Based on feedback from construction pros like you, we’re continually working to make Houzz Pro all-in-one software even better, with more features that can save you time and make admin and design tasks easier. We’ll be sharing these updates quarterly via videos with folks from the Houzz Pro product marketing team as well as articles like this one. Here’s what’s new in the second quarter of 2024.
3D Floor Plan Updates
You already know how 3D floor plans can help your client better envision your design. Our updates to the feature let you create and share plans that are truer to life than ever.
Photorealistic 3D Floor Plans
With the addition of photorealistic renderings, not only can you walk customers through a multidimensional rendering of how the space will look in real time, but you can turn your 3D floor plans into true-to-life representations.
You can create photorealistic renderings in Dollhouse and Walkthrough mode. First, adjust your camera settings to the view you want. In either mode, you can change the camera height and field of view (zooming out or in). In Walkthrough mode only, you also can change the camera tilt with the toggle bar. In Dollhouse mode, you can adjust the angle by left-clicking your 3D plan and dragging your mouse. Either way, you can change the angle of view as if you had a real camera focused on the space.
Next, click Generate Photorealistic Image. Then verify the image in the preview and click Generate. Once it’s ready, the image will be saved automatically to your project Files & Photos section; you also will get a link to the image, or you can click the notification in your floor plan to access the image. You can comment and share the image too.
See a step-by-step guide to creating photorealistic renderings
New to the Floor Plans feature? Watch these product training videos on creating 2D and 3D floor plans.
You can add up to six floors to your new or existing 3D floor plans, such as a second story, a basement or an attic. You also can use this feature to create different designs for the same floor and then show them to the client in one shared file.
At the top left of the menu bar, click the ground floor pulldown menu and then select the + Add Floor option. You can copy the existing floor plan exactly or select certain features, such as walls, windows and doors, to carry over.
Tip: You can rearrange the floors shown in your pulldown menu by clicking and dragging.
Payments
Instant Payouts
There are a few ways clients can pay you through Houzz Pro, and taking payments online has benefits. One is convenience for your clients; another is boosted security for funds. Bank transfers (aka ACH transfers) take one to two days to go through, and there’s a 1% fee. Credit card payments take about three days to hit your bank account, and there’s a 3.5% fee. We recently launched instant payouts in Houzz Pro, which get funds to you in just minutes for an additional 1% fee. It’s easy to set up, and you can choose how much of the amount to transfer instantly. It’s a great way to get your money faster and make sure your project stays on track.
When a client has sent you money, you’ll get a notification in your notifications section and via email, and from there you can choose to receive an instant payout. Or you can check a box in that same section to make instant payments the default method.
Learn more about the benefits of taking payments online here.
Default Payment Schedule
If your payment structure is the same for all projects — for instance, deposit, midway payment and payment upon completion, you can set a default payment schedule. Simply set up a payment schedule on an invoice and check the box marked Save as Default. Then it will be easy for you to access when you’re creating future documents.
Learn more about setting up online payments, creating invoices and handling other financial tasks here.
Project Management: Selections Tracker
The Selections Tracker is a central place where you can find all financial and procurement information, as well as see the status for all products and services in your project, including which documents they’re connected to, such as invoices or purchase orders. Having all of this info in one place helps you stay organized.
Selections Tracker Has More Fields
We’ve added two columns with five fields to the Order Tracking section of the Selections Tracker tool: Order Number, Tracking Number, Carrier, Lead Time and Ordered By. All of these new fields can be used to filter, helping you determine the state of procurement for your project even more easily.
Stacked or Flat View — Your Choice
You can customize the view for all your procurement info in the Selections Tracker by clicking the button with an arrow and three lines at the top right of your screen. A stacked view presents fields in vertical groups. A flat view presents the information horizontally in rows (similarly to a spreadsheet), with more scrolling to the right.
Convert Draft Items to Documents
If an item isn’t associated with any estimates or invoices, you can still convert it in its draft form to a document. Just click the item, and under Convert Items you can choose to convert it to either an estimate or an invoice.
Learn more about how to use the Selections Tracker here.
Project Management: Scheduling
The scheduling feature is a great way to organize your process. Previously, if you moved the project start date by sliding the kickoff meeting to the right, meaning farther into the future, only that kickoff meeting would move. Now you can change the start date for the entire project in a way that automatically shifts all elements of the schedule into the future while keeping their structure the same. Simply go to the Actions drop-down menu at the top-right of your screen and select Move Project Start Date.
Learn more about creating a project schedule in Houzz Pro here.
Takeoffs: Hide and Show Layers
The Takeoffs tool lets you easily measure floor plans and material quantities and then convert all the info to an estimate in a few clicks. We’ve added the ability to hide and show layers, to create a cleaner workspace and allow you to easily calculate deductions. Want to see just the tile in a bathroom, for instance? Click the eye icon for each of the other materials and fixtures to hide those and see only the tile.
You also can click the eye icon for all measurements to see just your basic floor plan. The new ability to hide and show layers lets you choose what you want to see and when you want to see it on a macro or micro level.
This new iteration of the software also fixed issues with deductions.
For more on the Takeoffs tool, see our Help Center.
Watch the full “What’s New” webinar
Keep an eye out for more updates to Houzz Pro every quarter based on your feedback. And always feel free to reach out to us with your suggestions for how we can update the software to serve you better.
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