Kitchen Design Software

[donnenwerth woodworking]

For those Custom Cabinetry builders -  what software do you use to come up with cabinetry design and kitchen layouts?  For the jobs I've done in the past either I'm drawing something by hand or the custom would use services at lowes or home depot to come up with drawings as they have started their first.  I would like to be able to provide some print outs that would be better than my hand drawings.  Also might help with speeding up my overall time in estimates.

Thanks in advance,

Pat

 

[mleny77]

As a Design Engineer I have access to SolidWorks 3D software and also use AutoCad for fast 2D drawings. I've see a lot of people use SketchUp but haven't tried it yet.

 

[tjbnwi]

I use Solid Builder and Cabinet Vision.

Below is a rendering created by Solid Builder.

Tom

 

[Cheese]

That Solid Builder is pretty impressive. Especially the light reflections. How stiff is the learning curve?

 

[tjbnwi]

That Solid Builder is pretty impressive. Especially the light reflections. How stiff is the learning curve?

Iv'e used it since 1999. Don't remember it being tough to learn, but I was young and dumb back then. Now I'm old and dumb.

Tom

 

[JesseC]

Tom,

That is very impressive. What sort of time do you have into that particular image? Is it a lot of drag and drop, or are you creating your own parts and pieces to your particular designs?

Jesse

 

[tjbnwi]

Tom,

That is very impressive. What sort of time do you have into that particular image? Is it a lot of drag and drop, or are you creating your own parts and pieces to your particular designs?

Jesse

The basic design is the creation of the space and cabinets. From there you drop and drag the detail pieces if you are choosing a stock item. If the item does not exist in the library there is a symbol generator where you can create or access the cad engine and create items there. Which I use depends on the complexity of the item. Any item you create is saved to a library (unless you're a glutton for punishment).

Colors and textures are applied by description. Once the colors and textures are applied you export the model to another module for detailed clean up.

If I need just cabinets and not the entire space I use Cabinet Vision or Sketch List 3D.

All of my programs will create a detailed material and cut list with layout. I have spent so many years on my Solid Builders data base it will give me total number of nails and screws of each type in any home or remodeling project I design with it.

Tom

 

[donnenwerth woodworking]

I use Solid Builder and Cabinet Vision.

Below is a rendering created by Solid Builder.

Tom

Impressive rendering there - basically exactly what I am looking for.  Love the life like look of this versus other 3d software.  Any ideas on cost? 

 

[tjbnwi]

I use Solid Builder and Cabinet Vision.

Below is a rendering created by Solid Builder.

Tom

Impressive rendering there - basically exactly what I am looking for.  Love the life like look of this versus other 3d software.  Any ideas on cost?

I have well over 10K in my programs. If you go with Cabinet Visions top of the line it is over 10K plus $1000.00 a year for support. Solid Builder I'm not sure what the cost is today, I have the support at $595.00 a year, this gives me the updates. SL3D is about $500.00.

All of them have a learning curve.

Tom