware of the software's limits...Still, many architects praise the software for improving communication."
Thanks to Matt Baumann
FULL STORY: Unlocking your inner architect with home design software
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UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research