Home Designer 2026 Features

[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?