Featured Chief Architect Customers
Meet Scott! He won our Design Contest – Remodel/Addition Design in September. SMT Residential Design http://smt-design.com/Elizabeth City, NC. 27909(559)920-5790 I started designing and drafting 15 years ago in a small design build company while taking night classes in Architectural. SMT Residential Design, LLC. was formed over 12 years ago and our creativity and uncompromising standards have made this firm one of the most respected design firms in the industry. We are located in North Carolina and offer services to clients nationwide. I have been using Chief Architect for over 15 years starting with version 10 and have upgraded ever since. I chose Chief Architect over other programs because it seemed very user friendly and that I could accomplish everything I needed within one program (construction drawings, renderings, material list, and so much more). If it wasn’t for bringing Chief Architect into my design and drafting practices I could not have been able to design homes across the USA and parts of the globe and offer the service that I do today. See more here: http://bit.ly/2dDdKx2...
Meet Valerie! She won our Design Contest – Custom Ceiling Design in August. Here are a few more of her designs. Keep reading to learn more about Valerie! I am originally from Eastern PA. (I was born in Quakertown, in the same hospital room as my mom was born in) I was raised in Reading and Hamburg. I went to a boarding High School near Ashville N.C. I have lived in 8 states. I started designing when I was 9 years old and I’ve always noticed details of the places I’ve been even before I was 2 years old. I remember the details/layout of the house where my great grandmother’s viewing was when I was about 3 months short of 2. (I described it to my mom when I was much older) I love Architectural Drafting and Interior Design. In 2002 I went back to school and took a drafting course, part hand drafting combined with AutoCAD 2000. I have not had the privilege and joy of working with a real architect, but I hope to someday. I enjoyed the AutoCAD class immensely, but I like Chief Architect software much better. It is less complicated and much faster to accomplish your work, which saves time and money for the customer. (Not that I have ever had any!... yet!). I was using CA Home Designer so...
Meet Jose! He won our Design Contest – Vintage Industrial Design in July. Here are a few more of his designs. Keep reading to learn more about Jose! K.R.E. Group LLC http://www.kregroupllc.com/ San Antonio, TX 78209Houzz: http://www.houzz.com/pro/kregroupllc/kre-group-llc I’m Jose Luis Vieyra, of KRE Group LLC. (Formally known as the Sellmark Group). As their civil engineer, supervisor and project manager for over 2 years. I was born and raised in Matamoros, Tamps. Mexico. I studied and received my Civil Engineer Bachelor’s Degree at the Matamoros Institute of Technology in 2001, located in Matamoros, Tamaulipas Mexico. As a civil engineer, there are so many possibilities that I believe I completely took advantage of! I started with small companies that build and remodel houses to companies which build complete subdivisions, land surveying, to complete a home for a grateful family! Before I teamed up with KRE Group LLC, I was the general assistant in the Cost & Proposal department at a large company which offers engineering services, manufacturing and assembly of industrial building structures for commercial centers, multi – level buildings & storage warehouses in Mex...
Meet Michael! He won our Design Contest – Outdoor Living Spaces in June. MTLdesigns, LLC http://www.mtldesigns.net/ Republic, MO 65738 (417) 719-5195 Houzz: http://www.houzz.com/pro/mtldesigns/mtldesigns I’m Michael Leach, of MTLdesigns, LLC. I started my company “officially” the winter of 2015. I have designed a few houses in the past, using AutoCAD, but I had a full time “day” job, family to raise, etc. and I just never got going with this passion. I have always loved architecture; all my vacations for the last 25 plus years have always included checking out the local buildings and houses. My career path kept me in the design world, but not designing houses. I got into 3D modeling on pharmaceutical and chemical plants, which then led me into a lead designer position for the new class of aircraft carriers. The CVN78 and 79 in Newport News VA, all using BIM software (Catia). I moved to Missouri in 2013, and last year an acquaintance asked me if I would design his “downsized” ranch, and being a 3D BIM guy, I researched software which led me to Chief. I like Revit, but am not designing skyscrapers, so I really didn’t need to pay such a crazy high price to design houses. I chose C...
Timothy is 14 years old and won our Design Contest - Aging in Place/Accessibility Design. He is a full-time home-schooled student studying drafting and design using Chief Architect for about three years, along with AutoCad and Sketchup. He started with the X1 version his older brother learned on and we were able to switch to X7 with the help of our local school district’s sponsorship of our academic license. While the other packages seem to have their strengths, Timothy continues to emphasize working with Chief, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to use it for his studies at a reasonable cost. He has become quite proficient with the program, mostly thanks to your excellent training resources which allow him to self-pace and self-teach, and he is now able to do relatively complex designs in a wide array of scenarios, including both residential and commercial. We have been able to provide several real-world challenges that give him direction and goals and he has been a critical help for our family in evaluating various spaces we occupy, like the visualizations for the recent home we considered buying or the layouts of the old school building we currently live in and need to put ...
Congratulations to Marie-Ève Raymond of Designer d'intérieur Marie-Eve Raymond for winning the Kitchen Design Contest! http://www.designerinterieur.com/ https://www.facebook.com/designer.interieur.montreal/ Originally from Quebec City, I moved to Montreal, a city full of culture and trends,where I studied dance, fine arts and interior design. After my studies, I worked for different companies gaining experience to finally create my own design company in 2002 called Marie-Ève Raymond designer d'intérieur. My company mainly focuses on residential interior design, house renovations and some new builds and is specialized in kitchen and bath overalls. We take an old house and redesign it in part or in whole for the customer. It has been already 5 years I am using the Chief Architect software. Actually, the reason why I chose this software was the flexibility, easy-to-learn advanced functions and the support. Chief Architect allows the customer to fully experience the design project before it evens starts through the realistic visual renderings.I really like the fact it is possible to draw technical drawing with the 3D with the same software. A must have software for interior design...
Dan Forsythe Forsythe Technical Design & Consulting Houzz: http://bit.ly/1OdCxr3 http://www.ftdc.ca/ Brandon, Manitoba, Canada Forsythe Technical Design & Consulting is a computer aided drafting/design company that has been in business since 2007. We create very specific and detail oriented construction drawings for homes, cottages, and light commercial buildings. We specialize in custom design tailored to the clients wants and needs in the structure. I have been using Chief Architect since I stumbled onto information regarding version X1 on an internet search. I was looking for software that allowed me to design structures and visualizations for my clients in 3D views. This 3D capability allows me to differentiate myself from my competition and sell my services because I can offer prospective clients a view into what their new home, cottage or renovation will look like before it is constructed. The real time capability of making design changes in front of clients in a consultative meeting allows the process to be quick and streamlined with Chief Architect. There is other 3D software on the market but I have found Chief Architect the most user friendly and the easie...
Meet Rene, Lead Design/Production Manager of Daoust Design and Construction. He won our Design Contest – Remodel/Addition in October and has been using Chief Architect since version X4! Keep reading to learn more about Rene and Daoust Design and Construction! Rene Rabbitt - Lead Design/Production Manager Daoust Design and Construction http://www.daoustdc.com/ Oakland, CA 510.384.2052 Houzz: http://bit.ly/1PPFoG8 Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1NaUpAF Daoust is a design/build contractor with accredited experience in sustainable construction. We offer a full design suite and services including consulting, color design, drafting and structural engineering. Experienced in managing small (1M+) multifaceted projects. Our target market is commercial and residential remodels, additions, and new construction. We are based out of the San Francisco Bay Area in California. I have been using chief for about 6 years now, I believe I started in x4. Chief was the clear choice for architectural design and plan sets, with its import and export into other CAD and BIM based products, its extensive catalogs, its massive collection of support articles, bustling internet forums and decent rendering ...
Charlie and Cathy Little Fairhaven Homes www.4fairhaven.com Houzz: http://bit.ly/1xeqLnT Hamilton, VA 540-751-9305 Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1CxvMcn Fairhaven Homes has been using Chief Architect for almost ten years. The decision to purchase was easy after using the free trial. With the help of Chief, we produce concise plans and renderings for custom homes. Chief Architect is a fantastic way for our company to compete in a market without building model homes. When our competitors use a 2D program for custom design they just can’t compete with us. Not only does Chief give the client a better understanding, it helps us to sell them homes with greater finishing details that blow away the competition. When a client is spending a million dollars on their home they appreciate a clear picture of what they’re getting and Chief is the only answer we’ve found. See more here: http://on.fb.me/16OfMpB
Stephen Gross - Building Information Modeling Specialist Valley Home Improvement Inc http://valleyhomeimprovement.com/ Houzz: http://bit.ly/1wBSAV9 Northampton, MA (413) 584-7522 Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1sQUID2 Google +: http://bit.ly/1t27pkc I was first introduced to Chief Architect in high school during an Engineering and Architecture class. (Chief Architect 9.0-10.5) After that class, I was very set on my carrier path. I graduated from Vermont Technical College with a B.S. in Architectural Engineering and spending 4 years learning the Auto-desk software. Unfortunately, the job market for young grads in the north-east was weak as far as building industry. I began working for a small firm in Vermont illustrating technical manuals for military aircraft and other vehicles, mastering other software like Solid works, Isodraw, and Microstation to name a few. After my wife was accepted to grad school here in Mass, I read about an opening for an Architectural Designer at Valley Home Improvement. Learning that the design/build firm used the Chief Architect Software, I refreshed my Chief skills with the 30 day free trial and applied to the position. Since then, I am happy to say th...
Margaret Schumacher - Owner Oak View Designs www.oakviewdesigns.com Houzz: http://bit.ly/1wuMvKd San Carlos, Ca 94070 415-310-0266 FB: http://on.fb.me/1ABGEC5 I am the owner of Oak View Designs LLC and create custom residential home architecture and interior designs. I first saw Chief Architect at IBS in Las Vegas and have used this software since 2007. Clients have a hard time visualizing, so this product is my selling tool every time I get a new client, and during the process of construction. I have learned just how powerful of a visualizing tool this is. There was only one time where I didn't present a 3D drawing to a client this whole year and I didn't get the job. Now, I never go to a meeting without my laptop and Chief Architect. I have designed 5 houses this year and they are all being built now. This is a new house that is being built in San Carlos, Ca. I designed it at the beginning of the year, and we just got the roof on. See more here: http://on.fb.me/1xwcPFj
Engr. Rodante Habacon Bernabe R. H. Bernabe Enterprises Calamba City, Laguna, Philippines I'm managing our small construction supply business here in the Philippines and sometimes a part time house contractor. I have been using Home Designer Pro software for more than 7 years now. I started using HD Pro 7, 8, and now HD Pro 2015. Home Designer Pro software helps me a lot in representing my construction project proposal to my clients. See more here: http://on.fb.me/1v4jdxm
Jeff Dillon – Owner/Designer Designer’s Ink Graphic and Building Designs, LLC Houzz: http://bit.ly/1vThGtk Stillwater, OK 74074 http://www.designersink.us 405-338-8491 Facebook: http://on.fb.me/16oO1n8 I designed my first house at age 16 using a drafting table and a pencil 24 years ago. I was able to use the $1,500 I made on that project for a down payment on my first vehicle. In high school, I started using AutoCAD 8 and used AutoCAD for my home designs for many years until downloading a trial version of Chief Architect X1 several years ago. Unable to afford the full version, I purchased Home Designer Pro to start learning the software. I read the forums daily and taught myself to use the program. I was hooked on the results and after a year or so I upgraded to Chief Architect. Since that time, I went from doing a couple of houses a year part-time in my hometown to today having a 2 to 3 month waiting list of clients from all over the United States. I have worked on projects in 9 different states and the Bahamas in the past two years. I would have never been this successful without Chief Architect, and the community of users who offer wonderful advice. And with each...
Terry Munson Munson Drafting Service Kent, WA 98032 253-414-3101 http://www.chiefapprentice.com Author of the Step By Step Learning Books for Chief Architect I have been using Chief Architect since Chief Architect 10. At that time I had developed a small part time drafting business creating plans for home additions. My full time job was in law enforcement. I retired about a year and half ago from the Tacoma, WA police department after 30 years of service. I still have my drafting business. That and writing books for Chief Architect is keeping me fairly busy. My first book for Chief Architect was named Learning Chief Architect Step By Step and was written for CA X3. The book was published and sold well. I made a small profit. Since then I have written the following books: Learning Chief Architect X4 Step By Step, Residential Design Using Chief Architect X5, Residential Design Using Chief Architect X6 with a companion Workbook, Become a Chief Architect X4 Expert, Become a Chief Architect X5 Expert, Become a Chief Architect X6 Expert, Automatic and Manual Creation of Roofs Using Chief Architect. All of these books have sold well and can be purchased at http://www.chiefapprentice....
Jason Parsons, CKBR Design Build Pros Houzz: http://bit.ly/1w9T18x Red Bank, NJ 732-703-6336 info@designbuildpros.com http://www.designbuildpros.com Facebook: http://on.fb.me/12nS4ha Google+: http://bit.ly/1zKnGbO My name is Jason Parsons and I am the lead designer and a partner for Design Build Pros, a project development company based out of New Jersey. www.designbuildpros.com I started using Chief Architect Version 9.5 as a sales aid while working as a design consultant for a remodeling company. I had previous training in 20/20, but I wanted something that expanded beyond kitchens and baths. As I became a better user in the program, the sales aid became a driving force in my presentation one of the main factors homeowners chose me for their projects. In 2009, my brother and I formed this business, in which we help homeowners determine the best project, budget, and means to complete their remodeling projects. We start with design options, and then create accurate work scopes and budgets for thee clients. We then help them determine how to have it built (by themselves or through a remodeler). Last winter, we received a frantic call from a client in Long Island, NY. ...
Chris Allen - Architect *some assembly required Houzz: http://bit.ly/1vo7atZ Austin, TX (512) 467-2888 chris@somearchitect.com http://www.somearchitect.com Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1AwOrBi I've been a Chief Architect user since the first version, and it's been the backbone of my practice for many years. I was able to be waaaaay ahead of the digital curve among Austin architects, giving my clients a full 3d visualization long before most of my colleagues. Chief Architect helped to set my practice apart from the competition in a big way. See more here: http://on.fb.me/1FURZOS
Debra Taylor Purvis DesignHouse Inc. http://www.design-house.com/ Houzz: http://bit.ly/1rY9BDp 234 Magnolia Drive North Wiggins, MS 39577 601-928-3234 Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1CGeBqf Google+: http://bit.ly/1tNYSuK I have been using Chief Architect since 2003 and the software gets better with each and every release. I am a Certified Professional Building Designer with the AIBD - American Institute of Building Design, and have been designing plans for clients and our house plan publishers for over 25 years. We sell our stock and custom house plans all around the world. I use Chief Architect from floor art/renderings to our working drawings. Our clients love it because they can "see" what their new home will look like, before the first hammer is used! See more here: http://on.fb.me/1ymkN2u
Nathan Johnson - Lead Designer Nic Zawarski & Sons http://www.niczhomes.com 1441 Linden St. Bethlehem, PA 18018 (610) 865-1441 I have been using Chief Architect for about 5 years now to produce renderings for sales/marketing brochures. Chief Architect is FAR more superior than any other software. It has not only allowed me to help “WOW” our clients with both exterior and interior renderings, but has also allowed me to help secure contracts for custom homes that no other builder in our area can provide. Our company has been using Chief Architect for over 8 years and it has taken us into a new category with the professionalism of our designs. See more here: http://on.fb.me/1rOKfgN
Joey R. Martin - President Martin Design & Planning Houzz: http://bit.ly/12k6Y7W 601 N 14th St Elwood, IN 46036 (765) 860-3567 This project was completed in Chief Architect and was featured in a couple different areas for the AIBD as well as used in a college textbook. Textbook: http://amzn.to/10B8nGx The renderings were used as well as the construction documents for drafting technique. Chief Architect has posted my AIBD award winning construction documents on their Samples Gallery. http://bit.ly/1L1R9qx See more here: http://on.fb.me/1zJmKEw
Meet Jenna! She won our Design Contest – Kitchen Design in October. Dream House by Dream Kitchens http://dream-kitchens.com/ 608-344-1916 http://www.houzz.com/pro/dream-kitchens/dream-house-dream-kitchens I am a Senior Designer at Dream House Dream Kitchens in Madison, WI. I am originally from a smaller town a couple hours north and have been interested in design since high school. I was hired at Dream House right after college at UW-Madison (Go Badgers!) and have been working here ever since. I love being able to work closely with each individual client on their personal space. They are all working on such cool projects. Chief Architect has been a big part of our success at Dream House. It is a great tool for clients to be able to visualize their space before their project starts. See more here: http://bit.ly/2fmYkOP
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