Homeowners Replacing Architects With Home Design Software

f used properly, the do-it-yourself products can save thousands of dollars in architects' fees on a major project. But the growing popularity of the products is making them a point of tension between builders and their clients. Homeowners can spend hours on a design, only to be told they've taken out a key beam or put in a toilet where there are no pipes...

In contrast to computer-assisted design programs of the early 1990s, which were cumbersome and often crude, the latest programs feature realistic graphics, automatic processes for complex steps like adding cabinets, and thousands of materials, textures and even landscaping plants to choose from...

For homeowners dreaming up a project, builders say it's important to be aware of the software's limits...Still, many architects praise the software for improving communication."

Thanks to Matt Baumann