The tabbed interface, and selectable toolbars make the interface a lot more functional. I definitely like version 6 better than 3, 4, and 5.

HOWEVER, I would offer a SIGNIFICANT word of caution. Broderbund has a habit of leaving its established client base in the dust. I have been using the application for years, and therefore have a large library of floor plans developed (for my own home, future ideas, etc). In previous upgrades, Broderbund has changed file formats, thus making it impossible to bring previous work into newer products.

I have written to them pleading for consistency, or at least import/export functionality. They have provided no satisfaction. My most recent email to tech support on version 6 yielded this response:

"I understand that you are inquiring about importing a CAD file format into
3D Home Design 6.

This program has the ability to export as DXF, 3DS and WRL files, however
is not capable of importing or opening DXF or other file formats.

Sorry about the inconvenience."

"...inconvenience..." Do they have any clue how much work it is to re-create multiple (dimensionally accurate) designs over AND over again?

While it is nice that you can export to DXF format (great for transferring plans to construction engineers, architects, etc...), it is THE PITS that you CANNOT import from a standard file format (like DXF).

If you are serious about your design and remodeling work, and plan to use this for more than just a room makeover, you may want to consider how important it is to you to take advantage of upgrade features while having to rebuild your designs in the future.

BEFORE you have an established plan base, you may want to consider other products that can import standard formats (i.e. Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Pro).

Check out the reviews on Punch!Professional Home Design Suite Platinum for a better idea of what people think of Broderbund and its' products.

81 of 89 found the following review helpful:

So Cool -- So Expandable!  Oct 02, 2004
By Sharon Huston "software addict"
OK, there seems to be a ratings war between this FANTASTIC product and Better Homes & Gardens Designer.

This one wins hands down, all due to CUSTOMIZATION.

I can get the colors/wallpapers/carpets/flooring --and furniture-- I want instead of relying on the (not bad) selections in this program, or the (just miserable) selections in BH&G.

Three main custom features worth noting:

1. Unlike BH&G this product lets you import JPEGs as textures so you can import (for instance) wallpaper copied from a wallpaper site like DecoratorToday. Or take a digital picture of the brick on your house, and use it instead of the preset bricks, which are probably the wrong color. (Admittedly, adding new textures/materials isn't the easiest -- check the help topics under CUSTOMIZATION for details.)

Texture imports are a really, really, really basic feature -- even Total3D Home and that stupid Punch program have the capability. What was BH&G thinking??!!??

2. IMPORT capabilities! I was very disappointed with the five beds in BH&G. The ten or so in this product is a better selection, but it still doesn't rock my world. But then in the help file (under CUSTOMIZATION again) I found a section on "importing elements." You can actually add 3D furniture models other people have created!!

The help file said the models were common on the net so I Googled "furniture 3DS" (3DS being the file format) and after a few false starts I found a few gold mines. Herman Miller, for instance, has 3DS files of their furniture. So does B&B Italia. Most of the 3DS files are newer, modern furniture, although I did find a few antique-looking pieces including a roll top desk and early Frank Lloyd Wright craftsman-type furniture.

3. The software lets you stick in images as "photo boards", so even if you can't find your furniture as 3DS you can at least place a non-3D image of it in the room. Maybe not the most noteworthy feature, but personally I'd rather see a photo of something I like than a 3D rendering of something straight out of DULLSVILLE, which is where all the BH&G homes are located.


18 of 18 found the following review helpful:

Powerful but not user-friendly  Aug 22, 2005
By enb14
I have been using this product for about six months to redesign several rooms in our house. It is fairly flexible and powerful and has a good variety of colors, textures, materials, etc. to work with. However, don't believe the "intuitive, easy to use" claims made by the company producing this software. I have run into many problems where the program required me to do something unintuitive, such as raise all of the furniture in a room off the floor by 1 inch in order to be able to put a rug in the room. Also, you cannot "nudge" objects using the arrow keys as you can in almost any graphics program, so exact placement of objects becomes a frustrating game of, "Can I let go of the mouse on this exact pixel?"

For the amount I paid (which was $20 more than it should have been because of Fry's' typical refusal to honor the rebate that they themselves advertised), it is not a bad program. But it's sad that there isn't anything out there that's much better.

11 of 11 found the following review helpful:

Fine For Basic Stuff  Mar 22, 2006

This seems fine for basic stuff. If you want PROFESSIONAL get a AutoDesk product like AutoCAD. I'll prob make my basic outline with this and then export to AutoCad to put in every wire (electric, network, phone, cable,) bolt, and screw (going steel frame). No I'm not a kid, I just don't feel like registering right now.

10 of 10 found the following review helpful:

much worse than version 3  Nov 29, 2004
By Jack Tester
I was an avid v3 user. I loved v3 because I could get going so quickly. All you had to do was create a rough outline of a floorplan, and then it was easy to slide walls around to match proper dimensions. Rooms were automatically created with via contiguous walls.
Version 6 is FAR behind this. I've been trying to create a simple floorplan that I got into v3 in about 30 minutes. I've been trying for hours now, and the most simple tasks are impossible. The default snap puts dimensions at 1/4" snaps. I'm trying to make a 12' wall, for example. Sliding my mouse pointer, I can choose 11' 11 3/4", and the next stop available is 12' 0 3/4". This sort of behavior is very common. Next, I'd like to define the height of walls in a room. Rooms are not defined, however. I can install a "ceiling" object.
The bottom line is that this software has put me way behind, and it just isn't worth trying to use. All of the intuitiveness of 3.0 is gone.

See all 46 customer reviews on Amazon.com