Chief Architect Reviews

“Reliable solution

Pros

I really like how easy it is to draw out rooms for estimates. Plus I can buy just what I need without having to commit to an annual plan which is a huge plus.

Cons

Sometimes, I find it tricky to learn how to do the drawings.

“Simple to use

Pros

The cost is great and it's very easy to use for design work. I love how simple it is.

Cons

The sofas and chairs look kind of old-fashioned and blocky. Also, it's annoying that I can't bring in furniture from other companies and put it into my drawings.

“My experience with Chief Architect

Pros

I use this program every day to model floor plans for my clients. It's really easy to adjust and customize everything to show them exactly how their space will look.

Cons

It took me a little while to figure out how to do certain things in the software. But for basic modeling, it was really easy to learn.

“Works well for both clients and trades

Pros

What I love is that I can take one floor plan and create everything I need for my customers, the foreman, the trades and designers. It really helps bring ideas to life and all the notes, dimensions and materials are right there which make it easy to access.

Cons

I still don't feel like I've fully mastered it. It works differently than the other design programs I'm used to and I didn't always know where to find the tools.

“Efficient tool!

Pros

With features like attendees I can truly walk through a space and see the whole picture. My clients always love it when they get a real visual of their dream home.

Cons

The rendering needs really powerful systems which can get expensive.

“Tricky to use for kitchen design

Pros

The renderings look great and I love having full control over the sizing, colors and other details.

Cons

For kitchen design, it's almost impossible to get the wall dimensions right, and that's really important. Every time I try to enter dimensions, it messes up other walls which wastes a lot of time. This program takes too long to work with. There should also be actual cabinet catalogs not just doors. Sometimes I just want to place walls and items quickly. Also, having to close the room to get the dimensions especially for kitchens is so frustrating.

“Good tool

Pros

It has lots of features at different levels which makes it really flexible for all sorts of projects.

Cons

It can be quite complicated. Sometimes I have to really pay attention to figure out how to do something.

“Fast and user friendly

Pros

This software is very simple and quick to pick up and it provides great visuals without being hard to learn.

Cons

It's great for homeowners but the easy drawing process is also a downside. The drawings aren't accurate when given to the construction team, so the designer has to spend extra time fixing them to make them good enough. The ease of use might make people think the drawings are perfect but they really aren't.