Rating: 
Summary: Dissappointed Broderbund can't do any better than that.
Review: I wanted to upgrade to 5.0, I find no upgrade and now I read these reviews.I want to thank those who took the time to fill out the reviews, I had this program in the shopping cart. I will empty my shopping cart and head for home. Will not buy the 5.0, I will stick with my 3.0 and load it on my new computer. Many many Thanks to all.
Rating:
Summary: Bugs Galore
Review: I brought this product hoping this will be better than the IMSI I downloaded and what a disapointment it turned out to be. I was never able to work coninously for 1/2 hr with out crashing the program.. Even simple options like reversing the swing of the doors would crash the program.. Never buy this program at all
Rating:
Summary: This is not an upgrade. Downgrade is more like it.
Review: I have been using 3D Home Architect 3.0 and the 3D Home Design Suite Deluxe SE 3.5 for over a year now. I bought (and returned) 3D Home Architect 5.0 thinking it was an upgrade. It is a totally new program with only the slightest similarity in layout. You cannot even open or import a home plan designed in a previous version. You cannot lay out a room with even diminsions. I tried to space walls 8', 12' and 20' apart to no avail. The closest I could ever come to an exact foot was (x) feet and 11 7/64". The default walls all have brick on one side which makes one annoying interior. You can switch to having an interior wall with moulding on either the left or right side of the wall but not both sides. You can no longer select a room, so you cannot decorate it and name it. Forget about incorporating a pool into your design. There is no pool in the entire program. I searched the useless manual and help section. There is no pool. There is a fire hydrant. One of the greatest things about 3D Home Architect was the great 3D shots. They should call this program 2D Home Architect 5.0 because the 3D views were too complicated to control that it was useless. If you hate pop-ups, don't try to use the 3D views. Everytime I tried to change a view angle another window opened. I really cannot find one thing worth buying this.
Rating:
Summary: 3d Home Architect 5.0 nightmare software
Review: Having used 3D Home Architect 4.0 I assumed 5.0 was an enhancement of the same product. WRONG WRONG WRONG. Apparently Broderbund broke its alliance with the makers of version 4.0 and decided to do it alone . WHAT A MISTAKE. This software is way to hard to use, Full of BUGS and constantly crashed my computer. DO NOT BUY IT. Use 4.0 if you can find it. To bad Chief Architect do not have a cheap upgrade to 4.0.
Rating:
Summary: BEWARE HP OWNERS!!
Review: I purchaced 3D Home Architect De"junx" with visions of designing, remodeling, and adding on to my home and office. After a smooth installation (and lots of advertising) I decided to get aquainted with my new software. Since this was my first, and last, version of the software, I was not as dissapointed as those who had the previous versions. The real kicker was when I tried to view the 3D images, my computer would crash. My computer is an HP 523n with Windows XP and more than enough system requirements to meet the software specs. After many attempts to use the Broderbund support site, I decided to call Broderbund to fix my problem. Three uninstalls, a lengthy download of a Windows Update, two hours of searching for drivers, and a phone bill I could have bought a good program with later, the support advisor assured me that I should call HP support to resolve the issue. After being on hold long enough to build a deck for the home I can't design, The HP tech informed me that this software is not compatible with my machine and that I should inform the software company of this. FORGET IT! I am finished with Broderbund.
Rating:
Summary: Useless software
Review: I've used Home Architect 3/4 for years, and upgraded to 5.0 to be compatible with my Windows 2000. What a shocker. Not only has the interface totally changed, it is TOTALLY COUNTER INTUITIVE. To add insult to injury, the user documentation is useless - some of the worst I have ever seen, and speaking as a professional tech writer, I've seen a lot! Unless you actually developed this product and *know* how it works, or are married to one of their tech support folks, don't waste your money on this product. Get one of the earlier Home Architect versions - they are great. Or check out the Chief Architect home version (referred to in an earlier review).
Rating:
Summary: Not an Upgrade
Review: My wife has been a user of 3D Home Architect since version 2 and has developed numerous house plans for clients and contractors. She knows how it works and has found technics for the software that allow for savings in time and provide clients with realistic and valuable drawings. VERSION 5 IS NOT AN UPGRADE OF THE OLD PROGRAM!!! IT IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT. A major change or new supplier was licensed to provide this NEW version and it is totally incompatible with the old and worthless to anyone who has experience with the old program. If you are like us and want to keep up with the latest editions and maintain old designs DO NOT BUY THIS PROGRAM.
Rating:
Summary: A bug filled nightmare
Review: This product is not ready for prime time: Though it has functionality added that earlier versions did not have, it has been poorly executed. 1. Bug Bug Bugs! Didn't any of the developers try building house over 3 stories? If they did, they would have discovered a flaw that causes the file to become corrupt. Suddenly, you can't install doors in the top most floor. After a while, wall installed on the top floor start showing up on all the lower floors! (Yes, I am using the program correctly) 2. There appears to be no easy way to add hatch patterns to walls. This is VERY important when trying to hilight special walls (i.e. bearing, wet wall, etc). 3. Tutorials are very skimpy. A novice user would never figure out how to build something over one story with the tutorials provided. 4. Buggy 3-D rendering and interface. The program seems to assume that the distance between the ceiling on floor 1 and the floor on floor 2 is 0 feet! Trying to get it to understand that there are joists in between is a pain. Rendering the house in 3-D makes it look like each story is floating above the one below unattached. I tried contact technical support. I offered to provide full reports of the bugs in hope that fixes would be in order. I couldn't get them to even acknowlege the program had problems. Bottom line.. save your money... buy something else.
Rating:
Summary: garbage
Review: I have to echo the reviewer who said his 10-year old version is superior. I upgraded from 3d home architect circa 1995 and have found this new version to be a step backwards. The help section and tutorial are so incomplete it makes learning the non-intuitive controls a real chore.
Rating:
Summary: Version 3.0 is much easier to use.
Review: Dimply put, Not worth a penny, not backward compatible, not user friendly, the object catalogs are to small, and if you want to better it, you have to pay more..............
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