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YOUR AGE DETERMINES THE USEFUL SHELF LIFE OF YOUR FIRM / PRACTICEĭepending on your age bracket and expected practice life the above factors change accordingly. Will all the above occur within your selected time frame?
#CHIEF ARCHITECT SOFTWARE BOISE SOFTWARE#
Is it likely or possible your chosen software will allow the integration with the available and evolving environmental software apps.? Will the software you choose be able to exchange data and takeĪdvantage of this rapidly emerging environment? Now consider the rapid changes that are now evolving in software and its applications to the CLOUD useĪnd to BIM (Built Information Modelling). If you are a younger user of Chief Architect you may not. They may avoid the impact of the exponential change in 3D CAD software. Let's be generous and say they may be in practice for at least the next 5 - 10 years.
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Those active ChiefTalk participants currently using Chief Architect are I guess Now in reading the comments from current Chief Architect users remember to Beware! What will be the documentation requirements of these bodies?Ĭonsider your practice/firm phases in the next 5, 10, 15, etc years of your anticipated practice. LOCAL GOVERNMENT, STATE, OR FEDERAL project types Residential one off "unique design" (sloping walls etc)ĬONSULTANTS USED - exchange of informationįor your likely building types, what degree of exchange of documentation do youĪnticipate with your consultants? (Structural, Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing etc) That should be considered by the potential user.ī. In the comparison of 3D CAD software, there are several core questions And although a lot of guys use multiple software platforms, I think Chief really can do just about all of it.
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Chief is a good program though and I personally think its probably the best software out there for average to mid range higher end residential. I think this is slowly dying though and unless you're already heavily invested in it or working for a company that requires it, I see no reason to start down that road.Ī lot of us use one or more of the above in addition to Chief to either supplement capabilities or for different projects. Kinda spendy for what you get but it still seems to be the standard for a lot of drafting shops. Also slower IMO when comparing completed 3D models and 2D output apples to apples.ĪutoCAD.Really a 2D CAD app even though there's a 3D version. Sketchup.cheaper, maybe slightly easier to use for some things, but requires a crapload of plugins and add-ons to do what Chief can do OOB. More powerful though if you are doing a lot of commercial or complex/highly "modern"/free form residential.
#CHIEF ARCHITECT SOFTWARE BOISE FULL#
Revit.more expensive for full version, way overkill and much slower for average residential projects. Been discussed ad nauseam but in a very small nutshell.
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