# Chief Architect Home Designer Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is Chief Architect Home Designer the right Home Builder solution for you? Explore 9 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/152727/Home-Designer/reviews --- Chief Architect Home Designer 4.2 (9) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of Chief Architect Home Designer Ease of use 3.8 Customer Service 3.0 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-9 of 9 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Shujjah K. Manager Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Personal Experience of using Chief Architect Home Designer Software" August 17, 2022 5.0 My overall experience is totally based on my professionalism and it is worth using this software especially if you want high level of accuracy in a minimum of time Pros I am a professional Architect and I originate this software informal to comprehend and consumption specifically through the 3D prospective are available which can be view in fragmented screen alongside with finished floor plan, including detailed Quantity Calculation feature which is enriched and most accurate. Tutorial videos and instructional guidelines helps the user to design rapidly Cons Not very much, i eagerly navigate to search for cons in the software while using it, and just found that Versions are up dated in very short time which leads to add some extra time to work out the commands Review Source LQ LAURA Q. Interior Designer Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "A good affordable option for a small business or individual proprietor" May 28, 2021 4.0 Overall, I'm pleased with my purchase and feel that it's well priced for what I get. Pros I'm an interior designer and I love the fact that I can create 3D renderings from a floor plan with the push of a button. The ability to customize with materials that can easily uploaded enables me to give clients a very realistic view of what the space will look like, and it was fairly easy to learn the user interface. I use the Home Designer Pro version which can be purchased on a monthly rental-to-own plan that mad it easy to afford. Their partnerships with vendors like Kohler, Wayfair, Pental Quartz and Benjamin Moore mean that some of the materials that I use frequently are already in the library (once you download it once). Cons 1) My number one issue is that the materials library, while vast, seems very outdated in terms of the style of furniture and finishes offered (like from the 1980's and 90's). It takes a good deal of hunting to find things that reflect today's design aesthetic, but at least the outdated stuff can be modified in size and finish to more closely resemble things from this century. It would be great to have the ability to very quickly and easily favorite items so that we can create our own shortlists of the items we use frequently. 2) Getting the hang of the various 3D view capabilities took quite a while (tilt vs. pan, etc.) and the walls seem to get in the way when viewing rooms in 3D making navigation feel awkward. 3) It'd be great if they offered a default for Interior Designers that would adjust the settings to only show interior dimensions in inches, no roof lines, etc. at the push of a button. This is something that the new user needs to set-up when they get the software, so not a huge deal, but... Alternatives considered [SketchUp](https://www.capterra.com/p/211798/SketchUp/)[RoomSketcher](https://www.capterra.com/p/164021/RoomSketcher/)[AutoCAD](https://www.capterra.com/p/265024/AutoCAD/)[Live Home 3D](https://www.capterra.com/p/166944/Live-Home-3D/) Reason for choosing Chief Architect Home Designer Affordable but with robust capabilities. Push-of-a-button 3D rendering from a floor plan. Review Source RA Ray A. President Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "EASE OF USE" March 22, 2019 2.0 Their upgrades seem to mostly cosmetic than ease of function. Pros Wall tools and the dimension child buttons Cons Roof tool hard to work with. Not easy to manually draw when the automatic roof doesn't get it. No cad blocks for section drawings witch should be included if you want to summit the drawings to a building department. Only prints on 18"x 24" sized paper, 1/4" scale house drawings won't print with out reducing the scale. Radio buttons have a mind of there own, not always working when you click on them. Review Source Response from Chief Architect April 2, 2019 Thank you for the feedback. Our Chief Architect Premier version contains hundreds of CAD blocks for plan details, wall sections, roof eave details and much more. This version also has unlimited print size including 24" X 36" Arch D paper size or larger. Information on this product can be found at chiefarchitect.com It appears that you are using our Home Designer Pro version which is in our DIY product line. BR Bas R. Architect student Architecture & Planning Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Chief architect" October 18, 2022 4.0 Overall really good! Im a student and I would love to work more with chief my next years Pros Its easy in use. Easy to make beautiful designs Cons There is nothing I dislike from this software. Maybe only the price Switched from [Enterprise Architect](https://www.capterra.com/p/78757/Enterprise-Architect/) Because I ended my internship and now Im working at a different company Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Database Administrator Environmental Services Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Why Pay an Expensive Architect?" January 28, 2019 5.0 I wanted to create a strawbale, net-zero home in Colorado that would harness the energy of the sun to handle the majority of my heating needs in the harsh winters and still stay cool in the summer. I also wanted something specific to my wants (indoor root cellar, walk-in multi-head shower, dry sauna, open kitchen/living area design, etc.). Not only did I save several thousand dollars in architect expenses and was able to create exactly what I wanted, I had fun throughout the entire process. By the time I reached version 11 of the house we were ready to build. Had I gone through an architect I doubt I would have the awesome place that I have. Pros Was able to design (then later build) a home unique to my personality and needs rather than hiring an architect who would start with a template and tweak it using his/her recommendations. Ended up creating something exceptional while saving thousands of dollars on architect expenses. Can immediately see the results in three-dimensional view. That is a powerful feature for viewing the effects of each modification. Can also change camera angles with the movement of a mouse. Drag-and-drop feature of any object (walls, windows, cabinets, sinks, etc.). The easy-to-use library allows the user to search for a particular object and offers a variety of similar objects to choose from. Could easily change the materials of an object, such as choosing the type of wood for cabinets. Could also change the features of objects in the library, such as number, sizes, and types of drawers in a cabinet. With a few clicks I could repaint the entire interior or change turn the place into a log cabin. Cons Required me to upgrade my computer to one with a higher-end video card, but I was due for a new computer. Took a couple days to learn the software before becoming proficient. Advanced features require a higher version of the software to purchase, such as viewing the angle of the sun at different times of the day at various times of the year. Would be nice to be able to purchase such features individually like an add-on. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer CEO/Chief Estimator Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Almost all there..." December 3, 2018 4.0 I bought this software years ago, updated it until 2016. I use it mostly for interiors now, cabinets and remodels. Not sure I would buy this again, I would need to see who is eating their lunch, because CA does not seem to be keeping up Pros It's fairly easy to get started with this software. It was also easy to make axon models (renderings) in several 'styles'. I also likes the automatic supply lists. Cons It's not easy to get this software to really do the jobs you want. It's always 'almost' there. Renderings are good, being able to manipulate each room a sa room, not part of a house would be a really good thing! It's also a REAL resources hog!! I have a new workstation with oodles of power and it STILL can't seem to get out of it's own way. Customer service is no-existent. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer CFO Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Overall good product" August 9, 2021 5.0 Overall I am happy with the product. More instruction on designing decks would be helpful. Pros We design decks with the software. The program does what I need it to. The price was good. Cons There is a definite learning curve and I am still learning! Review Source DF Danielle F. Human Resources Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Nice program to see final design" April 8, 2018 4.0 Affordable product that helps figure out square footage. Pros This program is very helpful with building rooms and calculating square footage. Also helpful with giving our clients an idea of what the outcome of their project will look like. And the price is affordable. Cons There are not enough options in the catalog. But for the price, we can't expect it to have too many options. Review Source pP patricia P. bookkeeper/design work Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Home Designer 2018" October 24, 2018 5.0 My customers love what we can do with their project. 3D views, colors, texture, furniture placement-one of the best ever Pros Similar to previous versions of Home Designer, very easy to navigate, customer loves the variety of options to design Cons There is nothing that I don't like about this program. 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