The software has fully editable framing, including the ability to modify joists, rafters, trusses, beams, and more as well as letting you pick between steel, lumber, and other engineered materials for your build.

Once you’ve made sense of the initial design tools, and created walls and a floor, then you can choose to get as technical as you like with the details. There’s also the option to view your home in a ‘Dollshouse view’, which we found to be the most helpful option, as it gives a cross-section of both the exterior and interior of your building. (Image credit: Chief Architect) Home Designer Pro: 2D mode and room designĪs with many home design software, the default mode for designing in Home Designer Pro is a 2D birdseye angle, though there is the option to toggle between 2D and 3D modes at all times.

The interface itself is made up of a busy-looking navigation bar at the top, and a further sidebar on the right-hand side that allows you to zoom in and out of your design. Unlike rival programs such as HomeStyler (opens in new tab), there’s no tutorial to whizz you through these first stages, and the process of learning how to navigate the site is left down to the user. This is likely to be daunting for any beginners to software of this type, especially since there’s also a lot of buttons to explore initially. Once the software itself opens up, the user will be met with a blank page. Regardless of whether you try before you buy or just dive in, you’ll be sent a key code in order to download the software and start from there. There is a free trial option available, which lasts for 30 days, which is a good route to go down before you splash the (serious) amount of cash needed for the full version. If you decide to go for the rental option, then you’ll own the software after 12 months and be entitled to free upgrades throughout the process. It can be downloaded from their website (opens in new tab), with the option to either rent the software or buy it outright. Home Designer Pro is developed by the Chief Architect brand and is used by builders, designers, architects, and home users alike. Home Designer Pro review: Installation and interface

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