What software do you guys use to renovate a space in the house

Question

Hello,

I want to renovate a kitchen for an investment property, what software would u recommend i use to see it online and then in real life ?

Shiela R. · Answer

@Andy Ramdeen If you can't envision it in your mind, then you need to hire a designer. Don't be cheap. This is a super important part of successful investing. And where most make mistakes. Almost all of the rehabs I do are a DIY homeowner who didn't know what they were doing, and therefor didn't sell or rent for high enough. I come in and make it right.

Also, know your market. IE If homes with quartz slab are selling or renting faster and for more, put in quartz slab. If formica works, then use formica.

Also, know your market. IE If homes with quartz slab are selling or renting faster and for more, put in quartz slab.  If formica works, then use formica.

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

@Shiela Roberts ^^^^ Using a free online tool will just get you into trouble because you can't really visualize the space correctly. Unless you're really experienced.....

JD Martin · Answer

I use Chief Architect Home Design Suite for planning out my rehab/remodels on screen before I start swinging hammers, but generally only bother if I'm significantly changing the home layout or I've got a very small space window to make my design work and I want to double check my work. It lets you see the space in 3D after you develop it flat but I don't use it to get crazy to see what designer cabinets or countertops are going to look like - I use it to see how the spaces flow and feel when I'm done - sometimes something I think is going to work well for a layout when I'm in the property with my tape measure shows up flaws when I model it in 3D. Same thing with adding bedrooms, which usually entails making some bigger room smaller to either capture another bedroom or improve existing ones. So after I lay out my new wall structure I'll drop a queen or king size bed in there and a dresser and then walk it out in 3D.

Otherwise, however, I can see design renovations in the 3D model in my head because I've done enough of them, so I only use the software generally for rearranging floor layouts. Having vision as @Shiela Roberts said is a huge part of doing a rehab. You're not born with it, you develop it by doing it, looking at pictures, watching tv shows, etc. Become a sponge and absorb everything. Walk around test kitchens to see how they design them (typically they'll be in a 10x10 design). ETC.

PS: I think I paid about $150 for the software I have 7 or 8 years ago; they give you free updates/patches to keep it current in Windows. Unless you just want to play to learn, it's really not worth buying unless you're moving walls around or really have zero idea of what something looks like in your head put together, because there's a steep learning curve to getting good enough at using the software to make it worthwhile. Mine has paid for itself many times over because I've used it so much to redesign our properties, but I had to spend a lot of time learning how to make & move walls, etc.

Bill Brown · Answer

From what I've gathered, it costs $ for decent design software. I've tried messing around with a few free/ cheap ones and they have too many limitations. I've heard plenty of goods things about sketch up, but don't have the patience to learn it.Kitchen designs boil down to fractions of an inch, so most free software programs won't get you very far unless you're just trying to choose backsplash colors or something. For cabinet layout, I use pen and paper with an architect's rule to get an idea... and then rely on a pro designer. If you find something great, let us know.

Aaron Breckenridge · Answer

Lowes has an online kitchen designer: https://kitchendesign2.lowes.c...

Michael Scott · Answer

@Andy Ramdeen you can go to a local kitchen cabinet dealer, Lowe's or Home Depot. As long as you have the measurements and the current layout they will take it from there. I would say though having a local kitchen cabinet dealer is key especially if you are going a lot of volume.

What software do you guys use to renovate a space in the house

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