barndominiums

[plotthound05]

Completely new to cad and homebuilding in general. I build metal buildings. I am now seeking to move into building metal homes. I have always drawn buildings up on paper. My business is growing and many people have asked me to be a GC and completely build a metal home. I am looking at the Home designer Architectual package. My question is could this program be used for framing a metal build. I know i could use it on interior build, but i would like to be able to have a program to help make a material list on the structual framing and sheeting. 

Thanks for your help

Brandon Taylor

[solver]

None of the Chief Architect products are designed for this, but may work for you.

 

It also depends on what type of metal home you will build. Many different combinations -- finishing the interior of a pre engineered building, building using light or heavy gauge steel studs etc.

 

The software was designed with typical wood framed construction in mind.

 

I would recommend Home Designer Pro as a minimum, because if its ability to define wall types and to create and modify framing.

 

30 Day trials are available, and you can always upgrade by paying the difference in cost.

[DavidJPotter]

I agree with Eric in that Home Designer and Chief Premier are programmed for traditional building methods. That said once one well learns the software and its abilities and shortcomings you can design just about any Architecture that includes right angle walls (for free form curved walls you really need something more exotic and expensive). Existing wall types can be altered to emulate metal structural walls and metal studs. 

I also agree with Eric that starting with Architectural is a bad economy move, for a little more money you will be better off with the extended abilities of Home Designer Pro due to its ability to manually design and edit roof systems.

Most Chief Architect and Home Designer users design using more traditional, mainstream type construction (wood, sip, masonry, concrete type walls) but as I said once learned it can be easily adapted to your specific needs, just not by default.

 

DJP