What Is Home Designer Software and Who Is It For?

Updated

Home Designer is DIY home design software from Chief Architect, the company behind professional architectural software. It lets homeowners plan floor plans, remodeling projects, interior layouts, kitchens, baths, decks, and landscaping, then view the results in 3D. It runs on Mac or PC and is aimed at people designing their own projects rather than professional architects.

What the software does

The core workflow is draw-and-see: as you draw walls, the program builds a 3D model. Doors and windows are inserted into walls, and framing updates automatically. Moving a wall also updates the roof and foundation. Every item you add is tracked in a materials list, which supports cost estimating and budgeting.

For interior projects, cabinets behave as smart objects that snap to and form along walls, with a large selection of cabinet types. The Material Painter lets you change colors and styles quickly to compare design options.

Who it is for

  • DIY homeowners planning a remodel, addition, kitchen, bath, deck, or landscape.
  • People who want 3D visualization before committing to a project.
  • Users who need to share designs — the software is compatible with Chief Architect's professional product, so files can be passed to a professional designer.

It is not positioned as a professional architecture tool; that role belongs to Chief Architect itself. Home Designer is the simplified, DIY-oriented edition built on the same technology.

Platforms and practical details

Item Detail
Operating systems Mac or PC
Licensing Can be deactivated, making it easy to switch between multiple computers
Support Live customer support in the US at no charge, per the site
Learning resources Knowledge base, training videos, webinars, sample plans, user forum
Trial A trial version is available for download

Pricing

The site lists two billing options: $495/year billed annually ($41.25/month, described as saving 48%) or $79/month billed monthly. Upgrades and discounts are listed as a separate category, and purchases go through the Chief Architect shopping cart.

How to decide

Choose Home Designer if you are a homeowner who wants to design and visualize your own project in 3D and may hand the design to a professional later. Look at Chief Architect's professional product instead if you need professional architectural tooling. Before buying, download the trial version and check the system requirements page to confirm your computer is supported.