Information Sheet - Personal Architect Pro

The Ultimate Home Design Software Personal Architect is an easy to use, powerful design and visualization software that allows you to design or remodel your dream home and landscape projects. Experiment with everything from new floor plan design through to interior design and decorating.

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Compare Personal Architect Pro with Envisioneer

	Personal Architect Pro	Envisioneer Product Line
Price	$495	$1195-$2195
View objects created in other Cadsoft software	Yes	Yes
Import manufacturer catalogs from Green 3D Home	Yes	Yes
Ability to customize objects and catalogs	Yes	Yes
Walls, Doors, windows and openings	Yes	Yes
Flat Floors and ceilings	Yes	Yes
Sloped coffered and cathedral ceilings	Yes	Yes
Hipped roofs	Yes	Yes
Roofs of all shapes, and styles, dormers, skylights	Yes	Yes
Stairs and railings	Yes	Yes
House, kitchen, bath, deck, foundation and shed Wizards	Yes	Yes
Columns and posts	Yes	Yes
Footings and foundations	Yes	Yes
Custom catalogs including leading manufacturers	Yes	Yes
Cabinets, Appliances, , Furniture, plumbing	Yes	Yes
Electrical, Electronics, lighting, Electrical wiring	Yes	Yes
HVAC and equipment	Yes	Yes
Multi-layer wall and cavity support	Yes	Yes
Member insertion – beams, purlins, etc	Yes	Yes
Custom surface tool		Yes
Wall Framing Configuration		Yes
Plants, trees, shrubs (200)	Yes	Yes
7500 Item plant encyclopedia		Yes
Plant growth over time and seasonal change		Yes
Fences and Gates	Yes	Yes
Pads and patios	Yes	Yes
Deck design	Yes	Yes
Fills, edging, Irrigation	Yes	Yes
Site boundary tool	Yes	Yes
Exterior lighting, furnishings, accessories	Yes	Yes
3D terrain such as hills, berms, plateaus, slopes	Yes	Yes
3D viewing and navigating	Yes	Yes
Dynamic cutaway section	Yes	Yes
Stereo Vision view - View with 3D glasses	Yes	Yes
High quality 3D Real View rendering	Yes	Yes
Movie Maker animation tools	Yes	Yes
Measure tool	Yes	Yes
Area / Perimeter calculator	Yes	Yes
Room area calculation	Yes	Yes
Basic Quantities		Yes
Advanced customizable quantity templates		Yes
Optimized framing cut lists		Yes
Quote Generator		Yes
Integration with Point of Sale Systems		Yes
Integration with structural analysis programs		Yes
Import / export bmp, jpg, tga	Yes	Yes
VRML export	Yes	Yes
Sketchup SKP import	Yes	Yes
DXF import and export	Yes	Yes
DWG import	Yes	Yes
DWG file export	Yes	Yes
PDF Import Plan Trak		Yes
Text and labels	Yes	Yes
Plan dimensions	Yes	Yes
Room dimensions	Yes	Yes
Text with leaders	Yes	Yes
Define and insert SmartViews Technology	Yes	Yes
Updated SmartViews - updates views when model changes		Yes
Insertion of generated plans, elevations, sections	Yes	Yes
Multi-view drawing sheets	Limit to 3	Unlimited
Precision CAD drafting tools	Yes	Yes
Advanced CAD editing tools	Yes	Yes
DWG Detail support	Yes	Yes
DWG file export	Yes	Yes
Hatching	Yes	Yes
Cad blocks and attributes	Yes	Yes
Title blocks definition editing	Yes	Yes
Door schedules		Yes
Window schedules		Yes
Member schedules		Yes

Home Design

Quickly and Simply create your 3D project

Whether you’re renovating or adding a room, or building a new home from the ground up, Personal Architect has everything you need to create your dream space quickly and easily. Simply ‘point and click’ to draw walls and insert building elements. You’ll have a complete house in only minutes! Or have the House Builder Wizard build a house for you instantly based on your specifications. It doesn’t get any easier!

Once the shell is in place you can drop in just about anything – cabinets, plumbing, lighting, furniture, landscaping, and more. Switch to a 3D view at any time to see what you are creating and get a true feel for the space. When it’s time to customize and personalize, apply paint, fabric and finishes to elements with the click of a button.

Why waste time trying to learn complicated design software? Personal Architect’s simple, user-friendly interface lets you get started right away. No design experience? No problem. All you need is a computer, a mouse, and an idea!

	Home Building Draw auto-connecting exterior and interior walls in seconds, then pop in a roof, doors, windows, electrical, plumbing and other elements.
	Remodeling Import an existing floor plan or use the House Builder Wizard to quickly build a starter shell for you. Then, unleash your creativity as you move, delete and add elements to create that perfect space.
	Room Makeovers Whether you’re gutting a room and starting from scratch or just updating a few finishes, Personal Architect has all of the tools and materials you need to create your dream interiors. Choose from hundreds of finishes and even import ones you’ve seen at stores!
	Landscaping Recreate the topography of your lot and finish off the exterior with decks, patios, driveways, sidewalks, trees, bushes and plants.
	3D Visualization See what your home or room will actually look like before construction begins. View from different angles and vantage points, and navigate through your 3D model as if you were actually walking through it.
	Renderings and Animations Add even more fun and realism to your design experience with stunning 3D RealView™ renderings and recordable virtual walkthroughs.

Floorplans

Create Floor Plans in Minutes with Personal Architect

Building or remodeling a home? Personal Architect has all the tools you need to create accurate, professional-looking floor plans quickly and easily. Just ‘point and click’ to draw walls and add elements to your design, or have one of the building wizards do all the work for you! You don’t need to be a computer expert — Personal Architect’s easy-to-use interface lets you get started on your project right away so you can focus on the fun and creative side of design.

	Walls Draw auto-connecting exterior and interior walls in seconds! Dynamic on-screen dimensions show you the length of a wall as you draw it.
	Doors Point and click to insert a wide variety of doors including garage, sliding, bi-fold, and French doors.
	Windows Choose from an extensive selection of windows including casement, sliding, hung, bay, bow, louvered and custom-shaped windows.
	Stairs Simply choose the style you want – straight, spiral, U-shaped or L-shaped – then click to insert a staircase.
	Interiors Drop in cabinets, furniture, appliances, lighting and other design-enhancing features.
	Utilities Show the location of electrical, plumbing and HVAC elements in your design.
	Landscaping Finish off the exterior with decks, patios, driveways, sidewalks, trees, bushes and plants.
	Text Add custom labels and notes or choose from a list of pre-defined room labels for quick notation.
	Dimensions Auto-dimension your building’s perimeter with the click of a button. Insert auto-calculated interior and room dimensions with ease.

 

3D Presentations

Bring Your Ideas to Life in Stunning 3D

Just click a button to instantly switch from 2D plan view to 3D and get a true feel for the space you are creating and play around with different design ideas. Use a variety of 3D navigation tools to move through your 3D scene and view it from different vantage points. Want to make a lasting impression? A mouse click is all it takes to generate vivid, photo-like renderings using Personal Architect’s advanced 3D RealView™ technology. For the ultimate in virtual reality, record and play customized walkthroughs complete with sounds, music or voiceovers.

	3D QuickView View your 3D model instantly from a variety of pre-set orthogonal angles.
	3D Camera View See what your model looks like as if you are actually standing there! Select a pre-defined camera to look through or point and click to insert one anywhere in the plan. Adjust the camera height and view angle to get different perspectives.
	Dynamic Cutaway While in a 3D view, use the slider to peel back your model from any direction to see what’s inside.
	3D Navigation Use navigation tools like Walk Around, Look Around, Fly Around and Slide to move around your 3D model and focus on areas of interest.
	3D RealView™ Rendering Advanced radiosity technology makes it possible to create ultra-realistic, high-quality renderings that show light and shadows.
	Movie Maker Take a virtual tour through your 3D model and record it to an AVI file. Creating a movie is a snap – simply draw a line in the 2D plan for the camera to follow, click ‘Play’ to preview the movie, then click ‘Save’ to record it.
	3D Stereo View Slip on a pair of 3D glasses and be prepared to enter another dimension!

Kitchen Design

Designing Your Dream Kitchen is as
Easy as 1-2-3

Time to bring your kitchen up to date with some new colors or finishes? Or do you have a totally new space in mind? Whether your project is big or small, Personal Architect has all the tools and materials you need to create the kitchen of your dreams. Let the Kitchen Builder Wizard create a complete kitchen layout for you in seconds, or simply ‘point and click’ to place individual cabinets, sinks, appliances, furniture, lighting and
accessories in your plan. Switch to 3D instantly to play around with
different finishes and watch your dream come to life!

	Kitchen Builder Wizard Simply click through a few screens and choose the shape, appliance layout and cabinet style you want, then ‘click and drag’ to stretch the kitchen layout to the desired size. What could be easier? You can then move, add, delete, resize and refinish individual elements for a truly customized look.
	Cabinets Click to insert base, upper, island and pantry cabinets that automatically snap to walls and other cabinets. Customize a cabinet’s size, style, finish and hardware to suit your needs.
	Countertops Choose from granite, marble, concrete, tile, laminate, and more!
	Sinks & Faucets Choose from a variety of sink and faucet styles, or create your own.
	Appliances Insert refrigerators, ranges, cooktops, built-in ovens, range hoods, dishwashers, microwaves, toasters, and more.
	Flooring Insert or update a floor in your choice of hardwood, laminate, ceramic tiles, marble, slate, and more.
	Lighting Illuminate your kitchen with a variety of light fixtures including pendant, recessed and track lights, ceiling fans, solar tubes and under-cabinet lighting.
	Custom Finishes Use the Materials Paintbrush to apply paint, fabric and finishes to your kitchen elements with a single mouse click. Choose from hundreds of different finishes in the materials library, or import digital photos of materials you’ve seen in stores.
	3D Visualization See what your kitchen will actually look like with the design choices you’ve made. View from different angles, walk around the room, create stunning renderings – even record a virtual tour!

Bathroom Design

Update or Design Any Bathroom with a Few Clicks

Is your bathroom a prime candidate for the Ugliest Bathroom Contest? Want to incorporate the latest trends in bathroom design? Whether you’re gutting the whole thing or doing a quick refresh, Personal Architect makes it easy to create a beautiful and functional bathroom space. Let the Bathroom Builder Wizard lay out something for you instantly, or ‘point and click’ to place vanities, tubs, showers, sinks, toilets, fixtures and accessories in your plan. Switch to 3D instantly to play around with different finishes and watch your dream bathroom become reality.

	Bathroom Builder Wizard Simply click through a few screens and choose the overall style, layout and cabinet finish you want, then ‘click and drag’ to stretch the bathroom layout to the desired size. Voilà! You can then move, add, delete, resize and refinish individual elements for a truly customized look.
	Cabinets Click to insert a variety of bathroom vanities and wall cabinets that automatically snap to walls. Customize a cabinet’s size, style, finish and hardware to suit your needs.
	Countertops Choose from granite, marble, concrete, tile, laminate, and more!
	Tubs & Showers Insert recessed, corner and stand-alone tubs, rectangular and neo-angle showers, and a variety of bath accessories. Create custom platform tubs and walk-in showers for that modern look and feel.
	Sinks & Faucets Choose from a variety of sink and faucet styles, including drop-in and wall-mount sinks.
	Lighting Create the right look with wall lights, sconces, vanity bars, and more.
	Flooring Insert or update a floor in your choice of ceramic tiles, marble, slate, and more.
	Custom Finishes Use the Materials Paintbrush to apply paint and finishes to your bathroom elements with a single mouse click. Choose from hundreds of different finishes in the materials library, or import digital photos of materials you’ve seen in stores.
	3D Visualization See what your bathroom will actually look like with the design choices you’ve made. View from different angles, walk around the room and create stunning renderings!

Interior Design

Design and Decorate Dream Rooms in No Time Flat

Personal Architect’s point-and-click technology makes interior design incredibly quick and easy. Draw auto-connecting walls in seconds and then you’re ready to drop in cabinets, furniture, appliances, electronics, plumbing, lighting, fireplaces, and more. Instantly flip to 3D view to see how the room looks and play around with different design ideas. Not sure which color of granite to use for your countertop? Use the Materials
Paintbrush to apply different finishes to elements with a simple mouse click. The possibilities are endless!

	Cabinets Click to insert wall-mounted and stand-alone cabinets that automatically snap to walls and other cabinets. Customize a cabinet’s size, style, finish and hardware to suit your needs.
	Countertops Choose from granite, marble, concrete, tile, laminate, and more!
	Appliances Insert refrigerators, ranges, cooktops, built-in ovens, range hoods, dishwashers, microwaves, washing machines, and more.
	Furniture, Electronics & Accessories Decorate and accessorize your home or office with hundreds of different objects — the extensive catalog has everything from armchairs and aquariums to wine goblets and window treatments.
	Plumbing Easily drop in toilets, bidets, sinks, tubs, showers and faucets.
	Flooring Choose from a wide variety of flooring including carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, ceramic tiles, slate, and more.
	Lighting Illuminate your space with a variety of light fixtures including pendant, recessed and track lights, chandeliers, wall sconces, lamps, ceiling fans, solar tubes and under-cabinet lighting.
	Custom Finishes Add your own personal flair to your space using paint, fabric and finishes of choice. Choose from hundreds of different finishes in the materials library, or import digital photos of materials you’ve seen at stores.
	3D Visualization See what your space will actually look like with the design choices you’ve made. View from different angles, walk around the room, create stunning renderings – even record a virtual tour!

Deck & Landscape

Create the Outdoor Space You’ve Always Wanted

Personal Architect makes it so easy to add beauty and function to the exterior of your home. Import a photo of your house if you like and just ‘point and click’ to insert decks, patios, pools, hot tubs, gazebos, pathways, lighting, and more. Create garden areas in any size and shape and have fun filling them with a variety of different plants, trees and shrubs. Design in 2D or 3D and easily turn a plain yard into a
personal oasis where you can eat, play and relax!

	Decks & Patios Have the handy Deck Builder Wizard build a deck or patio for you instantly, or ‘point and click’ to create a custom shape and style. Snap on a set of stairs that auto-extend to the terrain or another level — no calculations necessary.
	Fences & Gates Point and click to draw a fence in your choice of wood, stone or concrete. Pop in a matching or complementary gate with a single mouse click.
	Sheds & Gazebos Have the handy Shed Builder Wizard build a complete shed for you instantly, or insert a variety of pre-made sheds, gazebos, screened rooms, and more.
	Pools, Hot Tubs & Play Structures Swim, play and relax in your dream backyard! Just click to insert a pool, hot tub, jungle gym, sandbox, tennis court, and more.
	Furniture & Accessories Add function and comfort to your outdoor space with a variety of chairs, benches, tables, umbrellas, swings, hammocks, BBQs and even earth-friendly wind-turbines. Add your own decorative touches with arbors, trellises, fountains, planters, outdoor fireplaces, and much more.
	Lighting and Irrigation Add lighting to pathways and gardens and insert pop-up sprinklers with a simple mouse click.
	Gardens & Ponds Easily create soil-filled or mulched garden beds and become a virtual gardener as you add trees, shrubs and plants to your plan. Edge around beds or create retaining walls that stabilize and beautify. Add a great water feature by drawing a pond in any shape and size.
	3D Visualization Instantly see what your new exterior looks like in stunning 3D. View from different angles and vantage points, walk around the property, create stunning renderings – even record a virtual tour!

Garden Plans

Become a Virtual Landscaper in Minutes!

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, Personal Architect has all the tools you need to create complete and beautiful landscape plans quickly and easily. Just ‘point and click’ to lay out custom garden beds and fill them with thousands of different trees, shrubs, plants, flowers and groundcovers. Add structures likes fences and decks, and accent your design with outdoor lighting, planters, fountains, and so much more.

Design in 2D or 3D and easily transform your boring or empty yard into a stunning landscape that is bursting with color and life!

	Garden Beds & Ponds Draw garden beds in any size or shape topped with your choice of soil, gravel, bark or sand. Draw custom water-filled ponds with point-and-click simplicity. Edge around any area with PVC, wood, stone, brick or concrete for that professional-looking finish.
	Exterior Structures ‘Point and click’ to add fences, decks, patios, sheds, gazebos, retaining walls, pathways and other building elements to your plan.
	Irrigation Just click to insert pop-up sprinklers and even adjust the spray range to ensure your lawn and plants get the water they need.
	Lighting Illuminate flowerbeds, patios and walkways with beautiful path lights. Create additional lighting with wall lights and light posts.
	3D Visualization Instantly see what your new landscape looks like in stunning 3D. View from different angles and vantage points, walk around the property, create realistic renderings and virtual tours – even import a photo of your actual house!

Remodeling

Do It Yourself Home Improvement Made Easy

Personal Architect helps you tackle any remodeling project with easy-to-use design tools and a vast library of building materials. Simply ‘point and click’ to sketch out walls and insert doors, windows and openings. Lay out cabinets, plumbing and electrical fixtures in seconds and have fun customizing your space with furniture, appliances, lighting, accessories, and more. Unleash your creativity as you apply custom paint, fabric and finishes to elements. Visualize and walk through your new space in brilliant 3D!

	Easy Home Modeling Import an existing floor plan and trace over the walls or use the House Builder Wizard to quickly build a starter shell for you.
	Walls Draw auto-connecting exterior and interior walls in seconds! Dynamic on-screen dimensions show you the length of a wall as you draw it.
	Doors Point and click to insert a wide variety of doors including garage, sliding, bi-fold, and French doors.
	Windows Choose from an extensive selection of windows including casement, sliding, hung, bay, bow, louvered and custom-shaped windows.
	Utilities Show the location of electrical, plumbing and HVAC elements in your design — even create wiring diagrams.
	Custom Interiors Drop in cabinets, furniture, appliances, lighting and other elements to create the perfect space.
	Custom Finishes Infuse your space with your personal style using paint, fabric and finishes of choice. Choose from hundreds of different finishes in the materials library, or import digital photos of materials you’ve seen at stores.
	3D Visualization See what your home or room will actually look like before demolition or construction begins. View from different angles and vantage points, and walk through your 3D model as if you were actually in it.
	Renderings and Animations Add even more fun and realism to your design experience with stunning 3D RealView™ renderings and recordable virtual walkthroughs.

Working Drawings

Available with Personal Architect Professional

Need to produce professional working drawings for permit? Personal Architect Professional delivers high quality production tools necessary to create detailed working drawings fast and easy. Weather you are an Architect, residential designer, remodeler or design builder, you can create professional quality blueprints generated direction from the 3D model. Automatic plans, elevations, sections, and details are automatically generated from the 3D model. Add dimensions, text, leaders and notes and you have a quality set of plans that can be used for building permit in record time.

	Automated View Generation Generated exterior and interior elevations, cross-sections, roof plans, and details directly from your 3D model. Save valuable time by not having to redraw every view of your model.
	Multi-view drawing sheets Personal Architect Professional enables multiple views created at different scales on your drawing sheets. This allows you to have a 1/4" scale floor plan on the same sheet as an 1/8" elevation for example.
	Precision CAD drafting tools Draft with confidence using a robust set of drawing tools such as line, arcs, circles polylines and splines. Visual object snaps are available to ensure pinpoint accuracy when detailing.
	Advanced CAD editing tools Your robust CAD editing tools are available such as offset, array, trim and extend to name a few. Enter exact distances and angles when editing for the precision you need.
	DWG Detail support Personal Architect Professional supports the DWG file format for using existing details of those available from most manufacturers. Details can be edited and resaved as DWG files so you can build your own libraries as well.
	Hatching Both a polygon and a boundary hatch (BHatch) command are available with a wide range of hatch patterns. Also use any existing AutoCAD .PAT libraries for a truly unlimited range of patterns or even create your own from scratch using the handy visual editor.
	Cad blocks and attributes Robust CAD block functionality is available for custom block creation complete with customizable attributes. Create any symbol you wish to reuse for your drawing needs from project to project.
	Title blocks definition editing Edit one of the title blocks that come with the program or create your own from scratch. You can use a title block of any size or shape. Add your own company logo or other information as needed to create a truly personal look and feel to your drawings.