Customer Reviews

3D Home Architect Home Design Deluxe Version 9 [Old Version]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Over the last several years I have used 3D Home Architect to design offices and homes. The version being reviewed has deteriorated significantly from prior versions in functionality and features. It seems the company buys a new version of the software from 3rd parties and calls it "3D Home Architect" resulting in absolutely no file compatibility with prior versions. I'm pretty disappointed with the current version and would not have purchased it if I had known how bad the product is. Don't waste your money!

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, my disc was not blank (I didn't read the reviews first), but it didn't help much because the first step before you can use the product is to register it, using the license code.

Unfortunately, there is no license code anywhere to be found. Not on the box, not on the disc, nor on the website.

There is no customer support to ask.

Hence, the product is totally unusable. Thirty bucks down the toilet.


[Edit February 10th]: Okay, in all fairness I did manage to get the program to load and run today. Let me explain how, in case anybody else comes up against this. The fine print in the installation instructions indicates that you have to provide an "organization" name, even if you're just a private individual. If you fail to do so, your registration will fail at the very end, without any explanation as to why. The only opportunity you get to enter an organization comes at the very beginning of the registration process, and it is not marked as mandatory at that point -- but it is.

Once I entered a fictitious organization, and typed in the 9-character code on the box (which is not labeled as a "license code" and hadn't worked before so I assumed it wasn't), my registration finally went through. Geez, would it have killed them to make this the least bit obvious?!?

After all that, I've been playing with the program and have managed to make it work, after a fashion. It took me a couple hours to find the "objects" (furniture, fixtures and appliances shown on the box), but they ARE in fact included (hidden under the "library" option). The software is pretty basic and it's buggy and it renders kind of slow, but I guess I have to retract my earlier statement that it's "totally unusable." It has some very odd limitations -- you can create gables on your roof but you can't cut out the roof beneath them or add sides, ceilings are merely the underside of your roof, table lamps by default are added at floor level, there's only one style of door and window, and so forth -- but I've had the same exact complaints with Punch software for 10 years. They're not going to fix anything.

Would I buy it again? Probably not. The product could be completely transformed with 5 minutes of better instructions, but it's still a dog in pajamas.

I too am among the many (sadly) who purchased the program. I agree with all the previous comments about shortfalls. I too had a problem with registration, but you would think adding a short note explaining the registration procedure with my order confirmation would save time and frustration. I have used several superior PC based architect programs and know quite a lot about design. This program is primitive, unintuitive and slow. The roof defaults to a set height, not connecting to walls. Adjustments to height had to be made with all objects. The "object" library is limited and until you experiment several hours; hard to use. Rotating object is difficult and inside details are lacking. Selecting or changing material coverings/looks is challenging. The manual is of minimal help as well. $30 isn't a lot to spend, but it is a good deal to waste. If you own an Macintosh, consider using a PC based program first. Sorry, but since they aren't any I can find, Mac users are left out in the cold.

I purchased this software after extensive research and trade reviews. I wanted to use it to design a basement finishing project. Although it draws wall lines ok, it is not very useful for depicting an electrical or plumbing plan. I had hoped to provide a useable plan to my contractor but am disappointed in the result. Also, the 3D view is very limited and almost useless. I am very disappointed in this product.

It's too bad you don't have a minus scale to rate this product. Punch is the worst fraud in the pack. It is amazing that they are still allowed to sell this useless program. It is cartoonish and a waste of time and money. Broaderbund should be very careful about allowing other companies to use their name on these sorry programs. As a 10 year user of the 3DHA 4 program it is sad to see the name misrepresented.

Received our first order. Software would not load. We run Windows XP, so it was not our system. Received a second order, software again would not load. Second disk also appeared to be blank. Would have liked to review the product, but the manufacturer did not bother to make sure disks actually contained software. Avoid this product.

I've used an older version of this software for years designing kitchens and bathrooms for my customers. New version will not open old files and this is NO improvement over version 1 through 8. All the good old features that were easy to use are gone. I understand Encore might be owned by Microsoft, so you may need to take classes to learn to use the features; no more using intuition to use the software. I downloaded the software for $39.00 from their website, then demanded and got my money back. Bought it from Amazon, wishing it would work better...What a dreamer ;-( Don't buy it at any price. I may try to buy the old software so I can open my saved files.

I was looking for a software to draw blueprints for additions and stuff. Nothing elaborate. This software is not worth the postage it took to mail it.

I don't exactly know how to rate this...how do you rate something you can't even use? All I got in the mail was a disc in an envelope. That was it. No registration code, booklet, box, or even case! WTF Don't buy anything from: Jennifer May, 428 Pinnacle Heights LN, Las Vegas, NV 89144-0804

I used a version of this product in 2000 that was good enough to create plans my contractor used to do a gut reno. Not so this time. Having tried several of these software packages, I thought I could get to an accurate new floor plan, construct multiple 3D views and manipulate decor with relative ease (e.g., in under 2 hours of trying). Unfortunately, inexplicable and impassable roadblocks kept coming up, making this a poor choice. Too bad, because it seems so easy to make it, well, easier than Autocad.