Clicking Through The Big Picture

Home-Planning Software Helps Consumers Winnow Their Choices

Tina Johnson, right, says the Chief Architect software helps ease her concerns about the major changes David Merrick has proposed for her home. (Michael Robinson-chavez -- The Washington Post)

Tina and Nick Johnson moved into their Cape Cod in Silver Spring three years ago. Ever since, they have been struggling to find ways to add more space for themselves and their 10- and 7-year-old daughters.

Their goal is to create a bigger kitchen, larger bedrooms, more storage space and better work areas for their home offices. The problem is, the couple still doesn't know how to best accomplish these tasks.

"Nothing is obvious about this project," Tina Johnson said. "We have a large lot and can build on any of the four sides of our house. We can also build on the second story if we'd like. It's good to have these options, but it's also a challenge to know which option is the best."

The Johnsons have an ally, though: home-planning software.

In September, the family hired David Merrick, owner of Merrick Design & Build Inc. in Kensington, to draft a series of remodeling plans for them. Merrick has done this with the help of Chief Architect, design and drafting software that has allowed the Johnsons to see highly detailed three-dimensional home plans that show exactly how each room will look depending on the choices they make.

For example, the program allows the Johnsons to see what an expanded bedroom would look like with floor-to-ceiling windows versus smaller ones. It shows the difference hardwood floors would make in the kitchen and the impact a center island would have. It gives the couple the chance to see what the house's exterior would look like with additions on its left or right. The program even allows the Johnsons to see if a queen bed would look better than a king bed in their bedroom.

The Johnsons have pored over six plans that Merrick has created on Chief Architect. And though the family is still searching for the perfect solution, they credit the home-planning software with helping them winnow their choices.

"I think this software will help lead us to a solution," Tina Johnson said. "This is a challenging project. We want to accomplish a lot. Because of that, the software hasn't magically solved our problems instantly. But it clearly is much quicker than having [Merrick] continually draw new plans with pencil and paper. And it certainly helps us to better visualize the plans. I know it's helped ease my concerns being able to see what impact our choices will have on the way our house ends up looking."

Home-planning software isn't new. But the products are gaining fans among consumers looking to build a new home from scratch or to remodel an existing residence. The reasons are clear: Home-planning software allows people to see instantly the impact of taking away a wall between a kitchen and living room, choosing cabinets made of dark wood versus light wood and adding a new window in the living room.

This is important because many people struggle to look at a set of blueprints or renderings on paper and then visualize exactly what all those lines and boxes will look like once construction is done. With home-planning software, this uncertainty disappears.

The programs are also a boon to builders and architects, who find that programs such as Chief Architect and ArchiCAD eliminate many misunderstandings with their clients before construction even begins.

Merrick, for instance, uses his software to create initial sales drawings, his working drawings for every project and the plans he uses when applying for permits. He has the software on his laptop, and he fires it up when discussing design and construction options with his clients.

"The home-planning software is really a valuable tool for me," Merrick said. "You have to be able to communicate to your clients what it is you are doing. And it has a powerful effect on my clients. The customers immediately begin to feel comfortable. So many people say they can't visualize what something is going to look like. When they see their plans pop up on the screen you can see they are riveted."

Home-planning software has existed since the early 1990s. The programs, though, have advanced over the years and have become more important to developers, builders and architects.