Online design/layout planner

[parakitaMol.]

We're really struggling with our crayons & notepad approach.... to conceptualise our extension ideas.

Are there any online tools anyone has found for space planning and layout?

(not complex design software! this needs to be very basic and easy).

[parakitaMol.]

OK - after hitting about 20 dead ends ie NOT free downloads - I found this. Which seems to be fairly adequate

http://www.smallblueprinter.com/floorplan/floorpla...

[Tuna]

Sketchup from Google - it's free, easy to use and you can download sofas to put in the corner. Not real ones. Obviously. That's impossible. The sofas that is, not the corner.

[J_S_G]

Guessing an extension is going to cost you thousands. So I'd suggest spending a couple of pounds planning it all properly maybe isn't such a bad bet.

When having the house rebuilt, I got hold of Punch's Architectural Series, and it really helped me work things out - figure out what would/wouldn't work, etc. Maybe a bit expensive ($200) for a normal extension. But they do versions at $40 and $70, though:

• http://www.punchsoftware.com/products/five.htm
• http://www.punchsoftware.com/products/platV12.htm

[parakitaMol.]

J_S_G said:

Guessing an extension is going to cost you thousands. So I'd suggest spending a couple of pounds planning it all properly maybe isn't such a bad bet.

Oh we're not guessing!!... it's a tricky layout and we're just trying to figure out what we 'could' do.... so that we can visualise it and brief an architect (it's a split level long house on steep hillside - there are boundary fences to contend with so windows can only be on one side - with internal corridors as it's long and narrow) - we just need to get a sketch done - then once we've got an idea of how we want the rooms - of course we'll invest in proper plans!!

Thanks Tuna - will check that link out.

Edited by parakitaMol. on Monday 6th July 09:11

[annodomini2]

Google sketchup, its designed for this kind of work and is free.

[J_S_G]

parakitaMol. said:

J_S_G said:

Guessing an extension is going to cost you thousands. So I'd suggest spending a couple of pounds planning it all properly maybe isn't such a bad bet.

Oh we're not guessing!!... it's a tricky layout and we're just trying to figure out what we 'could' do.... so that we can visualise it and brief an architect (it's a split level long house on steep hillside - there are boundary fences to contend with so windows can only be on one side - with internal corridors as it's long and narrow) - we just need to get a sketch done - then once we've got an idea of how we want the rooms - of course we'll invest in proper plans!!

I meant I'm guessing the extension will cost thousands, not attempts at guessing will add thousands to the bill.... but that, too!

I did all the formal blueprints for mine in Punch, and whilst it was a bit unwieldy at times, it meant that when I went to see the architect to get everything done "properly" and submitted for planning, it had knocked 2 days off the time he would otherwise have spent drawing things up, discussing them with me, and changing them... (I had it down to where electrical sockets were going, light fittings, switches for those lights, etc). So it saved a LOT of money in the long run. Good fun, too, and great to do fly-throughs of the house.

[Overhaulin]

This may fit what you need.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/sweethome3d/

[parakitaMol.]

Thanks - it looks a bit complicated - I have managed some basic layouts with the one I found.

It's all very exciting. I want the work to start tomorrow.

[Job38]

Another vote for http://sketchup.google.com/ here.
We do whole projects on it now.
On the surface it's very easy to use for the layperson but it's also quite sophisticated if you need it to be.

[Davi]

parakitaMol. said:

Thanks - it looks a bit complicated - I have managed some basic layouts with the one I found.

It's all very exciting. I want the work to start tomorrow.

If I may make a suggestion parakitaMol - I'd recommend getting any architects you are considering to come up with some ideas BEFORE you let them see yours, and don't allow yourself to be lead into "we thought this room here leading too..." type comments. IME architects are best used for one thing - the inspiration. If you don't like any idea's they have then you've got your thoughts as well which they can draw up (though in reality that's the bit you really don't need them for, IME they'll only fk it up anyway )

[Tuna]

Davi said:

parakitaMol. said:

Thanks - it looks a bit complicated - I have managed some basic layouts with the one I found.

It's all very exciting. I want the work to start tomorrow.

If I may make a suggestion parakitaMol - I'd recommend getting any architects you are considering to come up with some ideas BEFORE you let them see yours, and don't allow yourself to be lead into "we thought this room here leading too..." type comments. IME architects are best used for one thing - the inspiration. If you don't like any idea's they have then you've got your thoughts as well which they can draw up (though in reality that's the bit you really don't need them for, IME they'll only fk it up anyway )

The man talks sense. A good architect spent years learning about space, relationships between rooms, the built environment, movement through a building and so on. They hopefully have then spent many more years putting that into practise. Write down a good spec (we want X, Y, Z out of this extension, we like A and B and we hate C and D), but don't decide on a layout. Let them come up with ideas. Some you'll hate, some you'll like. They might come up with something you never dreamed of. They should be able to come up with something that works with your house and ideally gets through planning without too much trouble.

Chat to a few different architects, and take a look at their other work - if you find one that thinks on similar lines to yourselves, you stand a good chance of getting something that'll suit your tastes.

[parakitaMol.]

Davi said:

parakitaMol. said:

Thanks - it looks a bit complicated - I have managed some basic layouts with the one I found.

It's all very exciting. I want the work to start tomorrow.

If I may make a suggestion parakitaMol - I'd recommend getting any architects you are considering to come up with some ideas BEFORE you let them see yours, and don't allow yourself to be lead into "we thought this room here leading too..." type comments. IME architects are best used for one thing - the inspiration. If you don't like any idea's they have then you've got your thoughts as well which they can draw up (though in reality that's the bit you really don't need them for, IME they'll only fk it up anyway )

You don't need to. That's kind of how we're approaching it. We've got some constraints which we're not gonna come up with solutions to on our own. It's basically a blank sheet of paper and we're looking for exactly that - inspiration. With a one or two examples of buildings and materials we like so they have very basic idea of our tastes.

We're using the layout thing to figure out which end of the house we should work with, and which side (front or rear) and a few options for the space we've already got. Also because my OH and I find it easier to explain to each other what we're thinking.

[Davi]

Good stuff I had great difficulty getting my missus to keep schtum about ideas we'd had with the current place, Architects latched on to everything she said and couldn't really get away from it once mentioned, despite me saying "but we don't want you to do that, we want idea's of your own".

I suppose my lesson learned was buy a ball gag for the missus

[J_S_G]

parakitaMol. said:

Davi said:

parakitaMol. said:

Thanks - it looks a bit complicated - I have managed some basic layouts with the one I found.

It's all very exciting. I want the work to start tomorrow.

If I may make a suggestion parakitaMol - I'd recommend getting any architects you are considering to come up with some ideas BEFORE you let them see yours, and don't allow yourself to be lead into "we thought this room here leading too..." type comments. IME architects are best used for one thing - the inspiration. If you don't like any idea's they have then you've got your thoughts as well which they can draw up (though in reality that's the bit you really don't need them for, IME they'll only fk it up anyway )

You don't need to. That's kind of how we're approaching it. We've got some constraints which we're not gonna come up with solutions to on our own. It's basically a blank sheet of paper and we're looking for exactly that - inspiration. With a one or two examples of buildings and materials we like so they have very basic idea of our tastes.

We're using the layout thing to figure out which end of the house we should work with, and which side (front or rear) and a few options for the space we've already got. Also because my OH and I find it easier to explain to each other what we're thinking.

You could always turn it into "The great PH architecture challenge"... give us a rough plan of what there is, what space there is to work with, rough idea of budget, and let us come up with ideas on how to turn the whole house into a giant, hydraulically operated car garage?

[parakitaMol.]

J_S_G said:

You could always turn it into "The great PH architecture challenge"... give us a rough plan of what there is, what space there is to work with, rough idea of budget, and let us come up with ideas on how to turn the whole house into a giant, hydraulically operated car garage?

If I thought it would stay serious and creative and not get bhy about our home then I might do it but I think that's probably too much to ask.

I've posted another post asking for architects or recommendations and had one person contact me so far.

It's currently a split level 5 beds, 3 bathrooms & large open plan living/dining room & garage. We want another 2 beds & ensuites + study but it would have to be all on a single floor in a long shape (forming an 'L' with the current house)...

We like Esher House, Chalk Hill , Middle Eight and White House and on this website.

http://www.surreyarchitects.org/buildings.htm

[Plotloss]

parakitaMol. said:

We like Esher House, Chalk Hill , Middle Eight and White House and on this website.

http://www.surreyarchitects.org/buildings.htm

Should be a cheap design job then.

I'll have a couple of straight lines and a few right angles please...

[parakitaMol.]

Plotloss said:

parakitaMol. said:

We like Esher House, Chalk Hill , Middle Eight and White House and on this website.

http://www.surreyarchitects.org/buildings.htm

Should be a cheap design job then.

I'll have a couple of straight lines and a few right angles please...

Yes.

Clean lines.

We like the 'autistic' approach.

[J_S_G]

parakitaMol. said:

Plotloss said:

parakitaMol. said:

We like Esher House, Chalk Hill , Middle Eight and White House and on this website.

http://www.surreyarchitects.org/buildings.htm

Should be a cheap design job then.

I'll have a couple of straight lines and a few right angles please...

Yes.

Clean lines.

We like the 'autistic' approach.

I'm hoping you mean "austere" or similar.

(Or you might find yourself extradited to the US on cybercrime charges!)

[parakitaMol.]

J_S_G said:

parakitaMol. said:

Plotloss said:

parakitaMol. said:

We like Esher House, Chalk Hill , Middle Eight and White House and on this website.

http://www.surreyarchitects.org/buildings.htm

Should be a cheap design job then.

I'll have a couple of straight lines and a few right angles please...

Yes.

Clean lines.

We like the 'autistic' approach.

I'm hoping you mean "austere" or similar.

(Or you might find yourself extradited to the US on cybercrime charges!)

Nope, I definitely meant autistic.

I'm more likely to steal extension design ideas than anything from the US