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Building a Home

Simple website or app for drawing floorplans?

6 years ago

I think it would be helpful in communicating with my architect if I could draw up some floorplan ideas myself, to help figure out what feels right. I'm not good at making decisions in the moment, and need to really mull things over and play with ideas.

I'm horrible at drawing and am hoping to find a really simple website or app that would allow me to draw a basic floorplan.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Featured Answer

Lindsy

6 years ago

For some reason many of the "seasoned" people here have a hard time answering a direct question if they think they have a better solution. And the whole argument of if you've hired an architect, you don't need a program to draw... Although my architect seemed to appreciate my drawings because I was having a hard time trying to tell him what I didn't like and why, etc. And sure, graph paper, tracing paper works, but if you are even a tiny OCD, you spend way more time erasing than actual drawing.

However, the easiest App that I've found is called Floor Plan Creator. I use it from my Android tablet.

Auto Desk Homestyler is an internet based that I do like, except it has major flaws of freezing up and shutting down.

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Comments (9)

PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
6 years ago
deja vu
homechef59
6 years ago
Why don't you try it out on paper with a pencil?

Do a search for bubble diagram on this thread. There are a number of threads that will explain the process. It's pretty simple and will keep you from wasting a lot of time because whatever you produce is going to be changed. You just need a method of communication that will visually explain your needs, desires and priorities.
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Bmore - that gives me a much better idea, thanks :) It's gorgeous. I feel like that design gives me the cabinet space that we want that would be near the cooking area and I'd really want a backsplash, so I'm trying to picture how that would work with the window. I have a hard time picturing things in my head, which is why I am a pharmacist, not an artist! It seems like an awfully long way to the main sink and I could make a big mess walking across the kitchen with dirty pots and pans. I know a lot of people like open designs and I am probably not one of them. Our house has several small rooms, typical for the period and also like the house I grew up in. It's difficult for me to picture a really open set up in our house. I prefer defined use areas and as I mentioned I want a regular table and I don't know where it would fit in Bmore's design (but please know how very much I appreciate your ideas!). I would like a counter-depth fridge but they are so much more expensive for a smaller fridge! What a rip-off and why don't I think of stuff like that? Our current appliances are quite new so I feel bad replacing them but I would if I found some that I really loved that would better fit the space. I'm sure I could sell our old ones.
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cpartist
6 years ago
Why would you need to make on the spot decisions? I would think you'd be allowed to take home any design ideas your architect gives you to mull over. Use his drawings. Get tracing paper and sketch over on the tracing paper any changes you want.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
6 years ago
Have you tried sitting down with your architect and drawing together solutions?
madeline616
Original Author
6 years ago
Hi and thanks for the comments!

@Mark: Yes, I've sat with my architect while he draws. We're just at the beginning, so we've only done that once, but it was very productive.

@Cpartist: I don't need to make on the spot decisions. I mention that because some people are so sure about what they want that they can offer immediate feedback while their architect is drawing. I can't. I need to think and mull things over. The tracing paper is a great idea!

@homechef: I'm printing out graph paper, no learning curve there, and as you say, a hand-drawing will likely suffice. I thought it might be easier to use a program if a very easy one exists.

Thanks again for the suggestions!
doc5md
6 years ago
My architect gave me a roll of tracing paper (is bum wad paper what ARG calls it? :). ) anyway I had never used it before. But in the conceptual stage for trying a new solution.... is invaluable. You can have 10 or 15 overlays for the same space and decide which you like best. The computer alternative is 15 files. And that gets really annoying really fast. So I've really gotten to like the tracing paper. Oh. And I'm a terrible artist. I draw reasonably good stick people on a very good day. Lol!
cpartist
6 years ago
Well Lindsy, considering even the simplest CAD program has a learning curve, for what the OP was asking, graph paper or tracing paper does work faster and better.

I've tried just about all the programs, and I know I get frustrated quickly with them and found that when trying out ideas for my draftsman, it was easier to print out his CAD drawing and use tracing paper on top to make my changes. I could try out lots of ideas, one on top of the other and then easily combine ideas if I needed to.

Once I did that, I was able to refine it in Photoshop, but then again I've been using Photoshop for over 15 years now. I had to do that because I wasn't working with a person of design talent. My draftsman only knew how to copy what I showed in Photoshop onto his CAD program and even then, when I showed him with redlines he still screwed it up. LOL.
weedyacres
6 years ago
I've got RoomPlanner on my ipad and it's easy to use.

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