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Automated Building Tools: Roofs, Stairs, Floors, Foundations, Framing and Cost Estimating

Landscaping, Terrain, and Decking Tools

3D Viewer - Export Models to Mobile Devices

80+ Training Videos, 500+ How-To Articles

Custom Backsplash and Countertops

Advanced Deck Tools: Curved Decks, Roofs and Ceilings, Deck Planking Controls

Import / Export DXF and DWG File Formats

Manual Roof, Ceiling, and Framing Tools

Fully Editable Dimensions

Master List Material Pricing Management

2D and 3D Design. Objects you place in 2D plan view are automatically created in 3D, real-time. Generate 3D views and select, modify, move, and delete objects directly in the view.

Space Planning Assistant. Layout out room boxes in a bubble diagram to quickly create a floor plan. Convert diagram into walls, windows, and doors to finalized and furnish the design. Use the polyline-based Room Boxes of the Space Planner tools to customize room shapes and junctions. Controls for snapping and room overlap help make spatial design easier.

Import PDF Files. Retain print resolution and quality when printing final documents by using embedded PDF files.

Reference Display Tool. Turn on a Reference of adjacent floors to aid in designing multi-tiered decks or room layout between floors.

Multiple-Select Editing. For example, select all your cabinets and change them all with one command.

Reflect About Angle Centers. The Reflect About tool will locate the corners of walls, CAD, and other objects so you can easily select Angle Centers.

Object Painter™ / Eyedropper. Use eyedropper functionality to match properties from one object and apply them to another object. Use Scoping controls to apply changes to groups of objects at once by component, object, room, floor, and plan.

Electrical Connections for Fixtures. Create electrical designs where Electrical Connections map fixtures and other non-electrical objects.

Wall Coverings. Apply coverings in the wall specification dialog to create an accent area that uses a different material. Create wallpaper boarders or wainscotting on a wall or in a room.

Multiple Plan Views. Open multiple tabbed windows of the same plan view, show different floors separately or adjust displayed layers in different tabs.

Concentric Resize Edit Tool. Choose the Concentric Resize tool from an object’s Edit Toolbar to make concentric jump modifications to the item.

Convert Polyline Tool. Create 3D objects (countertops, slabs, terrain features, and more) from CAD objects.

Custom Watermarks. Create watermarks and display them on your work. Control location, size, angle, transparency, and include images in your watermark design.

Multi-Page Layouts. Use up to 5 pages on a Layout page for your projects.

Labeled Callouts. Use callouts to reference between details, plans, and cross sections in a blueprint layout. See callout previews in specification dialog.

3D Viewer Export. Save designs to the Cloud and share them for using on mobile devices and websites using the Chief Architect 3D Viewer App.

Virtual Reality. Leverage HTC VIVE™ and Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headsets to view your Chief Architect Designs. In addition to experiencing the 360d area of a scene, teleport from point to point in a model to experience multiple virtual spaces. Choose to view your models in VR from a First-Person orientation or from an Overhead view; interact with each view type to experience the details of your design.

Auto-Hide Exterior Walls While Navigating. Set navigation camera views to automatically hide the backs of walls that prevent seeing into a small room. Use the Hide Camera-Facing Exterior walls tools to easily navigate small rooms.

3D Overview Floor Levels. Show multiple floors when creating 3D dollhouse views.

Rendering Controls. Set up camera angles and locations to create realistic 3D renderings with shadows, reflections, lighting, and material effects in interior and exterior scenes. Navigate scenes in real-time.

Blend Color Tool. Change the Color of any material while retaining its texture, similar to applying stain to wood.

Export image files of your designs to share. (.JPG, .PNG, .BMP). Set Pixel Resolution and Image Output measurements when exporting images.

Reset Saved Camera. In a modified 3D view, use the reset camera options for ‘Position’ or ‘All’ settings to update the view to its previously saved state.

Sky Model. Control settings for the sun, moon, horizon and their impact on a scene’s lighting from within the camera’s specification dialog.

Walkthrough Editing. Use key frame editing controls to quickly adjust and modify individual keyframes directly from the preview dialog and the edit toolbar. Join multiple walkthrough segments as one path and retain the keyframe details from the original pieces. Use the Complete Break tool to break an existing walkthrough into individual parts or use existing, longer walkthroughs to record sub-sections as smaller animations without generating a new path.

360 Exterior Walkthrough. Create an automatic walkthrough path that orbits the exterior of your design.

Procedural Grass Areas. Use Grass Region tools to create areas that simulate 3D grass; specify the length, density, color, and other parameters to achieve more natural-looking grass in your scenes.

Depth Cueing. Assign a ‘foggy’ or shaded effect to areas that are a specified distance from the camera to differentiate the foreground from the background of a scene. Define gradient values to control the intensity range of Depth Cueing.

Rendering Technique Tools. Create artistic views of your designs like Watercolor, Technical Illustration, and Vector Views.

Pattern Scaling. Set X and Y sizing values for custom patterns so they scale uniformly or stretch.

Multiple Camera Defaults. Specify default values for each camera type; control, layer assignment, active Rendering Technique, and more.

Full control of render settings allows you to customize your realistic rendering for speed or visual quality.

Leverage the North Pointer for Sun Angles. Create Sun Angles with accurate longitude, latitude, date, and time; use North Pointer as bearing for sun angle. Easily identify Sun Angles to be used for saved cameras or to be adjusted by their date and time naming.

Opaque Glass in Camera Views. Set glass to appear as solid fill (non-transparent) in camera views. Choose to show glass as opaque or transparent by default per Render Technique, or adjust individual views.

Export .DAE 3D files. Includes texture mapping that can be leveraged with external rendering software.

Project Cost Estimation. Automatically generate a materials list for budgeting and planning a project.

Deck and Framing Cut & Buy Lists. A Structural Lumber Table can be used to calculate lumber materials for a Cut & Buy List. This calculation is in addition to square feet and lineal feet calculations and can be especially helpful for your framing and decking board calculations.

Find in Plan from the Materials List. Select items from the materials list and choose to Show in Plan to identify and locate them in your design.

Save snapshot Materials Lists for different stages of the project. Allows you to evaluate different ideas, compare cost differences, and plan stages of construction.

Master List allows you to store and manage commonly-used material prices.

Auto Refresh Exterior Dimensions. Keep Auto Exterior Dimensions up-to-date as you move walls and openings in your design.

Adjust Position using Dimensions. Use dimensions to quickly position objects with precision. Use simple arithmetic formulas while editing dimensions to easily move objects in a design.

Dimension Unit Display Threshold. Set a threshold where dimensions display in inches when the value is less than the specified amount; for example, show dimension as 18” instead of 1’ 6”.

Advanced Dimensioning Tools. Includes angular, point-to-point, and interior dimensions.

Locate Defaults per Dimension Tool. For each dimension tool, set up location snapping; for example, set the Center Line dimension tool to pick up only walls and fixture centers for kitchen and bath dimension defaults or only pier and post centers for deck or framing defaults.

Dimension to Foundation Wall Steps. Snap dimensions to elevation height transitions on stepped foundation walls in plan and elevation views.

Create Elevation, Wall Elevation, and Cross Section Views for the interior and exterior of your design.

Convert Wall Elevations to Section Views. Regardless of the camera tool used to create a Section View, Elevation, or Wall Elevation, it can be edited to behave as the other view types. Expand Wall Elevations to included parts of the scenes beyond a room (like vaulted ceilings or multi-room suites), or crop larger Sections to show smaller spaces.

Center CAD in Elevation Views. Use the Center Objects tool in Elevation Views to control the location of CAD objects.

Layers can be used to separate key building components such as electrical or framing. Display or hide features of your design, set colors, lock layers, and use reference layers for precise editing.

Text Style Tools. Create Text Styles and assign them per layer, per default, or per object to control the appearance of labels, dimensions and other text in your design.

Replace Fonts. Use the Replace Fonts tool to substitute font types throughout your plan.

Advanced CAD tools to detail cross-section views with insulation, cross-boxes, blocking box, and more.

Advanced CAD editing tools such as replicate, line weights, point-to-point move, custom patterns, and stretch CAD.

Visual CAD Snaps™ feature with setup dialog and snap options to control.

Specify labels for Light Source or “added light” objects. Uniquely name light sources in your scenes for easy recognition.

Advanced Cabinets. Attach moldings and hardware, angled front cabinets, and more.

Cabinet Door Size. Discover the overall size of cabinet doors and drawers while selected in the cabinet specification dialog.

Design and edit Custom Countertop shapes and styles.

Waterfall Counters. Automatically specify the edge of a custom counter as “Waterfall” to create a solid section from the counter’s top to the floor.

Frameless Cabinet Settings. Change the cabinet style in one click with the Frameless and Full Overlay options for cabinets.

Insert Items inside Cabinets. Attach custom shelves, storage, and hardware items into cabinet boxes and specify their behavior per face item.

Evenly Space Doors and Drawers on Cabinet Fronts. Use the Equalize Layout button on Horizontal and Vertical Layouts to space their components equally.

Rounded Countertop Corners for Automatic Countertops.

Control Partition Toe Kick. Choose to include or exclude a toe kick on cabinet partitions.

3D Door Display Options. Edit tools “Show Door Open in 3D” and “Show Door Closed in 3D” make it fast and easy to control the state of doors in 3D views.

Specify Door Thickness. Assign thickness to parametric and library doors, cabinet doors, drawers, and panels.

Atrium Door Options. Create Center Swing Double Doors, also known as atrium patio doors.

Door and Window Frame Toggle. Choose to include or exclude frame for openings with "Has Frame" controller.

Parametric Window Tools. Create Double-Hung, Fixed, Casement, Hopper, and other windows styles and change a window's style on the fly using parametric tools.

Arched Top Windows & Doors. Specify Round Top, Gothic Arch, or Broken Arch shapes to windows and doors. Adjust the amount of curvature.

Corner Windows. Bump windows together at wall corners and choose to include or remove the corner post at the sash joint to create a glass corner.

Opening Indicators. Display opening indicators for hinged and sliding windows and doors in camera views. Set up default behaviors to configure the indicators to your drawing standards.

Automatic Frame Depth. Set window frame depth to automatically fit into wall.

Included Library Items for customizing and creating designs. Fixtures, furniture, accessories, and materials to create your scenes. Add more variety by downloading Bonus and Branded catalogs from Chief Architect's 3D Library.

Bonus Catalog Add-Ons. Generic furniture, materials, fixtures, hardware, and accessories, some free and others for purchase, can be downloaded and added to your library browser for more design choices. New catalogs made available monthly.

Library Browser. Use various filter tools based on User-Defined Tags, Object Properties and Types, and Favorites to find and manage objects in the Library Browser. View and browse through filtered results; discover details about individual objects. Customize your experience with personalized Tags and Saved Filters. Use the Back button to view previous results.

Search Online for Available Catalogs. Use the search tools inside Chief Architect’s Library Browser to discover and download content from the 3D Library.

Ability to Export Custom Libraries. Share your libraries with other Home Designer Users.

Library Painter Scoping. Apply library items to parametric objects using scoping. For example, replace cabinet hardware on a single drawer, on an entire cabinet, for all cabinets in a room, on a floor level, or in the whole plan.

Custom Materials and Images. Save custom image billboards and paintable materials in the User Library to include and reuse in your projects.

Edit Parametric Items in Library Browser. Once saved into the Library, open and edit the properties of Cabinets, Windows, Doors, and other parametric items.

Patterns and Fill Styles Library. Access your favorite patterns from the Library Browser. Easily apply fills and patterns to objects and materials from their specification dialogs and through the Fill Style Painter tool.

Stairs and Ramps. Draw stairs or ramps in designs and modify length, treads, and style of stairs. See stair preview in dialog to preview your modifications.

Ramp Tool. Default Ramp is ADA compliant. Specify length and slope rise and run for non-traditional ramps such as skateboard ramps.

Customize Stair Components. Control the number, placement, size, and materials of the stringers under a stair. Control the thickness and material of the wall trim along a stair. Specify materials for stair risers and stringers separately.

Wrap Around Stairs. Join stairs on outside or inside corners.

Railing Tools. Assign symbol Railing Balusters, Newels, and Panels. Specify railings, balusters, and newels from the Library Browser for railing walls. Control Railing beam and top and bottom rail configurations.

Advanced stair tools allow control of shape, starter treads, flaring, tread width, and more. Full control over curved staircases.

Offset Railings. Control post, newel, and railing locations; extend posts and and balusters below floor platform.

Automatic building tools for roof generation, stairs, dimensioning, foundations, framing and electrical.

Design Multiple-Story Buildings. Create structures with up to 5 floor levels in addition to an attic and basement foundation.

Automatic Roofs. Gable, hip, shed, gambrel, Dutch gable, roof returns and more. Access roof defaults for each project.

One-Click Auto Dormer™. Build dormer on roof automatically while cutting a hole for the ceiling.

Manual Roof Tools. Create and edit any custom roof planes. Start with an automatic roof and then add custom details, or create the entire roof manually. Control framing and pivot point for individual roof planes.

Unblock and manually edit Automatic Dormers.

Ceiling Plane Tool. Create custom ceilings of any slope and shape; vaulted, cathedral, and more.

Glass Wall Tool. Use the glass wall tool to quickly draw a new glass wall via the wall parent toolbar.

Multiple Framing Layers in Wall. Create wall types with multiple framing layers and automatically generate framing for both layers; ideal for furred basement walls.

Glass Ponywall Tool. Wall tool to quickly draw a glass wall over a solid wall, perfect for showers.

Pony Wall Height Controls. Adjust the height of individual Pony Walls by typing the lower wall’s height into the dialog.

Wall Defaults. Default controls for interior and exterior walls.

Molding Specification. Easily manage moldings attached to an object through the moldings panel and see a preview moldings assigned to rooms.

Monolithic Slab technology. Designing slab foundations is fast, easy, and accurate.

Slab Volume listed in the slab specification dialog for easy reference.

Customize construction methods for walls, floors, ceilings, and foundations. Specify wall layers, floor structure, platform height, mudsills, framing methods, and more.

Manual framing tools for fully editable framing, including joists, rafters, trusses, beams, posts, and more. Create any framing system for your design.

Build Framing Panel. Choose to generate all or a subset of automatic framing from the Build Framing Panel.

Flat Header. Specify rotated header framing members so the flat side is parallel with the ceiling, useful for non-loadbearing walls.

Cut Lengths for Wall Plates. Specify maximum plate lengths for wall tops and bottoms. Automatic framing will optimize them to stagger the joints and bear over studs as necessary.

Rough Opening Panel in Dialogs. Access controls unique to rough openings for doors, windows, and wall niches in the object specification dialog.

Framing Member Role. Use the Role option in the Framing Specification dialog to control how individual framing objects are represented.

Multiple Framing Types. Choose from a wide selection of framing types when designing your structure; from lumber, to steel, to engineered materials like LVL, PSL, and VSL. Framing labels reflect the type of material specified.

Landscaping Plants.

Pre-Arranged Garden Beds.

Plant Schedules. Generate a list of all the plants used in your design; use different schedule callout shapes as reference labels to plants in designs. Manage multiple schedules of the same type and independently control their display of labels. Schedules update when items in the plan are added to or removed from the schedule display.

Railing Tools. Custom Railing Panels, Control of Height & Railing Styles, great for custom decks.

Auto Re-Build Deck Framing. Deck Framing updates as the deck design changes.

Deck Beam Controls. Define spacing, offsets, and generation of automatically generated deck beams through the Deck Specification and Framing dialogs. Choose whether beams are placed under or in line with joists.

Treated Deck Framing. Specify Deck Framing Members as “treated” to reflect the lumber type in your materials list.

Landscaping Terrain Tools. Define custom Terrain, including sloped lots and input elevation points. Shape the terrain with Hill and Valley tools. Cut holes in terrain for pools, window wells and other customizations.

Primary and Secondary Terrain contour labels. Control the highlight for negative value contour labels.

Calculate Materials for Roads. Include the volume of Roads, Driveways, Sidewalks, and Terrain Walls and Curbs in materials lists.

Water Feature Tools. Create various shaped ponds, streams, creeks, and water features, or design a lake front home.

Display angles as Azimuth Bearings.

Copy Sun Angles. Create duplicate sun angles, then move and adjust the copies to represent different seasons and times for sun studies and lighting effects.

Native ARM Support for Mac M1 Processors. See up to 20% performance improvement with ARM processors.

Touch Screen Optimization. Smooth and accurate touch controls for pinch zoom, pan, rotate and other controls for Windows computers (not supported by Mac OS).

Migration Tools. Easily bring forward settings from previous versions.

Manage Archive Preferences. Define the frequency that files are archived

Print to any Paper Size. Set up your prints and PDF to work with your favorite paper size.

Loan/Mortgage Calculator.

Fully editable working environment including customizable toolbars.

Dynamically-Updating Help. The Help viewer automatically updates to show the Help topic for the highlighted object, tool, or dialog. Dynamic help updates can be toggled on or off.

Searchable Knowledge Base Articles. Detailed, illustrated, instructional articles will guide you step-by-step through specific tasks; search on a subject or task to find help on that topic.

Rental Option. Pay for monthly access to software for $59/month with terms to own the license after 12 consecutive months.