BalutFX

Fellow Home Designer users, hopefully you all know that there will no longer be an upgrade path to a perpetual license in the Home Designer product line. I have started several posts and replied to others recently in an attempt to summon opinions and support for additional features in the Home Designer line. I am very disappointed in Chief Architect for not offering one more opportunity to upgrade to a perpetual license, but that ship appears to have already sailed. But, with the release of the 2026 subscription version likely 2-3 weeks away, a few details of their plans have begun to appear. Previous users of the Home Designer line will apparently be offered a discount. That’s ok, but I hope it is significant, because once you stop paying for the subscription, your ability to use the software will die. Again, I have accepted that inevitability, but I hope Chief offers a decent discount. Second, as a former user of Chief Architect Premium (which I did to overcome the severe limitations of the Home Designer line), I can confidently say that the Home Designer line is simply the Chief Architect Premium software with several features disabled. I am ok with that approach, because as a DIY’r I don’t need, nor do I want to pay for the Premium features. However, I do think that the Home Designer line has many unnecessary restrictions. So, apparently the 2026 subscription model will include real time ray trace - it’s about time. But unless we make some noise, I don’t think Chief Architect will include other features in the Home Designer line, such as the ability to import 3D models as actual door/cabinet hardware, or lights, or the ability to purchase cabinet catalogs. These are just a few annoying restrictions that I believe the Home Designer line should include. What do you all think?

Based on the Chief Architect reply to a user's question in the "Sales Related" forum about his rent-to-own subscription, it doesn't look like Chief Architect will honor their free upgrade to the next version. Oh and none of us will get the same courtesy as the Chief Architect Premium customers to get a chance to be grandfathered in and upgrade at least to the 2026 version as a perpetual license, before they switch over to subscriptions. Sure, we aren't paying for SSA, but that was essentially paying for an upgrade every year, which I would do at the Home Designer level, for a software version that doesn't die at the end of my subscription.

I know you guys are switching from perpetual to subscription licensing for the 2026 and beyond Home Designer software, but it's unfortunate that you are not honoring your rent-to-own free upgrade to the next version, nor are you allowing current Home Designer users the option to at least be able to upgrade to the 2026 version as a perpetual license before you force any desire to upgrade into a subscription. You allowed existing SSA subscribers for the Chief Architect Premium line to grandfather-in to the perpetual license as long as they kept their SSA up to date.

Well, let me be the first to apologize for ranting when there was a solution to my problem. Although I probably wouldn't have figured that out on my own (especially since you have to do it in 3D view) and a search of this forum and the knowledge-base didn't reveal the answer (or maybe I just don't know how to search). Anyway, thank you and sorry Chief Architect for whining.

I was tinkering with my house plans in Home Designer Pro 2025 and wanted to change the handrail profile of the railing in my loft. I couldn't figure out how to do it, then realized that it is yet ANOTHER restriction of the Home Designer line that Chief Architect places on us, simply because we didn't (and don't need to) pay thousands of dollars for the CA Premium product. They even advertise the add-on catalog of handrails as compatible with HD Pro 2025, yet there is no way to apply the profile in HD Pro. I know I asked for comment before from other HD Pro users on what we think should be included in the Home Designer product line (like proper assignment of SKP objects when imported), but all I got was crickets. So, I guess this is more of a rant, but come-on Chief Architect. That's a pretty lame restriction for software that currently costs $600. I imagine we will still see those unnecessarily restrictive aspects in the soon to be released "upgrade" to Home Designer, but I sure would like other users to chime in on this subject, although I'm not holding my breath...

Well, I guess it was inevitable, but I’m still not happy that the 2026 and beyond Home Designer line will no longer be offered as a one time purchase. Especially since the upgraded features will likely still be extremely minimal and severely limited from the Chief Architect Premium version. Here is the the text from today’s sales email: Update: From the products page, looks like their 10% off sale for the 2025 versions ends August 4th, so that os probably right before the release date for the 2026 version. We are excited to announce the new version of Home Designer 2026 will be available later this summer. Our 2025 product line (Suite, Architectural, Professional) will consolidate into a single product that will be subscription based either monthly or annually. This is your last chance to purchase Home Designer 2025 Suite, Architectural, or Professional

61 views so far and no comments. Ok, I guess I’m the only one who imports objects into Home Designer and would like to use them as proper elements rather than use a tedious workaround. Guess I know what Chief’s response will be now.

Now that Chief Architect Premier X17 has been released, I suspect Home Designer 2026 will be released soon. I already sent an email to suggestions@chiefarchitect.com requesting the ability to import SKP objects as their intended use (i.e. door/cabinet hardware) instead of locking us into interior fixtures only. However, I have yet to receive a response. This seems like a decision that unfairly punishes Home Designer Pro customers. I do not think we should have to purchase Chief Architect Premier or hire a Designer or Architect to do something that we can do on our own with Home Designer Pro. I expect that's one of the reasons most of us purchased HP Pro in the first place. I also believe that Designers or Professional Architects would not care if we had the ability to import a cabinet handle or doorknob without having to manually place them. It’s not like we are taking money out of their pockets with such a basic software capability. After all, we paid $600 to use this software. Anyway, I am soliciting fellow Home Designer Pro customers to email Chief Architect at suggestions@chiefarchitect.com with this request, as well as posting your thoughts in this thread (assuming the Chief Architect moderators don't delete it).

Reviving a somewhat old thread to solicit help in trying to get the makers of Chief Architect to add this feature to Home Designer Pro. Now that Chief Architect Premier X17 has been released, I suspect Home Designer 2026 will be released soon. I already sent an email requesting the ability to import SKP objects as their intended use (i.e. door/cabinet hardware) instead of locking us into interior fixtures only. This seems like a decision that unfairly punishes Home Designer customers. I should not have to purchase Chief Architect Premier or hire a Designer or Architect to do something of my own designing. Designers or Professional architects should not care if I can import a cabinet handle or doorknob without having to manually place them. It’s not like I’m taking money out of their pockets with such a basic software function. After all, I paid $600 to use this software. Anyway, I am soliciting fellow Home Designer Pro customers to email Chief Architect with this request, and post your thoughts in this thread (unless the Chief Architect moderators delete it)

Thought today (25th) was the release day, so I checked and sure enough, the upgrade was there. Let's see how it does on my MacBook Pro M3.

Yes I agree, that would be cool. It’s odd that the app shows different icons in our respective apps. I apologize for the earlier comment that the 3D Viewer app didn’t have the goggles capability. Clearly yours does, and looking at the screenshots on the App Store, it also shows a goggles icon. This app is 2 years old though, so maybe that function existed at one point? Anyway, thanks for the discussion and maybe I will email Chief Support to see what’s up.

Well that’s interesting. My 3D View App has Augmented Reality as the last icon on the right, not a Goggles icon. As far as the iOS App Store shows, I have the latest version. Weird. I’d be curious what version you have.

Ok, I think we keep getting the terminology mixed. There is no 'Goggle' view selectable via the Chief 3D Viewer app, whether the model is accessed via the app, or the website (which then opens the file in the app). It sounds like you are able to view the 3D model in the app no problem on the phone, but I'm thinking you are then trying to access the 360 panorama file (which I'm assuming you saved via a camera view and uploaded to your account), which would be done either through a web link you send to yourself, or by logging into the website on your phone, navigating to 'Manage 360 Panoramas', selecting 'View', then tapping on the 'Goggle' icon. When I do this on my iPhone 13, it works fine. However, I had also purchased the CA Cardboard Viewer and that is the one that I setup in Google Cardboard. As I mentioned in my first reply, I had seen the exact problem you show on a previous version of Google Cardboard, so I'm wondering if you may try to update the app you are using with the Headset viewer you own. Not sure if that helps, but good luck.

Ok, that makes more sense to me. To answer your question about the the actual viewer device, no, I don't believe it makes a difference which device you use. However, I do recall seeing what you are describing on an earlier version of Google Cardboard, which went away if I rotated the phone to landscape mode. Anyway, I just exported a 360 panorama, saved and uploaded it to my Chief Account, made it public, then email myself the link. It opened fine with no craziness. However, it did seem to be running it via my web browser, and not the Google Cardboard app. May want to list the steps you're taking to help solve the issue.

I'm not aware of a mode for 3D headset display with the Chief 3D viewer app. Are you talking about the 3D panorama views in Google Cardboard?

Got what I wanted with your suggestion. BTW, when I had been messing with the offset, I thought I was moving the balusters, but was actually moving the newels, so that option wasn't useful. I ended up using a wall width of 1.5" (minimum allowed) then created the manual newels as you suggested. It worked great. Thanks again.

Great suggestion. I hadn't thought about that. Also, I was messing with offsets to the balusters, so I think I can make the alignment workout with manual Newels. I'll post an update if I am successful. Thanks.

I'm looking for a way to offset the Newels of the railing between my Loft and the Open Space below, so that half of the Newel is running down the loft flooring structure. I have attached a few sample screenshots of what I am attempting to accomplish, along with a picture export of my plan. Thanks. BTW, I am currently using Home Designer Pro 2023 on a 14" MacBook Pro M1.

Thanks. I am just trying to get the look / measurements right and fully understand that HDP does not produce engineered truss designs. The “problem” I’m trying to solve is getting the roof eves to terminate at the correct wall height. Right now, some of them hit the window and door framing in my models with the default truss settings. I will probably just do some manual measurements off the plans and raise the trusses off the top plate, but was also asking because I wasn’t sure what method of truss design that was. Thanks.

I am redrawing our designer’s plans in Home Designer Pro 2022, and am having problems with the roof framing. The top cord appears to sit higher in the drawing, and I initially thought it might be due to an energy heel? Anyway, I was walking through a framed house in the same general area that my home will be built and I noticed this truss structure. That seems like what my designer has drawn and I was hoping someone could tell me what that is called and maybe how I can replicate it in HDP. Thanks.

Hey MGM_Home, I see that you have not found (or at least posted) a solution to your problem. I had the same issue and after watching some videos and researching other similar questions, I have a working solution for me. It might work for you too. Essentially, I drew two additional external walls into the room, long enough to intercept with the dormer's ceiling planes, then edited the wall to "Roof Cuts Wall at Bottom". There is still a small piece of the dormer's ceiling plane that I cannot figure-out how to eliminate, but at least it solves the weird drywall issues without the extra walls and closes the "gap". My next step is to see if I can hide those extra walls in the plan view. Hope that helps. UPDATE: After posting this, I went back into the model to see if I could hide the extra walls (making them invisible didn't produce the desired results). Anyway, I read about hiding attic walls, so I tried redrawing the dormer roofs without raising the ceiling in the room, which created attic walls to close the "gap". However, that created walls above the roof as well as below. I was able to use "Roof Cuts Wall at Bottom" to get rid of the wall in the room, but could not delete the wall created above the roof, without it re-creating the wall below the roof. Anyway, still not the best solution, but going with my original method until I can figure-out how to create a better solution.