Rating: 
Summary: what a disappointment
Review: After careful consideration of all programs in this price range and of this calliber, I decided to go with this particular one because of some of the features incl Real Model, ultimate Deck, and autoframing. Well, as is generally the case when you think you maybe getting alot for your money, you usually end up finding out they sacrficied in other areas. I used the product for a full intense 2 days and became quickly bored and frustrated with it's limitations and haven't touched it since. Amazing how they can sell us anything based on the pretty pictures used in their ads: a few of my major complaints about it were: the furnishings were so limited and just plain tasteless - looks like cheap pressed fiberboard furniture out of a mobile home. the textues available were just plain cheesy looking and no pizazz at all and also very limited - all of this had to be designed by some group lost in a 60's time warp - the cheesy siding, etc. and what about a tin roof? what I wanted - nothing even close! Most of these programs have an online library of thousands of textures, colors, furniture, etc.. something they left out for such a loaded package. beware of this, can be very frustrating. guess I had my expectations up just a little too high for a little bit more cutting edge look - great for those designing retro modular homes. I plan on returning this thing.
Rating: 
Summary: Frustrated with a happy ending
Review: After spending the last three months designing the remodel of our home using the first (1997) version of Broderbund's 3D Home Architect, I was looking for something more up to date. The Punch software seemed to have everything the latest Broderbund software offered and more. Don't trust the box! 1. Punch does not import anything. 2. Lengthing, shortening or moving a wall is a real test of patience. 3. Getting true and editable dimensions is impossible. 4. And I don't know about you, but trying to resize any type of furniture on X,Y and Z coordinates is beyond my thinking ability when frustrated. All I really wanted was to view my whole two-story design with the right roof pitch and some important furniture for size. Don't buy more program than you really need. The happy ending: After using the program for three days to no avail, I called Punch and left a message. That afternoon I got a call back and was emailed a return authorization. I'm buying Broderbund's 3D Home Architect now.
Rating:
Summary: WASTE OF TIME! PUNCH SHOULD BE ASHAMED
Review: After using this software for 2 nights, I realized that I could get better results using Microsoft paint. Not really, but it is ridiculous that Punch can put out a product that is so limited in features and function. All I wanted to do was put an entry door on a split-level, but you can only put the door on the first or second level, not in-between. I really only bought the product to lay out a deck, but the deck functions are a joke. I used a lot of these entry level design programs and this was one of the worst. Pad and paper are more fun than this program. (I never thought I would say that).
Rating: 
Summary: Punch Super Home Suite 3.0
Review: Although the level is for amateur designers, it is a very good starting point for people interested in building their own home. The FloorPlan Trace feature permits to users to convert a scanning of a floor plan in a traceable template, facilitating the designing tasks. The RealModel feature automatically creates all the components to build a real 3D scale model (using foam paper). The software has also integrated a spreadsheet cost estimator, where you could enter the unit cost of the building components (walls, doors, windows, etc.) to obtain an approximated total cost. Other features are 3D navigation trough the house, 3D landscaping, 3D furniture design to customize your furniture or build new models. The software also has the typical features of other softwares such as a variety of: roofing, doors, windows, stairs, floor, pathways, etc. I'm satisfy with the product and I would recommend it. Drawbacks: It needs to add more designs to doors and windows. It also should have some drawing features needed for design, i.e. drawing reference lines, very useful for walls or objects alignment. These lines would not be part of the design.
Rating: 
Summary: DISAPPOINTING
Review: At first I really liked the program. Some features are good such as the drag and drop windows and doors, textures, colors, etc. But I quickly found limitations. The program won't do dormers, although you can get a free download that draws one puny dormer that comes with only one roof pitch. If you use other than that one pitch, the dormer doesn't line up with the house roof. It won't do crawl spaces, circular stairs, and you can't change the color or texture of cathedral ceilings, which are another story. I got it to draw a gable roof with a cathedral ceiling once but then it stopped working. It will only do hip roofs regularly in cathedral The instructions are terrible, although product support is good. I got email response in a couple of hours. Overall, I was disappointed and returned the program. I am looking for something else.
Rating:
Summary: Too many frustrations!
Review: At first this program seemed like it'd work great, but the further I got into it, the more frustrated I got. Getting the perimeter walls to meet so it wouldn't put "grass" inside my house was a nightmare, and when I finally got that fixed, it wouldn't recognize inside walls from outside (so I had brick walls inside my house)! I'm sure someone more tech-saavy than me could figure it out, but I bought it because it said it was easy and quick to learn - it's not. I am returning mine and getting a simpler program - the extra features this one offers are NOT worth the frustration and hassle of dealing with it!
Rating:
Summary: easy to use, and competent too
Review: First off...this is a design program like Sierra, Floorplan, etc. and works well with the average person who wishes to create an "idealized home design" both inside and out. It is NOT a full CAD program to do every space and angle. None of the under $ programs will produce a "plan" to give to a contractor to take-off and build a home, no matter what they promise. That is left to the $++ professional architectural programs! That said, this is a super "design" program that has a simple, accurate instruction manual, and lots of Web downloadable features like "dormers" and tons of "objects" like dishwashers,chairs,etc etc. The mini-CAD feature called "3Dfurniture workshop" lets you create custom arched walls, tables, rugs all with neat textures.The great feature of this product is the ability to create a "cut out" MODEL of your finished home {to various scales! } that you print and assemble complete with colors and textures(like bricks and slate roofing). All the design programs I have tried{Sierra, Floorplan, Punch) are far from perfect and often require a TRICK to get it to do something that you feel should happen with a single menu icon; but Punch is a little better then the rest with fewer work-arounds than usual. BUT they are still present, and almost all programs have a tough time with todays complex roof and ceiling designs! No "design" program is as simple and complete as the sales hype promises, but the Punch program was the least so far to get me angry.
Rating:
Summary: easy to use, and competent too
Review: First off...this is a design program like Sierra, Floorplan, etc. and works well with the average person who wishes to create an "idealized home design" both inside and out. It is NOT a full CAD program to do every space and angle. None of the under $ programs will produce a "plan" to give to a contractor to take-off and build a home, no matter what they promise. That is left to the $++ professional architectural programs! That said, this is a super "design" program that has a simple, accurate instruction manual, and lots of Web downloadable features like "dormers" and tons of "objects" like dishwashers,chairs,etc etc. The mini-CAD feature called "3Dfurniture workshop" lets you create custom arched walls, tables, rugs all with neat textures.The great feature of this product is the ability to create a "cut out" MODEL of your finished home {to various scales! } that you print and assemble complete with colors and textures(like bricks and slate roofing). All the design programs I have tried{Sierra, Floorplan, Punch) are far from perfect and often require a TRICK to get it to do something that you feel should happen with a single menu icon; but Punch is a little better then the rest with fewer work-arounds than usual. BUT they are still present, and almost all programs have a tough time with todays complex roof and ceiling designs! No "design" program is as simple and complete as the sales hype promises, but the Punch program was the least so far to get me angry.
Rating:
Summary: Okay for the basics, but lots of limitations
Review: Got Super Home Suite version 3.5.2 to replace Broderbund's 3D Home Architect 5.0, about which I cannot say enough bad things (it's wildly unstable and very difficult to use even when it doesn't crash, which it does on a regular basis). SHS is definitely easier to use. For designing basic floor plans, it's very straightforward. Walls and windows are easy to move; roofs are easy to put on. The packaging oversells the 3D viewing capabilities - it's pretty basic. And if there's a way to create elevations of your work, I haven't seen them. The biggest drawback is the limitations in cabinetry, fixtures, furniture and so on. For example, there are no bi-fold doors available in the pallette. There's no way to indicate foundation walls. Broderbund's package had generous 'catalogs' with a wide array of items, identified by list (nice idea if that POS actually worked). In contrast, SHS relies on a graphically narrow palette of icons on the right side of the screen. It's hard to determine exactly what each item is (nor is there any key or mouseover identification). So you've sorta got to guess what each item is. Another problem: roofs are very limited. For example, there's no way to create a saltbox-style roof. I got acceptable results with the app vis-a-vis floor plans, but that's about it. This app could be lots better.
Rating: 
Summary: Punch Super Home Suite 3.0
Review: Having worked with a couple of design programs which work in 2D, I purchased Super Home Suite, hoping it would work essentially the same--only adding 3D capability. I immediately found the software essentially unusable for anyone who cares for precision. It is my opinion that presicion is highly important in building, architecture, and design, yet Super Home Suite's designers didn't seem to care. There is no way on the screen that I can tell exactly where my wall or window or door will be placed. After it is placed, measurements are given only to the center of objects--i.e. from the middle of a wall to the middle of the next wall, or from the middle of a wall to the middle of the window. I have done quite a bit of building, and everyone always works from edge to edge--never centers. This software took and incredible amount of mental work on my part to try to create a simple floorplan (subtracting & adding inches in my head from how I normally work and design). I skipped the interior wall layout, because I was exhausted, and tried to put a roof on. Even following the book and help files, I was unable to get the program to render my roof in a pitch other than 12:12. They say it can be done, but the computer disregarded my commands. Here I ran into another precision issue--I cannot tell exactly how my roof is sitting over my walls. Is the overhang 8" on one side and 12" on the other? I can get close if I squint really hard at the screen. Good thing they give a 90 day money back guarantee.
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