# House Design Software for an amature (concrete construction)



## maninthesea

I just finished paying off my land and am about ready to start the design/build proccess. 
I was wondering if someone could recomend a design software program I could buy and use to come up with some prelimenary plans that I can take to a proffesional. 
A curve ball is overhere all homes are concrete with concrete roof. So if the software had a concrete construction option that would be great. 
I am looking to buy a consumer version not proffesional.

Thanks in advance

Jim

(Gotta build the house around the new table saw:thumbsup


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## Kent Whitten

I don't have a link but quite a few have said good things about Home Design Pro, the consumer version of Chief Architect


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## maninthesea

Thanks Kent
I had looked thru this part of the forum before and it seems like Chief A is well thought of. Anyone know if it does concrete or only stick houses?
Jim


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## UpNorth

maninthesea said:


> Thanks Kent
> I had looked thru this part of the forum before and it seems like Chief A is well thought of. Anyone know if it does concrete or only stick houses?
> Jim


I am an untrained user of Chief, and can say this about its potential for doing drawings for houses made with formed-and-poured concrete walls.

While its first aim is to frame with wood, you can certainly model any house design with it giving the look of all-concrete. Custom walls can be created for use in drawing.

Let's say your exterior walls will be poured concrete, faced on the exterior with a concrete stucco plaster of 12mm thickness, and on the inside with ceramic tile. That three-layer wall is created and saved, then used to build.


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## ScipioAfricanus

Here is a small example of a conc. house I just did in Chief, I am not absolutely sure if this same thing can be done in the Home Designer Pro series but I believe i can be.

The one major problem that I have run into with clients using the HD Pro software is that it will only do layout page a max. size of 18" x 24".

Also HD Pro isn't as easy to do construction docs. as the Premier software, but people can and do.

Andy.


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