Easy 2D and 3D Design. Objects you place in 2D plan view are automatically created in 3D, real-time. Generate 3D views and select, modify, move, and delete objects directly in the view.

Set Heights by Absolute or Relative Position. When editing objects, specify heights or offsets based on Absolute location in plan, or the object’s relative position to other plan locations.

Reference Display Tool. Turn on a Reference of adjacent floors to aid in designing multi-tiered decks or room layout between floors.

Customize Room Names. Customize the available rooms list to suit your most common needs and regional naming conventions.

Multiple-Select Editing. For example, select all your cabinets and change them all with one command.

Object Painter™ / Eyedropper. Use eyedropper functionality to match properties from one object and apply them to another object. Use Scoping controls to apply changes to groups of objects at once.

Center Objects Tool. Center cabinets under windows, windows in walls, dormers on a roof, and several other items 3D and 2D.

Edit Area Tool. Use Edit Area to select, move, edit, and copy entire regions of your design.

Draw Order Controls. Use the Draw Order Edit Tools to fully control the display of items in plan view in relation to each other. Move object forward and backward in a group, or move to different drawing groups altogether.

Live Layout Views. Specify views that have been sent to layout to update in real time or use edit tools and menu commands to update the view directly from the layout page. Select multiple layout views and modify their display modes and updating properties at once.

Perspective Layout Views. Create perspective views and send them to a layout and retain the view’s link to the plan; easily transition to camera view and update it to the layout. Unlike an image sent to layout, these views can be printed at high resolution.

Labeled Callouts. Use callouts to reference between details, plans, and cross-sections in a blueprint layout. See callout previews in specification dialog.

Create Archival .ZIP files. Export an archive of a project that combines all files into a single .ZIP for easy storage.

Space Planning Assistant. Layout out room boxes in a bubble diagram to quickly create a floor plan. Convert diagram into walls, windows, and doors to finalized and furnish the design.

Virtual Graph Paper™ displays a reference grid.

Room Planner Import. Create designs on your mobile device using Chief Architect Room Planner, and then import the rooms for detailed modification.

Import 3D Library objects in .3DS, .OBJ, .SKP, & .DAE formats.

Rendering Controls. Set up camera angles and locations to create realistic 3D renderings with shadows in interior and exterior scenes.

Enhanced Render Features. Ambient Occlusion, Bloom, Normal Maps and Bump Maps are all elements that can add realism in Rendered Views.

Export image files of your designs to share. (.JPG, .PNG, .BMP).

HD Picture Export. Create and export high-quality, larger than screen resolution renders.

Export Images with Transparent Background. Export .PNG and .TIF images that treat the backdrop as transparent, making it easy to overlay the graphics on other artwork without the need for additional photo manipulation.

Custom Lighting. Define shadows, intensity, and more. Locate lights by label name or room location with the Adjust Lighting Dialog.

Sun and Shadow Controls per Camera. Specify that the sun follows the same angle as the camera or choose to save the location of the sunlight for each camera in your design.

Lighting Units. Choose from common wattage/lumens values for lights or specify custom values.

Copy Saved Cameras. Duplicate perspective and overview cameras in the same plan, or between existing plans, to easily replicate angle, direction, and other camera attributes.

Cross-Section Slider with Multiple Cutting Planes. Choose up to six cutting planes in the Cross-Section Slider view and adjust the cutting distance for each plane to create unique and detailed views.

Display Lower Levels with the Floor Overview Camera. A 3D display option allows lower floors to be viewed under a current floor, such as open below rooms used for stairways or lofts.

Delete Surface Tool. Explore your structure in 3D by temporarily removing surfaces without changing your design.

Convert Polyline Tool. Create 3D objects (countertops, slabs, terrain features, and more) from CAD objects.

Material Eye-Dropper and Color Chooser™. Quick "click-and-drop" application of materials and colors.

Blend Color Tool. Change the Color of any material while retaining its texture, similar to applying stain to wood.

3D Navigation. Easily navigate 3D views in and intuitive way. Use the 3D Focus on Object tool and select an object to make it the camera's target, or select an object then use the Focus on Selected edit tool to make the selected object the target; use [ALT + Middle Mouse] button controls to enter Orbit mode; system returns to previous edit state when buttons are released.

iOS Compatible Movies. Record Walkthrough Videos and animations that you can share to watch on your iOS devices. Available in the Mac version only.

Standard Project Cost Estimation. Automatically generate a materials list for budgeting and planning an entire project.

Specify when a room is calculated in the Living Area. For example, specify the garage or attic to be included or excluded in the living area calculation.

Export Materials Lists to spreadsheet programs including Microsoft® Excel.

Add detail to each individual component in the materials list for a comprehensive cost estimate breakdown. For example, assign components to your cabinets, such as doors, pulls, and hinges and assign costs for each item.

Manual and Automatic dimensioning. Includes One-Click™ Automatic dimensions.

Exclude Interior Walls from Auto Exterior Dimension. Set up Auto Exterior Dimension Default to exclude interior walls.

Delete Automatic Dimensions. Use the Delete Objects tool to delete Automatic Dimensions from a Floor or the Entire Plan. Manually edited or modified dimensions will remain.

Advanced Dimensioning Tools. Includes angular, point-to-point, and interior dimensions.

Input Accurate Dimensions using a DISTO™ or other Laser Distance Meter. Use a Bluetooth or Wireless compatible device to automatically measure a space then input the distances directly into dimension strings. *Requires Leica plugin and is compatible with PC only.

Wall Editing with Dimensions. Adjust wall lengths by selecting dimensions or temporary dimensions that run parallel to the wall.

Tape Measure Tool. Use the Tape Measure Tool to find the measurements of any item.

Dimension Number Height Control. Adjust the number height for dimensions on a per-dimension basis.

Create Elevation, Wall Elevation, and Cross Section Views for the interior and exterior of your design.

Clip Cross-Section Views at Sides. Turn on clipping for sides of cross-sections views.

Import / Export files in DXF file format.

Advanced CAD tools to detail cross-section views with insulation, cross-boxes, blocking box, and more.

Advanced CAD editing tools such as replicate, line weights, point-to-point move, custom patterns, and more.

Visual CAD Snaps™ feature with setup dialog and snap options to control.

Toggle control for Angle Snaps & Object Snaps.

Automatic Roof Labels. Display labels for roofs, skylights and holes. Label includes pitch direction arrow and the roof angle in pitch or degrees. Modify the arrow style and text style of the roof labels.

Primary and Secondary Terrain contour labels. Control the highlight for negative value contour labels.

Text Tools and Customization. Add custom text as notes and modify text in plan with attributes and treatments like font, bold, underline, caps, size, and color.

Show or Hide Electrical Connections, Architectural Blocks, Hardware, along with other elements using layer controls.

Automatic GFCI Outlets in Kitchens. Use the Auto Place Outlet tool to add GFCI outlets to your kitchen rooms.

Advanced Cabinets. Attach moldings & hardware, angled front cabinets, and more.

Cabinet Mounted Electrical. Attach outlets and switches to the sides of cabinet boxes, soffits, and panels. Outlets will automatically snap to, and move with, cabinets with which they are associated.

Evenly Space Doors and Drawers on Cabinet Fronts. Use the Equalize Layout button on Horizontal and Vertical Layouts to space their components equally.

Cabinet Face Item Locking. Lock editing on cabinet face items. Size of appliances inserted into cabinet fronts are given higher priority when resizing face items.

Dynamic Cabinet Face Defaults. Configure the default cabinet front to automatically update cabinets in the design that are set as “Use Default".

Specify Cabinet Top Height. Quickly adjust wall cabinet heights to the same level using the floor to top control in the Cabinet Specification Dialog.

Cabinet Hardware per Drawer. Control the hardware attached to any door or drawer on a single cabinet separately.

Control Counter Overhang. Control the overhang distance of automatic countertops for each side of a cabinet.

Custom Backsplash Tool. Click to generate a Custom Backsplash that automatically fits around cabinets, openings, and appliances.

Cabinet Closed Toe Always Present. Set cabinet toekick to closed on a per-cabinet basis, regardless of the cabinet being connected or adjacent to other cabinets.

Specify a Separate Material for Cabinet Toe Kicks. Assign different materials to cabinet boxes and toe kicks.

Pass-Through Tool. Create an opening between two rooms.

Visualize door placement prior to actually placing the door with intuitive control of the hinge and swing.

Lintel and Sill Control. Separately display Lintels or Sills for windows.

Door Defaults by Door Type. Set unique door defaults for different types of doors: hinged, pocket, bifold, sliding, and garage.

Objects Bump at Casings. Move cabinets, furniture, or other objects and bump to stop their movement when encountering door and window casings.

Place Windows and Doors at Wall Joints. Span windows and doors at the intersection of multiple walls or at wall breaks to accurately represent the placement of openings in a variety of construction situations .

Parametric Window Tools. Create Double-Hung, Fixed, Casement, Hopper, and other windows styles and change a window's style on the fly using parametric tools.

Floor and Ceiling Material and Thickness Control for Bay/Box/Bow Windows. Specify floor and ceiling finish and platform thickness in the windows’ specification dialog.

Arched Top Windows & Doors. Specify Round Top, Gothic Arch, or Broken Arch shapes to windows and doors. Adjust the amount of curvature.

Corner Windows. Bump windows together at wall corners and choose to include or remove the corner post at the sash joint to create a glass corner.

Comments and Notes per Object. Use the Object Information panel to easily add and manipulate Code, Comment, Description, and Manufacturer fields through items' specification dialog.

Brand Specific Library Items. Downloadable catalogs can be added to your library browser to expand the selection of Brand Name objects for enhancing your designs and scenes. New catalogs offered regularly.

Catalog Migration. Core, Bonus, Manufacturer and User Catalogs from previous installs automatically migrate and update to latest version at install time. Use the catalog migration dialog to specify which catalogs to bring forward.

Advanced library items - Cabinet/Door Hardware, and molding profiles.

Ability to Export Custom Libraries. Share your libraries with other Home Designer Users.

Library Search Bar. Quickly search for Library items by keyword, object type, or style. Search results instantly display and update as you type. Customize search attributes for User Catalog content.

Library Tree Categories. Manufacturer, User, Home Designer Core, and Bonus catalogs are grouped into separate categories for easier navigation.

Library Object Shortcuts. Create shortcut items to any object in the Library Browser to customize your organization.

Multiple Select Library Items. Use the Shift or Ctrl keys to copy, move, and edit groups of objects.

3D Preview of Lights in Library Browser. Library objects defined as Lights display 3D preview in Library Browser instead of 2D, allowing for easier identification of individual objects.

Stairs and Ramps. Draw stairs or ramps in designs and modify length, raisers, treads, and style of stairs. See stair preview in dialog to preview your modifications

Visual Feedback while Placing Stairs. While in stair mode, see feedback of stair's location and orientation before dropping into the design. Stairs will snap to, rotate, and align with nearby walls when dropped in a view.

Stair Railings. Railings specified for stairs can be customized with different rail styles (balusters, open, middle rail, panels)and multiple rails.

Define Stair Starting Elevation. Specify whether stairs and ramps are located at the sub-floor or the finished floor elevation.

Landing Tool. Create Custom Landings to auto-connect Stair sections or Ramp sections together. Choose auto adjust features for the height and thickness based on stair or ramp connection. Turn railings on or off per Landing edge.

Shoe Control for Railings. Control the height off of floor for the bottom rail (shoe) for Railings and Ramp Railings.

Assign symbol Railing Balusters, Newels, and Panels. Specify railings, balusters, and newels from the Library Browser for railing walls.

Ramp Tool. Default Ramp is ADA compliant. Specify length, slope rise and run for non-traditional ramps such as skateboard ramps.

Automatic building tools for framing and electrical.

Ceiling Planes Relative to Floor. Custom ceiling planes can be set as "Relative to Floor" to easily locate them in reference to floor levels other than level 1.

Automatic Roofs. Gable, hip, shed, gambrel, and more. Access roof defaults for each project.

One-Click Auto Dormer™. Build dormer on roof automatically while cutting a hole for the ceiling.

Dormer Overhang Controls. Separately control the eave and gable overhang distance for automatic dormers.

Auto Place and Delete Corner Boards and Quoins. Automatically add or remove trim details to wall corners.

Ridge Caps automatically generate on roofs.

Manual Roof Tools. Create and edit any custom roof planes. Start with an automatic roof and then add custom details, or create the entire roof manually.

Customize construction methods for walls, floors, ceilings, and foundations. Specify wall layers, floor structure, platform height, mudsills, framing methods, and more.

Design Multiple-Story Buildings. Create structures with up to 5 floor levels in addition to an attic and basement foundation.

Custom Wall Types. Create, copy, and delete wall types with layers to match your projects.

Multiple Framing Layers in Wall. Create wall types with multiple framing layers and automatically generate framing for both layers; ideal for furred basement walls.

Wall Labels. Specify wall labels to identify individual walls.

Create pony walls and edit wall shape in cross-section view. Add beadboard to a kitchen, add stone to the outside of your design, or create a stepped foundation for a hillside lot.

Pony Wall Framing. Automatically generate framing of different sizes for upper and lower pony walls by specifying different wall types.

Specify Foundation types by room.

Elevation and Cross-Section cameras show the foundation in the view - see your basement, slab, or crawlspace in a section view.

Specify Foundation Piers as Round or Square. Toggle between square and round with a single click.

Foundations with Slab at top of Stem Wall.

Foundation Defaults. Detailed control over the foundation automatically generated for Garage rooms.

Slab Volume listed in the slab specification dialog for easy reference.

Manual framing tools for fully editable framing, including joists, rafters, trusses, beams, posts, and more. Create any framing system for your design.

Post & Beam Framing Tools. Specify Round or Square posts. Set the Default Material for Posts in the framing defaults.

Advanced architectural object editing including replication, rotation, and reflection.

Plant Encyclopedia & Plant Chooser™. Looks for special characteristic specific to available plants in the catalog, including common name, zone, water and light needs, and 2D or 3D available objects.

Plant Schedules. Generate a list of all the plants used in your design; use different schedule callout shapes as reference labels to plants in designs.

Distribute Objects in Garden Beds. Auto-populate your garden beds automatically.

2D plant symbol types allow you to customize the look and feel of your landscape and plants.

Landscaping Style Templates.

Deck Designer™ Tool. Design Straight and Curved Decks. Define roof and ceiling attributes for a covered deck. Control the orientation and size of deck planking, gap, width, overhang, direction, border planks.

Treated Deck Framing. Specify Deck Framing Members as “treated” to reflect the lumber type in your materials list.

Polygon Deck tool creates deck shapes automatically.

Deck Support Controls. Specify size and type of deck posts and height, width, shape of deck footings for individual deck rooms or as project defaults.

Deck Post and Beam Defaults. Control defaults for fill, size, line style, and other attributes for deck structures.

Standard Landscaping Terrain Tools.

Terrain Hole Tool. Cut holes in terrain for pools, spas, and advanced terrain features.

Import Terrain Assistant.

Straight & Curved Terrain Walls, Curbs, & Retaining Wall tools.

Stepping Stone Tools. Click and drop stepping stone shapes onto terrain to quickly create paths and hardscaping interest.

Stream Tools. Add streams, creeks, and water features to your design.

Define Terrain Elevation Splines, Elevation Regions, and Terrain Breaks.

Display angles as Azimuth Bearings.

Mac and PC compatible. Home Designer can be installed and run natively either on Mac or Windows operating systems with a single license.

Support for Multiple Monitors. Tabbed view windows can be torn or undocked from main user interface and moved between monitors independently.

Unicode Special Character Support. User accounts and files using accented Western letters can be leveraged for most interactions in the software.

Rendered Previews in Dialogs. View, rotate, and spin previews of 3D objects in specification dialogs to get a better sense of their attributes while making modifications.

Maximum Print Size

Loan/Mortgage Calculator.

Home Designer Pro compatibility with other Home Designer Products.

Compatible with Chief Architect® (Version X1-X9). Edit plans created using Chief Architect.

Searchable Training Videos. Use keywords to find exactly the help you need.

Windows® 10 / 8 / 7. Mac Sierra / El Capitan