Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 8.0

software of this scope & customer base should be first & foremost user friendly. I used other CAD software before. i believe the developer should hire someone that would actually try 2 make this intuitive. This program is supposedly designed 4 a regular Smith 2 buy & help design his home & garden. It does not work that way.

Every little task requires a trip thru a whole lot of menus & sub-menus. It does not have 2 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 4 garden design is somewhat limited.

If you look 4 help in designing & decorating your house & garden & you are not CAT uber geek - stay away from this software.

I think this is the first 5 star review I've ever given. I am so impressed with this product, I believe it may be the best piece of software I've ever used.

I started with another program by IMSI that got me through a rough sketch of what I wanted 4 our new home. Bug after bug & limit after limit got me 2 give up after a few weeks. This program was highly recommended on Amazon, so I purchased it with moderate hope. Nearly everything was intuitive & easy 2 do. Most importantly, I have yet 2 find a bug anywhere. It simply does what I want it 2 do quickly.

Between the two programs (both similar in layout) it took me about a week 2 get pretty comfortable 2 do just about anything I wanted. I do learn applications quickly, but it is by no means a complicated thing 2 learn. That & the numerous videos make this a pretty nifty package 4 quick education.

The company also has a website (inside the help section is a link) that has answers 2 everything you could imagine - either through the online help, or via the forums.

Great product, & not too expensive.

I think this program beats any home design program out there. It is based on the old Home Architect program, & I have always thought it was the simplest, best program. Roof design is tricky, granted, but I think it is in any program. I give it a four because it is not perfect, but I highly recommend it.

I have been an avid user/teacher of Chief Architect Inc software since 1995 (I mainly use Chief Architect X1 in my /drafting & design business) but the line of consumer software like Home Designer Suite 8 is a steal 4 anyone wanting 2 quickly play with Architectural ideas & scenarios. This program will not produce construction documents (blue prints) but is perfect 4 communicating ones creative ideas 2 building professionals.

David J. Potter

I am a girl who is very interested in architectural things, when I once played "The Sims"TM I realized I just had 2 get a cad software 4 designing. It is very good 2 design your dream home, or simply design a room or a kitchen. It has pretty good graphics, even though I think that the could have done their foliage better. I was so excited when my dad bought it 4 me 4 a graduaton present. When most kids were getting software, I was getting software. Eventhough I was going 2 get a cellphone anyway, which I stll haven't gotten. This program is worth the money please buy! note that it does not have elevators. If a thing that pops up & says update available 4 the product,I downloaded it, & nothing happened, all it does is gives a few more things. If you go on the website, you might find a couple of update things, 4 7.0 & 8.0 I tried downloading a 7.0 it didn't work, but the updates are really cool. I have Windows XP & the software works great! If your looking into this I'd buy it, & I submitted 4 of the customer images.

For a fun & advanced, yet easy-to-use set of tools 4 Home Design, Better Homes And Gardens Home Designer Suite 8 is the perfect solution. Use it 4 remodeling, interior design, kitchens, baths, decks, landscaping & cost estimation. Powerful, Fun & Easy Home Design Software

Custom cabinets, sinks, showers & garden tubs in 3D Inspirational photos by room or type Thousands of colors & textures or create your own materials with a digital picture Deck & patio tools Design single or multi-level decks with automatic deck framing Deck foundations automatically generate 2 match sloped lots Plant Encyclopedia - Over 1,500 plants Pathway tool - design curb-appealing landscaping using stone, pavers or sidewalks Design in 2D & 3D Glass House View - a translucent view of your design Doll House View - a 3D overview without the roof Create a Virtual Tour Day & night views Assemble a scale model of your design Generate shadows from the sun 4 realistic 3D Automatic Build Terrain & Terrain Perimeter tools - create flat, irregular shaped or sloped lots - use a GPS 2 import or enter elevation data Create plot & perimeter plans; automatically generate a 3D model of your actual terrain Easy-to-use terrain & landscaping tools - Add a pool or pond & visualize in 3D Fencing tools - a variety of fencing styles, custom gates, driveways, sidewalks & curbing tools Hill & Valley tools - add gardens, beds & slopes that automatically appear in 3D Cost Estimating

Minimum System Requirements Windows XP/Vista 1.2 GHz processor 2 GB of available disk space 512 MB of Memory on XP 1 GB of Memory on Vista DVD drive

Design or Remodel Your Home Today--Better Homes & Gardens Home Designer Suite provides a fun & an advanced yet easy 2 use set of tools 4 Home Design, Remodeling, Interior Design, Kitchens, Baths, Decks, Landscaping & Cost Estimation.

The all-in-one home design software solution. View a Product Demo.

Design 4 your lifestyle & personality--change colors, add lighting & choose furniture 2 accent your new room.

Design in 2D & 3D. 3D Views are automatic with a point-and-click of the camera tool.

Powerful, Fun & Easy Home Design Software

• Exclusive Better Homes & Gardens Design Planning Center 4 expert design advice
• Choose from over 1,500 Sample Plans
• Design Inspiration Galley contains photos by type 4 design & inspiration design ideas
• Choose from built-in home style templates or create your own custom home design, or use the House Wizard
• Powerful building tools like automatic roof generation, dormers, stairs, framing & foundations

House Wizard & Tutorial Videos Make it Easy!

• The Quick Startup Options Guide will help you begin with "How-To" tutorials based on the type of your project
• Use the House Wizard 4 quick & easy layout of your rooms
• Select from the pre-designed Home Design, Interior & Landscaping Style Templates complete with colors, cabinets, decks & more
• Exclusive Design Planning Center 4 up-to-date How-To & Design Tips from the experts 2 help in your design process
• Includes Step-by-Step Tutorial DVD Packed with over 30 easy "step-by-step" tutorial training videos that will quickly get you started on your next home design project

Choose from over 1,500 plants with the Plant Chooser.

Design the Kitchen of your dreams--move walls, create new cabinets, add appliances--Design your perfect workspace!

Doll House View, a 3D overview without the roof, is an effective tool 4 space planning of furniture placement & traffic flow.

Kitchens, Baths & Custom Cabinets

• Design the Kitchen of your dreams--move walls, create new cabinets, add appliances--Design your perfect workspace!
• Plan the new layout of your bathroom with custom cabinets, sinks, showers & garden tubs. It's easy 2 visualize your ideas in 3D.
• Create custom cabinets in minutes by choosing your own colors, countertops, door styles & more
• Design your new kitchen or bath using the Cabinet Designer Tools
• Use the Cabinet Designer tools 2 create unlimited cabinet styles. Choose your own colors, countertops & door styles.

Interiors & Exteriors

• Use the Better Homes & Gardens Design Planning Center 2 help guide your designs with guidelines, tips & expert advice
• Design Inspiration Gallery--Our gallery of photos will help you 2 jump start your design & decorating style ideas with inspirational photos by rooms
• Material Painter¨ lets you apply colors & materials quickly & easily
• Choose from thousands of colors & textures or create your own materials using a digital photograph
• Design 4 your lifestyle & personality--change colors, add lighting & choose furniture 2 accent your new room

Decks & Landscaping

• Powerful deck & patio tools allow you 2 design & visualize your new deck with 3D models & can help you estimate the costs
• Design single or multi-level decks complete with automatic deck framing
• Quickly lay out your deck with stairs & arrange furniture
• Deck foundations automatically generate 2 match sloped lots
• Exclusive Better Homes & Gardens Plant Encyclopedia
• Choose from over 1,500 plants with the Plant Chooser
• Pathways--Use the Pathway tool 2 design curb-appealing landscaping using stone, pavers or sidewalks--line with trees, shrubs, flowers & more

3D Models & Virtual Tours

• Design in 2D & 3D. 3D Views are automatic with a point-and-click of the camera tool.
• Glass House View provides a full translucent view of your design
• Doll House View, a 3D overview without the roof, is an effective tool 4 space planning of furniture placement & traffic flow
• Create a Virtual Tour--draw your record line 2 Automatically Generate; or record your camera movements
• Visualize your home with day & night views
• Assemble a scale model of your design with Model Maker
• Generate shadows from the sun 4 realistic 3D views
• Point-and-click 2 remove wall surfaces, or use 3D Cross-Section Elevation Slider 2 quickly create a 3D slice of your desired view

Site Planning & Estimating

• Use Automatic Build Terrain & Terrain Perimeter tools 2 create flat, irregular shaped or sloped lots--use a GPS 2 import or enter elevation data
• Create plot & perimeter plans; automatically generate a 3D model of your actual terrain
• Make your backyard design come alive using several easy-to-use terrain & landscaping tools. Add a pool or pond & visualize in 3D.
• Fences & Driveways--With the Fencing tools you can choose a variety of fencing styles & custom gates. You will also find driveway, sidewalk & curbing tools
• Hill & Valley tools make it easy 2 add gardens, beds & slopes that automatically appear in 3D views. Choose from landscaping style templates or create your own.
• Cost Estimating--Don't be surprised by the cost of your project. Automatically generate a complete spreadsheet 4 your project costs, broken down by category. Calculate the amount of lumber 4 your deck or concrete required 4 that new patio.