CADsoft Envisioneer: Personal vs. Pro Architect

CADsoft Envisioneer is a home design software that’s becoming more and more popular nowadays. With advanced tools incorporated into this software program, designers and architects use it to increase productivity and create accurate designs. Moreover, computer-aided design software as such allows collaboration, fast-track the project creation, and build a model that looks real.

Previously, we have mentioned different CAD software that is essential for architects and engineers in our blog. This time, we focus on one of the leading names in architectural designs, CADsoft, a 2D and 3D architect software that’s made for amateurs and pros.

But before knowing more about this brand, here are some reasons why you should invest in one.

Advantages of Home Design Software

It boosts productivity.
Easily converts designs like 3D to technical drawings for manufacturing.
Use for presenting projects to clients.
Faster modifications, touch-ups, and edits of designs created
Create 2D drawings to 3D models and easily create designs that are complicated with the help of tools available.
Create high-quality designs.
Allows documentation.
Smooth and stress-free collaboration

These advantages show that investing in a home design software program can bring excellent advantages and also help designers and architects achieve their goals.

Before choosing what software you need for your firm or personal use, here are simple things to consider:

Weigh in the weakness and strengths of the software and find out which has the best features you’ll need.
Check on the functionality or features of each software.
Decide whether you want a free or paid version.
Know if the software requires the latest operating system or not.

Finding out the advantages and researching the different software helps a lot. It narrows down your choices and starts your project right away.

Let us make it simple for you by comparing two products from the powerful name in the architecture, engineering, and design industry, CADsoft by Envisioneer.

What is CADsoft Envisioneer?

CADsoft is a premier home design software that provides one of the best 2D drafting, 3D modeling, and Building Information Modeling (BIM) tools. It focuses on building one-of-a-kind designs that are used to develop residential and light commercial sectors. Furthermore, it allows automatic elevations, details, and export of other file formats.

CADsoft is a software created by Envisioneer that carries four products or plans which can be integrated with other software like Autodesk, SketchUp, and more.

However, we will be comparing two of the most commonly purchased products, the Personal Architect, and the Pro Architect. These two products of CADsoft may seem similar, but we will be explaining the differences between the two.

Personal Architect Vs Pro Architect

Personal Architect

If you are planning to design your home by yourself, Personal Architect allows hobbyists or homeowners to design their dream house with a powerful 3D rendering software. Furthermore, get to share your work with family and friends in an image or video format.

Pro Architect

Pro Architect product of CADsoft is created for professionals. It’s a budget-friendly software with great tools to achieve impressive designs to show your clients. It’s equipped with Building Information Modeling (BIM) to enhance designs, improve productivity, and allow the creation of innovative 3D designs. Moreover, it offers quick and accurate construction documentation.

Similarities

Design and modeling attributes

Both the Pro and Personal plans are packed with modeling tools to build impressive and one-of-a-kind home designs.

It comes with the following features to try:

3D Parametric Building Modeling

It allows direct editing of objects in its 2D or 3D format. 3D objects like walls, roofs, and others can be edited, and connected surfaces like walls, floors, and ceilings will automatically update once one connected part has changed.

Catalog of objects included

There’s a list of manufacturers’ content, customizable groups, subgroups, and elements, different styles and names of materials, and allows editing of items or objects.

Addition of Automatic or Manual Roofs

Both the Pro and Personal Architect has the feature of adding and editing the roof into a style of design you want.

Customizable roof surface
Different roof types: hip, gable, Dutch hip, bullnose, and arched
Auto roof return
Convertible roof to surfaces
Various pitches and plate heights
Skylights

Editing and creating walls

Different wall types: interior, exterior, and foundation walls
Adjustable wall thickness
Create a slopping wall (top to bottom)
Insert walls by typing distance and direction, and build perimeter, interior dimension, and includes the baseline too.
Display in plan view

Edit foundations

It has mono and strip footings that could automatically attach to walls and columns. There are also different types of columns such, as wood, concrete, steel, brick, and more.

Floors and ceilings (Automatic and Manual)

Auto addition of floors, customization, and style.

Insert and customize windows and doors

Wide range of windows and doors style
Customizable shapes of windows and parameters
Flip opening and swing
Automatic shutters
Include window sill with adjustable height and width

Customizable stairs, ramps, and railings

Different styles of stairs
Includes construction styles like notched or side stringer
Auto attachment of railings

Kitchen and baths

Customizable cabinets and countertop tools
Allows detailed designs
Multiple cabinet designs
Furniture, appliances, electronics, and accessories for designing or decorating the bathroom, kitchen, living room, bedroom, and dining room.

Landscape

Create a wonderful outdoor design with unlimited tools to try, such as a sprinkler system, edging, furniture, accessories, lighting, and structures for the outdoors.

Plant Encyclopedia

Includes plant of thousand species and survival guide for plants.

Design tools

Annotations
Drawing tools
Allow import of image for tracing
Point alignment

Presentation tools

With all the tools for layout and designing, you’ll also be needing features to present your work to your clients, contractors, friend, and/ or family.

Photo Realistic Images
3D real view for viewing shadows and reflections
Adjust the size of the image
Allows seasonal, time, and day sun angles
Convert to grayscale
Create a movie and/ or animation
Create 3D walk-throughs
WAV files added for narration and sound effects
Basic Printing
Allow printing of images and renderings
Any size printing
Print preview feature
Print to file and PDF included
VR integration with Oculus Rift and HTC Vive

Differences

Besides the features above, Cadsoft pricing of Pro and personal architect differs. Pro architect is a little bit expensive than Personal because it’s more advanced in features.

Construction documentation

It’s the process of writing down all about the project, which includes the materials, equipment, supplies, and other elements involve in the creation of the project.

SmartView Technology: This form of advanced technology allows viewing the project in a 3D and detailed manner.
Supports AutoCAD files: This allows the import of details, blocks, and attributes. Furthermore, it has a complete DWG library.
Text: Customizable text, dimensions, pre-defined labels, and text arrows.
Add custom marks on windows, doors, and cabinets

Precision drafting tools

Shape tools
Parametric tools
Alignment tools (auto-alignment)
CAD tools (advanced)
Blocks and attributes tools

Quantity takeoff

Most of its features are not available on Pro Architect. It only includes the quantity takeoff for the model.

CADsoft Envisioneer has two more products, but Pro and Personal Architects are the most commonly availed products. The other two products of CADsoft are Building Essentials and Construction Suite. Both have advanced features, professional 2D and 3D CAD tools, and valuable components that aids in the step-by-step design processes utilized by professionals.

What to Choose?

If you are planning to design or renovate your home, but don’t want to hire a pro designer, you can avail of the Personal Architect product. It’s budget-friendly, and it has all the tools you’ll need for creating your dream home.

However, if you are a professional designer, then getting a more professional version is the right thing to do. It comes with advanced tools to create designs to impress your clients.

Start designing your dream house or create professional designs with these budget-friendly software programs by CADsoft.

You can visit our online shop, Softvire New Zealand, to buy a copy of either the Pro or Personal Architects. We have the best prices and discounts you’ll surely enjoy.

CADsoft Envisioneer: Detailed Comparison Between Personal and Professional Architect