Anyone use google sketchup??

[ProfJohn]

Anyone using the FREE version of sketchup??


Is it worth downloading and learning to use?

Just want something so I can design a deck for my house and work on plans for my next house.

The cheap home design programs like PunchDesign annoy me due to about a million things.
I want something that produces images that have more of a cad look to them than what I am getting now.

 

[bobdole369]

We use it fairly productively here to build basic shapes. Pro lets you move right into CAD. It doesn't generate much in the way of CAD-like drawings itself though, its for 3d objects more than anything.

 

[ProfJohn]

Can I use it for house design though?

Visualize a covered porch for for the back of my house etc?

 

[Patranus]

Can you? Sure.

Will it do a good job? Nope.

 

[Zargon]

Can you? Sure.

Will it do a good job? Nope.

as good a job as you make yourself do

I do rough room setups in sketckup

they are as nice as I make them generally

 

[bobdole369]

Yeah, you can "generally" get the layout of a room right with it. It'll let you do the countertops, cabinets, stove, etc.

 

[DrPizza]

I've used it. I went to an all day training on it and was absolutely amazed at what it could do. The trainer moved at about light speed - if anyone wasn't computer/tech/software savy, they were screwed. For lack of any other software on my home computer for CAD, I designed an entire barn with it.

 

[endlessmike]

I use it regularly to do anything from rough space planning and concept visualizaiton to fairly realized models. I disagree with the statement that it won't do a good job, it's actually pretty impressive for a free and pretty simple to use program. I can post up some examples later on when I get home if you'd like.

 

[Eli]

I've played with it before. It would be interesting to take a class on it or somesuch. I'm sure I'm not even scratching the surface of what it can do.

 

[Patranus]

I use it regularly to do anything from rough space planning and concept visualizaiton to fairly realized models. I disagree with the statement that it won't do a good job, it's actually pretty impressive for a free and pretty simple to use program. I can post up some examples later on when I get home if you'd like.

I agree it is useful for quick and dirty sketches but it is far from a true design program like AutoCAD.

 

[BoberFett]

I've used it for doing some quick mockups of room layouts.

If you really want to do it right, check out Home Designer by Chief Architect. Better Homes & Garden used to sell it with their brand, not sure if it still is. Chief Architect makes serious home design software, and Home Designer is a cut down consumer version of it that's still quite powerful. After a couple of days of playing around and getting to know the software, I had a fairly detailed model of our last home.

 

[PsiStar]

For deck design, either or both Lowes & Home Depot have online capabilities.