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If a DIYer has funds set aside for a renovation project, CA inc want them to factor a software cost into that project. For a one off project the timed subscription cost might be justifiable for many ? Time will tell. For those who want their software to keep working indefinitely, then other options and time investment might be more appropriate. So why spend time learning how to use something that might only ever be used once ? We all like our buildings to last for a long time so why not our software ?

@Renerabbitt Those numbers are interesting. You have to account for the differences between a DIY customer base and a professional customer base, however. 50K Chief customers x $2000 = 100 million bucks in revenue every year for Chief to be funded and to secure more robust development. On the flip side, there's many more of us (at least there were LOL), but we're fickle because we don't use HD to make money for the most part. Even the folks I've encountered online who do use HD as part of their paying job (pretty much all contractors now that I'm thinking about it), don't use the program with sufficient regularity to justify a whopping yearly subscription cost. You said yourself most of us nonprofessionals skip releases. I haven't upgraded since 2021, because why should I? I originally bought HD, despite the fact that it was already priced at an eye-watering premium compared with similar programs, to remodel our house. I wanted the ability to account for structure, framing, etc. and to be able to print plans for the local building department (which Chief Inc. throttles in HD in the most absurdly antagonistic way possible). It was $500 upfront for 2020 and 100-something to upgrade to 2021. Ray-tracing would be cool but if I'm being honest not only would I have to cough up for Chief Inc.'s new rentware, I'd have to buy a whole new rig to run ray-tracing, as my current PC coughs and moans when HD's running as is. But practically speaking, why would I pay full MSRP every year? I only own one house. In spite of my wife's best efforts I can only remodel the kitchen so many times. Even if I was a landlord the use cases for this software would dwindle. A rentware model for a program like this only makes sense if you are using it regularly to generate revenue regularly as part of your business. In other words, if you're a Chief user. Really? You know more than I do but I would expect those numbers to reverse, for Chief Inc. to keep that many HD users. Because: see above. I assume this move is, as you said, intended to firm up predictable revenue estimates so they can plan -- which will likely mean the vast majority of the HD user base will be zapped but any who remain will produce reliable revenue numbers. I mean, look. You made solid arguments for why Chief Inc. might legitimately want this aside from it being a mere cash-grab, but at the end of the day the HD suite was always a weird unicorn-type product: considerably more powerful than anything else in the DIY home design space (though some apps might be catching up), but not really usable for architects, drafters cranking out x-number of as-builts every year, owners of design-build firms, etc. -- because of how thoroughly Chief Inc. has throttled HD for professional use. Chief Inc. may legitimately want to keep HD viable as a DIY tool and they may legitimately believe this move will not impact that. I have my doubts as it's always seemed to me that Chief Inc. views HD users with indifference bordering on benign contempt, as the colonial revenue generation model you outlined in your comment illustrates. Regardless, the market will have the final word, and I honestly don't see how this move is anything but a prelude to HD going the way of the shag rug. A lot of software is viable for SaaS, even if we deplore SaaS in principle. Home Designer is not one of those programs.

Using Home Designer 2026. I've searched everywhere and tried everything I'm aware of and still unable to select a couple of interior furniture items in plan view or any camera view. I have several items in a primary bedroom (an area rug and a user defined wall hangings) that I am not able to select however I also have several other items in the same room that I am able to select and modify without a problem. In both plan view and any camera view I can turn the interior furniture layer on and off and the items I am unable to select appear and disappear as the should. But in no instance have I been able to select those particular items while others in the same views I am. What am I missing? thanks!

Save 50% on upgrades to Home Designer 2026, December 23, 2025 through January 5, 2026! Visit our website for details.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Chief Architect Software! The Holidays are a magical time of year to cherish time with family and friends. It’s a time to reflect on what’s important in life, be thankful, and treat others with kindness. We are very thankful for you, our customers, who help to make our products so successful. On behalf of Chief Architect, I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a wonderful Holiday Season.As we look forward to 2026, we are excited to announce several new software features to assist with your home design efficiency. We will begin with the February International Builder and Kitchen & Bath Show/Training in Orlando. At this show, we will be previewing our new version of Chief Architect. In August, we will host our annual Chief Academy Training event in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. This event is always a lot of fun where you can network with other users, attend training, meet our staff, and get an inside preview of upcoming products and features – I hope you can find time to join us!We truly appreciate your business and the time you take to help improve our products and services - thank you.Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!Greg WellsPresident and CEOChief Architect Software

maybe you are getting too detailed? Maybe make from cabinet door in library and change material & dimensions? or find something else in library close to what you want and then change the materials and dimensions for it. heck might be a material in library that you could change partitions to that will give you the look?

how would I make part of the partition wire material?

fake them into an open full height cabinet by using cabinet PARTITIONS.

Thanks. My plans say 1" air gap but I guess that means at least 1" because that's the only part of the wall that isn't pre-specified by the material being used. I'll be using 3 5/8" deep brick but of course it all still works out if I adjust the air gap so the total becomes 5 1/2 inches.

Is there a way to put a Dryaway rack in the laundry rack using Home Designer Pro?

when they make the forms they use a 2x6 and lay flat to create the brick ledge which is 5.5" wide.. Much cheaper then ripping them to make it thin But wall layers should be brick = 3.5" Air Gap= Min 1.5" Sheathing = ~1/2" (15/32" plywood or 7/16" OSB) ----- Brick Ledge Edge ------ Stud = 3.5" Sheet Rock = 1/2" So stuff on brick ledge side = 3.5+1.5+.5 = 5.5" Just adjust your air gap to create wall thickness to match so your plans match. Around here, some builders putting up 1/2" foam board to sheathing and taping joints so air gap goes back to 1" - $$$ but helps with Thermal break and insulation

I am using Home Designer Pro 2021. I designed my home in the software and then had a professional draw up my plans. Now I want to take the small changes they made and update my plans I built as they made rooms slightly larger or smaller. My problem is that I cannot get their dimensions to match my dimensions. I make all the interior rooms match but then the exterior dimesions don't match. I call them and asked what depth they use for a brick wall thickness. My focus is a 2x4 stud wall with brick. They said their brick ledge is 5 1/2" and the total wall thickness is 9 1/2". They didn't seem too eager to help me understand any more detail than that. I've looked up typical brick depths and see 3 1/2" and 3 5/8 brick depths are normal. Even with a 3 5/8" brick depth, my total wall thickness in the software is only 9 1/16" inch (3 5/8" brick, 1" air gap, 7/16" OSB, 3 1/2" stud, and 1/2" drywall). Question 1 - Why does the software say this wall thickness is 9 1/16" but if you add those figures together, it comes out to 9 1/8" (see attachment). Question 2 - How is a brick ledge considered 5 1/2" (including 7/16" OSB, 1" air gap, and brick)? Assuming 3 5/8" brick, isn't that only 5 5/16"? Where is the other 3/16" coming from? Question 3 - When you look at exterior dimensions of a professional drawing (attached). Are those exterior dimensions actually from the outside of the brick or the outside of slab? Maybe they should be the same but didn't know if some bricklayers use an overhang or something that might be the dimension difference?

yeah subscriptions sux I am just gonna use the 2025 HDPRO I have and live with it for my hobby fun and home upgrades. Plenty of threads on no one liking the new business model.

Hi Folks, Thanks for taking the time. I just looked at the software - to purchase the upgrade - as there were a couple of other things I needed "Pro" for - like custom deck posts. IIRC it was about $500.00 for the "Pro" version. HOLY SMOKES - now a subscription @ $500.00 a year - what a CASH GRAB. That leaves me and probably many more "hobbyists" out. This is the reason I still use "Paint Shop Pro" instead of "Photoshop" - - - no subs - - - I don't do subs that perpetually drain your bank account. Years down the road - when this is all done - and I just want to look at my old model - I couldn't even open the model without buying another sub - no thanks. I'll just build the new ceiling in Blender and import it - or - perhaps it's time to move this entire model into Blender - which has a far better ray traced render engine. Thanks again - I do appreciate the response. I guess I'm out... Regards, Scott

yup basic does not have custom ceiling planes Pro does.

Hi Folks, Crap - there are no ceiling planes in the basic suite - at least from what I can gather. My only alternative might be to hobble something together in Blender and import it - I've done that before for other custom objects, but it is truly a PITA getting things to line up. Regards, Scott

Hi Folks, I haven't messed with this software in a while - as I only got into this to design my own retirement home. I did use the basic room settings. I'm pretty sure I haven't used ceiling planes before - let me do some research and see if I can figure them out. Do they work in the basic Home Designer Suite? Thank you kindly. Regards, Scott

How did you make the vaulted ceiling? Ceiling plane or UNchecked Flat Ceiling? Try ceiling plane as you can force it to do what you want.

Hi Folks, Well AI can do a corrected render based on my previous image (with very explicit instructions) - however - I still should be able to correct the ceiling line on the model. Here is what I am attempting to do. Thanks. Regards, Scott

Hi Folks, I have two intersecting gables - one is the great room with a vaulted ceiling, and the other is the kitchen and dining room with flat ceilings. How do I get the vaulted portion to continue all the way to the wall with the carpets hung on them - uninterrupted? The ceiling line from the right of the image - to the bottom of the truss - should continue to all the way the wall - eliminating the sheet rocked triangle. Home Designer 2021 Thanks. Regards, Scott

I have been able to mimic the exterior veneer of a log home in Home Designer 2026; however, I would also like to be able to accurately mimic the logs for purposes of easily calculating material costs. The logs that I will be using are square so they 12" tall and 8" wide. Length I am less sure about but for purposes of my question, assume length is 8'. Is there a way that I can modify a material to achieve this aim? The logs will be the entirety of the wall (exterior and interior). In essence it would be no different that building the house out of landscaping timbers stacked on top of each other. that will ultimately be the support for the roof. I hope this makes sense. I have searched the knowledge base without success.

I sent both a DM and email requesting access to this offer, but have not yet received further instructions beyond the initial acknowledgment. Update: Crickets. I'm wondering if Rene's close relationship with the developers at Chief Architect and my criticism of their Home Designer line are the reason. I hope not.

Late to the party I just discovered that HD Pro has moved to subscription only and with a heavy price increase. We used to pay around $120 for the annual upgrade of the HD Pro perpetual license. Now the annual subscription fee is $450. In other words, CA can lose 75% of the HD Pro customers and still have the same income from HD Pro. CA is doing this to increase their income. There is no benefits in it for the customers, on the opposite the customers lose their perpetual license in the process. This can only mean that CA's strategy is not to be interested in the hobbyist segment and we have to look elsewhere.

called BOARD & BATTEN. JAmes Hardie has some simulated and I remember seeing it in the default siding library.

Does Home Designer offer a glass garage door?