Read An Opinion On:
How CAD Design Software Can Make Kitchen Renovation More Professional
by
Randy Hough
Homeowners are always looking for ways to improve their homes, after all, it is the single most valuable thing most people ever own. For the serious do it yourselfer, CAD design software is a great tool to make the job more rewarding.
True, you can get a lot done with some graph paper and pencil (and eraser!). If, however, you want to have a really professional result, take some time to look at the CAD programs available. You can even test drive many of them.
There are essentially two types of applications available: professional grade and homeowner grade. You can immediately tell which is professional by the high price ticket. On the other hand, for under $100 you can get some pretty amazing software to meet your needs.
If you do intend to DIY, which is a great idea, you will be glad you spent the money up front on a good program. Your investment will pay off handsomely in the long run because of the good results.
Consider for a moment that you are planning on remodeling your kitchen. This is a big job that can get very expensive very quickly. You could rely on explaining to a contractor what you have in mind, but maybe his mental image is different than yours.
If you can create it in a 3D model, which is not that hard, he will quickly see what you want and be able to fulfill your dream. Not only that, but the program will provide a bill of materials, an estimate, where each component can be purchased, how much each one costs, and all the sizes he will need to construct your new kitchen.
The same holds for your living room, bedroom and any other part of the house. You can even take a virtual walk through on the computer to see how the entire plan fits together.
Rather than construct little paper models of furniture and lay them out on graph paper, you can actually move the walls around, changes sizes and shapes, use various color schemes, place furniture wherever you want and much more.
Gone are the days of hubby pushing the sofa and tables around to different parts of the room while Mom cannot make up her mind! I know, I have done that more times than I care to remember.
Be sure to look for good quality graphics when investigating software programs. If the graphics are only a step up from stick figures and the colors are dorky, it will not be inspiring and you may be tempted to lose interest.
Also, make sure that the included libraries are extensive. You want to be able to try out various options and the libraries offer a great way to drag new cabinets or rugs around the room so you can visualize how it will appear.
The bill of materials is a great feature as well, as it helps to hold down costs. For some reason, when people have thousands of dollars on hand, they seem to lose the ability to be frugal. It is as if they have more money than they actually do. The result is cost overruns, which is very demoralizing.
Randy Hough writes about
CAD design software
,
3D Kitchen Design Software
and boat design software at
bestcaddesign.com/>Article Source: ArticleRich.com