CNET Editors' review
If you've ever dreamed of being an architect or landscape designer, this software may be tailor-made for you. The program offers a suite of extraordinarily intuitive tools to help design a home, bringing a user step by step through the process from foundation to roof. A simple drag-and-drop interface helps finish a project with everything from electrical sockets to trees in the yard, drawing from a huge library of interior and exterior objects. A 3D preview function, complete with variable lighting, allows a would-be designer to see the work as a whole. The trial version of the download does have tight restrictions, disabling many of the tools and objects and making it impossible to save work. However, we recommend the tool strongly to anyone in the process of designing a home or landscaping a yard.Publisher's Description
From Punch Software:
Punch Professional Home Design Suite Platinum is a special two-for-one package loaded with various capabilities. You get all of the features of both industry-acclaimed Punch Master Landscape design software and Punch Professional Home Design Suite in this home and landscape design package.
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All versions:
2.5 starsout of 29 votes
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Current version:
2.5 starsout of 28 votes
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My rating:
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"Great software if you can dedicate 16 hours to learn it"
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 12.0
Pros
The software is so easy once you take the time to learn all their awesome but ******* executed features. Forget every thing else you ever learned about 3D interfaces. I have 15 years of CAD experience and it does not mean any thing when it come to this software. All you have to do is let go and forget every thing you ever learned which sucks. But you get so much in return. Things that would take me months are done with one click if done the way they ask. Like the autoframing. That would take forever. I was also able to get my the files exported to My Ipad and Ipod where I play around with it and show my friends.
Cons
The navigation needs to be completely redone. Who ever designed the navigation needs to be taking out back and shot. Then reanimated and shot again and again. Then hanged to show all other programmers with crappy navigation ideas. Then his or her body burned and sent out to sea viking style. I F'n hate what I had to go through to learn this software. They also need to integrate 3D mouse function by 3dConnexions. This could fix most of the issues people are having and should be a number one priority.
Summary
Although I hate the navigation. I say buy it and go to a library with the best headphones you have and watch all of the video tutorials. Then grab issue of Dwell Magazine and try to copy a simple design. Punch software will do the rest. Also spend time in the cost estimator and find recent prices of the things you would like to put in your home. It will really help you out in the long run. The software is a necessary evil. Its the only complete software that does what it does for the price. Learn it. I'm also using a version I purchased in 2008, I also purchased the garden software. So hopefully some of the features are fixed.
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"Awesome Software!"
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 12.0
Pros
If you have any experience with cad this is an easy to use program that is very versitile. You can edit and create many design objects. The interface is easy to use. The tutorials are helpful if you have issues. I have been using this program for several years and have designed hundreds of homes, cabins, apartment buildings, and mansions. You can easily set your scale, measurments, and preferences.
Cons
There is a learning curve, as with any program. If you do not invest the time to get to know the program and how to use it you will fail.
Summary
I love this program and its versitility. I have recommended it to many people who have loved it just as much as I do!
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"Totally worthless"
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 12.0
Pros
There are not pros for this software. Demand your money back.
Cons
Most times you have a problem (window, door, tub, etc) the only way to fix it is to START OVER!! Most 50% of the features in the book are NOT in the software. Does NOT work.
Summary
I ended up this a house flying in space, 5 foot above the basement. The elevation feature does not let you change elevation once you have started. Start over.
I put a window in, but, oops, want to remove it. NOPE!!, Start Over!!!
Same for a tub.
Same as a door. Make a mistake and START OVER.
The 3D features that are in book are not there. Flying is impossible at best. Horrible
I have no idea how this software got out of the door. The software engineers should be beaten with rubber hoses and order to NEVER program again. It's that bad. -
"Hard stuff easy- easy stuff hard"
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 12.0
Pros
3d rendering nice
Cons
Doing the simplest thing- moving a room or making rooms SQUARE with custom dimensions is a total pain. Online support site is horrible.
Summary
I wish I hadn't bought it.
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"The Sims is way better than this"
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 12.0
Pros
The package looks good and looks inviting then u learn u been cheated.
Cons
Garbage beginning to end. Endless freezes and if you add to much detail it won't ever open the saved design. No on-line support. Tried to make it work on 3 different new computer and each ones had dozens of issues and all had great video cards.
Summary
Pure junk don't ever buy nothing from them they dress the box up to get your money with pretty pictures and want u to upgrade. Why upgrade when their product was totally useless?
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"Very difficult to work with and too restrictive"
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 12.0
Pros
None that I found
Cons
Too many to list
Summary
Do not buy.
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"Can't unistall it!"
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 12.0
Pros
It seems to work fine, but I found Ashampoo was better (and free!)
Cons
It may work fine, but when I tried to uninstalll it it told me that it couldn't find the INSTALL.LOG file. It took me ages to figure out how to get rid of it, and it did wierd things to my computer that I haven't fixed yet.
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"Easy to work with and manny you can do on homedesign"
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 12.0
Pros
It is easy to understand, and the layout of the complete programe is perfect ,it has all the needs you want to make a good design, on homes, gardens and out door
Cons
At moment i need more time to find things what i dont like, I am happy with the product
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"Bad software"
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 12.0
Pros
I can not think about anything good about the software.
Cons
very primitive. I can not get what I want. It was a waste of money to buy it and time to use it.
Summary
I bought the software three months ago. It is really bad. It wastes my money and time. I ended up with using the powerpoint for my designs.
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"Good "rough-in" Software"
Version: Punch Professional Home Design Platinum Suite 12.0
Pros
the software really isn't all that difficult to use and the video tut's ARE helpful, you just have to take the time to learn your way around - just like any other software out there. the rendering and walkthrough modes are far better/easier to work with then alot of pro CAD softwares. the library is fairly extensive and the object editor isn't too difficult to use (especially for changing materials)
Cons
these are more requests for items to be fixed or improved, but... light colors tend to come in more greyish and often two items next to each other with the same material will look completely different - no matter the lighting (i.e. the drive way and sidewalk - both paths with the same material applied, one looks medium dark grey the other very light grey. wall openings have a wood pattern/color inside of the wall that cannot be changed. cant rotate floor/wall tile patterns. when laying out exterior walls, stopping to fix a mistake will cuase to floor outline to irreversibly close - often into something twisted and unworkable - hence you must start from scratch or finish off the walls and fix the mistake later. the roof (as expected) can be *very* difficult to layout accurately if is anything more than simple. needs better plant manipulation tools; to be able to control the trim and shape of tree's and hedges. working elevation reverts back to 0" very often - painful if your home is on a hill. "float above topography" materials dont work well with shapely terrian - tends to dive above and below the green. very difficult to make things like coffered or tray ceilings (no standard features for this at least) too little varity for things like sinks and tubes while having too much for things like towel bars and racks. cabinet wizard lacks sinks and has only one style of island. many items, like ground fill regions, lack the ability to smoothly control the locations of points - rather its tries to force them into certain locations.
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