1 stars (Helpful only in designing boxes with roofs) - This product was a horrible waste of my money. There is no option for log houses, which I find surprising. This is afterall, far from an alternative building style. It seems as though this product was made for those with little or no creaativity, seeking to create another ugly box like all those that already exist all over the nation. Don't waste your money! 3 stars (Lots of work, little reward) - I was very anxious to recieve this product. I reviewed various products and this seemed to be the one to buy for the price. At this point I'm not disappointed I bought it, just disappointed at some of the limitations. I was looking to do basic, accurate floor plans, i.e. kitchens. With this product you're forced to design a house and then focus on a specific room. I live in an area where there are alot of raised houses. A raised foundation/house on piers is not an option. I will say that it has a nice selection of finishes, though many of them look too similar to tell a difference. Overall, it's a decent product and not a bad buy. 3 stars (Limited Capability-Not for remodeling) - When I read the other reviews on this product, I was a bit surprised at their very positive nature. Then I remembered how I felt when I first tried this program and it all made sense. My guess is that the folks who wrote the positive reviews probably haven't worked with the program for very long or tried to create anything but the most elementary structures. I know I was very impressed at first. That is until I tried to re-create my own home as the starting point for a remodeling project. This program is very intuitive and easy to learn, the problem is that it is also very limited. After you get past the ease of creating floor plans, the next obvious progression is to see the building in 3D. That's where the problems begin. The roof planes are nearly impossible to control. If you are creating anything other than a simple cape ... Chief Architect :: Improvement (1-2-3) :: Interior Design :: House Floor Plans (Planning) :: Layout :: Home Design :: Hobby Hobbies :: Computer software (programs) :: :: Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer
1 stars ( 3D Home Architect Home Design Deluxe 6 ) - Very basic program. Would purchase again if price was $20.00 or less just for the basic house layout. 3 stars (Powerful but not user-friendly) - I have been using this product for about six months to redesign several rooms in our house. It is fairly flexible and powerful and has a good variety of colors, textures, materials, etc. to work with. However, don't believe the "intuitive, easy to use" claims made by the company producing this software. I have run into many problems where the program required me to do something unintuitive, such as raise all of the furniture in a room off the floor by 1 inch in order to be able to put a rug in the room. Also, you cannot "nudge" objects using the arrow keys as you can in almost any graphics program, so exact placement of objects becomes a frustrating game of, "Can I let go of the mouse on this exact pixel?" For the amount I paid (which was $20 more than it should have been because of Fry's' typical refusal to honor the rebate that they themselves advertised), it is not a bad program. But it's sad that there isn't anything out there that's much better. 1 stars (Not a true upgrade from version 4) - This is not a true update from version 4 but a completely new program. If you want the true updated verson try "Better Homes and gardens Home Designer" products by Chief Architect, they were the makers of "3D Home Architect version 4 and earlyer. I purchased 3D Home Architect version 5, and it was very hard to use I can't imagine that this will be better. ... Encore Software :: Improvement (1-2-3) :: Interior Design :: House Floor Plans (Planning) :: Layout :: Home Design :: Landscape (Landscaping) :: Gardening (Gardens) :: Computer softwa :: 3D Home Architect Home Design Deluxe 6
4 stars (Landscape&DeckDesign Software) - Review the tutorials - that's important. Annotate the book because it doesn't include some key commands used in the tutorial Be careful to check dimensions of drawings; it's NOT as sophisticated as CAD and there are distinct limitations. However, there are some handy pre-packaged tools. 1 stars (Over The Top) - This software has been a disappointment. I have intermediate computer skills and yet I find this software to be an unreasonable hassle for doing landscaping projects. What appealed to me was the ability to add landscaping project details to a photograph to help visualize a design scheme. I have worked on this software program far too long with basically no results. The CD tutorial is not that helpful. I bought this product for business purposes. I have real estate that I wish to improve the curbside appearance. This product did not meet my simple expectations. 3 stars (Too Complicated) - I find the program hard to understand and the tutorial moves too fast. I have had the program for almost six months and still cannot use it. ... Chief Architect :: better :: homes :: and :: gardens :: landscaping :: and :: deck :: designer :: chief :: architect :: business :: finance :: business :: finance :: betterhomesandgardenslandscapinganddeckdesign :: Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer
3 stars (Ended Up Paying More) - I thought that I'd have a hard time learning this software, since other reviewers commented on its difficulty, but it wasn't that hard to get the hang of it. My intent on purchasing this was to recreate my house and landscape it within the program. I soon learned that wasn't going to happen, since none of the housing plans available to choose from resembled my house, and I couldn't alter the structures in any way. So, I ended up buying 3D Home Architect Home Design Deluxe 6 and recreating my house in that program. I then transfered my house design to the Landscaping software and landscaped it within that program. I should have purchased the suite available with has both the Home Design and Landscaping software combined, but I ended up buying each program individualy and spending more money. Overall, I think it's a fun program to plan a house and garden. I'd give it another star if only I wasn't pissed about having to spend more money on more software just to use this Landscaping program the way I wanted to. 1 stars (Stay away from Broderbund software) - I wish I could give them zero stars. Broderbund pulled support for software I owned only 2 years after it was released. I was unable to install it because it required internet registration which was no longer supported. To solve the problem, they offered to SELL me a different software title. They must have thought I was stupid. They expected me to give them more money??? This company has second rate software and third rate customer service. Do not buy anything from them. 3 stars (Takes LOTS of time.) - Like most people, I was initially very disappointed with this software, and though I am an experienced computer user, could not figure out how to do some simple tasks. I kept at it though, and with practice and a LOT of time was able to create a spectacular plan. I drew my house first as a series of tall fences, then eventually used photographs. I eventually learned how to dr... Broderbund :: Improvement (1-2-3) :: Interior Design :: House Floor Plans (Planning) :: Layout :: Home Design :: Landscape (Landscaping) :: Gardening (Gardens) :: Computer softwa :: 3D Home Architect Landscape Design Deluxe 6
5 stars (Using Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer) - I am a novice to landscape design. I have in the past used a drafting table, drafting machine, and created a plan view that was almost professional looking thanks to a course I took by mail several years ago. My problem was that I did not have the drawing skills to create an elevation view, and I felt that was a vital missing skill. I had looked at several brands of software (CAD) that would give me the ability to create what my gardens should look like if I were standing looking at them. Some that were too simplified were not able to allow me to get the exact picture I wanted. Others that were even more expensive than this one were not as sophisticated in their look. I did not have the money or the inclination to spend thousands of dollars on programs that were probably meant for professionals. I am a master gardener and I get my satisfaction from designing for schools, retirement centers, and others who are looking for perennial gardens, bird, and butterfly gardens. I am a retired educator and only want to use the program to help me give back to my community. The way I can do this is to help them design a garden. I found this program relatively easy to understand as I first read it. The quick start guide and tutorial is excellent and touches on all that I need to get started. It also has a variety of plant material in the zone that I live in. This is something that I also looked for in the design software. I can also import photos of plants that are not listed in the Better Homes and Garden encyclopedia. This program also lets one know how many plants of a certain kind are needed in a certain area, and how they will look in 0 to 10 years. Although I donate my own time, it is important for an institution to know how much they are going to spend on plant material, mulch, pathway material, etc. This is done in the project cost estimating portion of the p... Chief Architect :: Improvement (1-2-3) :: Interior Design :: House Floor Plans (Planning) :: Layout :: Home Design :: Landscape (Landscaping) :: Gardening (Gardens) :: Computer softwa :: Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer Bundle
Is spring your favorite time of year or do you just enjoy the beauty of outdoor gardens? These three amazing garden scenes will surely remind you of the joy of gardening. This screensaver will randomly select between the English Garden, the Backyard Pond, and the Garden Fountain scenes and take you through the journey of life. The gardens and flowers will appear to bloom and blossom before your eyes... Freeze com- LLC :: living :: gardens :: freeze :: com :: llc :: desktop :: enhancements :: screensavers :: livinggardens deluxe :: Living Gardens
5 stars (The perfect solution) - Moving into a new house, I had so many projects to make it my own. This product made it all happen. It was easy to start and I had walls drawn and showing in 3D in a few minutes. First, I drew the existing structure. The ability to draw the plan easily and see it in 3D every step of the way made it quite easy. And, I've tried all the competitors. The only product that lets you show the 3D view (with shadows from lights and sun) without grueling waiting and finger tapping is Punch.. its blazing fast. Changing the plan was just as easy! You drag a wall and dimensions display showing you were you are. Move a window or door and you instantly see the results in the 3D view. When I wanted to knock down a dividing wall between the great room and kitchen, it was a couple of mouse clicks and poof, gone. This was huge in determining how open the plan would be and if this part of the remodeling was worth it. When it comes time to landscape, this was way cool. You can customize your yard and its a blast. With a few mouse clicks you can add hills/berms to your yard, I even used the excavation tool and dug a hole for a swimming pool(now if I could just really have it :) The picket fence I added even conformed to the changed landscape. And.. then I added plants. Tons of plants and I even used their tool to select only plants in my area. Then.. to top it off..with a click of the mouse I could grow the entire landscape to see how it would look when the trees grew. As for learning.. you'll love it. You can be drawing in minutes.. but if you need some help there are videos that walk you through how to use each tool. Very cool. 1 stars (Wish I'd Read The Reviews First!) - Like a fool I purchased this software based on the cool pictures on the box and the long list of features. Unfortunately, the pictures turn out to be not actual screenshots, and the features are, as Bart pointed out, little more than limited templates. A couple ca... Punch- Software :: Gardening (Gardens) :: Edit (Editing) :: Multimedia :: Graphics :: Computer software (programs) :: Image Capture Capturing :: Improvement (1-2-3) :: Interior Design :: Punch- Home Design Architectural Series 3000
5 stars (Still a star) - PERENNIAL COMBINATIONS by Colston Burrell is another practical and increasingly beautiful Rodale publication (remember those older Rodale volumes printed on coarse pulp paper?). Although this book was published several years ago, it is still a mega-star as far as I am concerned--printed on slick glossy paper and filled with beautiful and clear photographs. The combinations I used worked for me then and they work now in my more mature garden. Burrell includes many suggestions for the gardener charged with developing an otherwise barren plot into a floriferous spot. Every yard is a collection of ecological zones ranging from dry loose (or compacted) soil to wet mucky bogs. Different combinations of plants work in different circumstances. For example, although I once had a professional gardener tell me Siberian Iris would grow anywhere, that has not been my experience, and Burrell confirms their best showing comes in a relatively damp area (Mine do best in the boggy area where our air conditioning unit drips ceaselessly throughout the summer-check out the lake in the middle of Central Park, Siberian Iris grow all along the shoreline). And speaking of "wet" gardens, Burrell shows ferns, Hosta, flags and various other perennials who either like or can tolerate damp feet combined into a `Garden for Three Seasons.' Burrell covers almost any situation you can encounter in the garden: shade and wet, shade and dry, hot and dry, hot and wet. Have you just removed a dead tree and are puzzled about what to do to disguise the residual stump? Perhaps you want to grow wild flowers and don't know how or where to begin. Or, perhaps you have prairie-like conditions and wonder what to plant. And by the way, you don't have to live on the Great Plains to have prairie-like conditions, a sunny bank will do or, as in my case, where the driveway meets the street. Burrell offers many tips and "secrets for success" with whatever condition you may encounte... Rodale Books :: Gardening & Garden Design :: Planting design :: Perennials :: Landscape Design And Planting :: Gardens :: Gardening&Plants :: Gardening & Horticulture :: Gardening :: :: Perennial Combinations- Stunning Combinations That Make Your Garden Look Fantastic Right from the St
1 stars (Read the Reviews FIRST - ZERO Stars) - I just now read the reviews of this product; unfortunately, I did not read them before I purchased this pathetic program. Basically - false advertising. Does not include anywhere near the number of items indicated on the box and queries to Broderbund indicate the items are no longer available. Save your money - get some crayons! 1 stars (Actually 0 Stars DON'T DO IT!!!!) - I have had Broderbund Home Designer 5.0 for about 4 months now. Three years ago I used 3D Architect Vers. 1.0 to remodel my kitchen and it was great. So, I decided to buy 3D Architect Professional 5.0 to design my Master Suite (converting two BRs and a bath to do it) and remodel my back yard and pool....completely. To begin, all Broderbund architectural products' names are similarly named. I thought the "professional" 5.0 included (and was led to believe by skimming the info on it) the landscape design program. You can even switch to landscape mode but NOTHING happens! After calls to tech support and customer service asking why I can't get to the landscape portion, I (not they) realized I had to buy 3D Home Landscape. So I went to buy it, installed it and went to use the program and still no landscape mode. Long story short...after many frustrating calls and e-mails, I (again me, not they) discovered how the two programs merge together to form one program (if installed in a certain method and order) named yet another program name...3d Home Designer 5.0. Unbelievable! Again, long story short...after limping through a multitude of crashes, letters to tech support and getting answers back e.g., "I don't know, I don't use the program" and countless other frustrating and irritating things, today was the last straw. I opened the program and four months of re-creating my four bedroom tri-level home and yard are gone to waste. As soon as I open the program to do anything, it crashes. I have re-installed and to no avail. BY ALL MEANS, save yourself the frus... Broderbund :: House Floor Plans (Planning) :: Layout :: Home Design :: Landscape (Landscaping) :: Gardening (Gardens) :: Computer software (programs) :: Great Deals (Outlet sto :: 3D Home Landscape 5 Deluxe
3 stars (Landscaping is Okay but don't bother with the house feature) - I'm a huge fan of home design programs, it's a great way to unleash creativity. I adore Punch Pro, however I agree with others I find the Punch Pro line substandard when designing houses compared to 3d Architect Home Design Deluxe 6, but Punch Pro is great for landscaping. There are a few errors with the plants not programed right in the computer, aka black box around some of the plants. Also I wasn't able to figure out all of the features, for example build your own items using the plane, and I was frustrated beyond comparison when my program's library crashed and I had to use the scary default library. That prompted it's removal from my computer! However, I'd like to note an important tip: To accuratly run this and other home design programs, I had to invest in a top of the line video card for the rendering to look good. Don't go by what the box says, trust me just shell out the extra moo la if you're serious about building! Other wise you might as well beat another level of WOW waiting for the program to render! Hope this review helps! 4 stars (Have to respond) - I read several of the reviews here and almost didn't purchase this software. But I chose to give it a try, after purchasing this product I am amazed at a couple of the reviews it received. One states either outright lies, or never bothered to try the correct method to make it work, and another assumed it would do all the work for them (if you want that hire an architect), as a tool it is very good. Example: One wrote " -- In my back yard there is cement, then 6" down, there is a garden. You can't move things in 6" units. Only 1 foot." That is an erroneous statement. If instead of just dragging the elevation bar (which is set to snap to one foot increments) right click on it, it will bring up a dialog box, select set elevation, and type in the elevation you want (I did it to 1/8") Another example of an outright lie is: ... Punch- Software :: House Floor Plans (Planning) :: Layout :: Home Design :: Landscape (Landscaping) :: Gardening (Gardens) :: Computer software (programs) :: Improvement (1-2-3) :: In :: Punch- Master Landscape Pro and Home Design
5 stars (Cyberthink Your Woodframe Construction) - What's comforting about this program, once you master it, is that its output (detailed plans for architectural entities such as rooms or houses or porches) conforms to real world physics to such a degree that it would almost be impossible to create a plan for something that you couldn't actually build. In other words, the program 'thinks' in the way an experienced carpenter or contractor would think. Thus, as you learn how to use the program, if you reflect on it, you're also learning authentic and viable construction techniques. The program offers many ways to visualize your plans in 3-D. The most fascinating and possibly the most useful is called 'glass house view' wherein what you have constructed within the program can be seen as if it were made of transparent material but still in proper perspective. The on-screen image of 'glass house view' lets you 'see through' walls and floors and roofs, once again, the way an experienced contractor would. 5 stars (Nothing even comes close to the value this software offers) - I was pleasantly surprised with how easy this was to get a product with fast. The icons and drop-down menus are intuitively laid out; I was drawing and 3-D viewing away right out of the box! I don't like to read software manuals any more than most people but this one has a very well written, thought-out manual, included video tutorials on CDROM and the program itself is thoroughly wired with Help when you need it. You can get better software than this but it will cost you at least four times as much. Perfect for the remodeling contractor or home designer. 5 stars (3D View Feature Helped Us Avoid Some Serious Design Mistakes) - I found Home Designer Pro 6 to be an excellent choice for software to design my new house. While this software does not have all the features of Chief Architect's more sophisticated software, Chief Architect 10, or AutoCad's architectural version, neither does it have the sub... Chief Architect :: better :: homes :: and :: gardens :: home :: designer :: pro :: 6 :: chief :: architect :: business :: finance :: business :: finance :: betterhomesandgardenshomedesignerpro6 06 december :: 20 :: Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Pro 6
