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I recently purchased Punch Software's Home and Landscape Design Professional. I found it to be anything but "Professional." In attempting to educate myself on the use of this software, I encountered some disappointing deficiencies. Most disappointing is the door placement and properties of the program. I first attempted to place a 15 light double french door in a plan. When it comes to double doors, there is not a more common item than a standard 15 light, double, french door. To my dismay, when I looked in the default, double door, library, there was none. The program contains a door design power tool but who wants to spend hours learning how to design a common item. Even using the door design power tool, there is no way to select the type of glass that one may require in doors and windows. Neither is there a simple way to select whether a door is interior, exterior, metal, wood type, etc. Likewise, one cannot show the door swing direction on their floor plan line drawing, unless they draw the door as open in the 3D view.
Second, I tried to place a pocket door. Other than size and location, there is no way in the program to edit a pocket door, for type, style, etc. Even in the door design power tools, there is no way to design and/or save another style of pocket door. Likewise, there is no way to alter or create more segments in bi fold doors. Neither did the program provide any accordion doors of the type commonly used in laundry openings, etc. I would note that accordion doors can usually be created in a program by selecting more and smaller panel sections in a bi fold door. A lack of editing features on the bi folds, made that impossible as well.
Most inexplicable in this software is not being able to copy and paste windows and doors. I possess a number of design programs. Even the cheap, thirty to fifty dollar basic ones, have window and door features that are missing in this software. Most will allow one to click in a default slab door, then totally convert it to what is needed. By highlighting and right clicking, a small 3-D properties window usually opens to select style, grids, glass type, hinged, pocket, bi fold, etc. For a program to be named "Professional" and not have such basic design features is misleading. Especially at this price point. I contacted Punch to see if these features existed in the software. I thought perhaps I was uninformed as to how to access them. They confirmed that such features are not in the software.
The software was deficient in other areas as well: There was no good way to edit stairway handrails. It will not do invisible walls, a common item for design reference. The ceiling and soffit features are poor. The objects library was missing many common items like a single bowl, stainless steel kitchen sink, a sump pump, a well detailed furnace, etc. The cabinet, counter top and shelf design features were extremely poor.
The program has a split, side-by-side, screen feature for viewing the working floor plan and the 3D view of what you are doing at the same time. Disappointing however, is the fact that the software will not support systems with two monitors. Thus, the split screen mode often renders items to small to be practical to use. Likewise, the limited ability to edit, resize, etc., while in full 3D mode, is probably the greater shortcoming of this software.
The program also has a number of glitches. It constantly reverts back to default settings instead of what you selected. It will not always delete selected items. It will tell you there is not room for an object when there is. It will put in items that you did not select, like a base cabinet instead of a wall cabinet. Many of the features are cumbersome and overly complicated to use. Most frustrating is the fact that the manual and/or the on-screen instructions, do not always match the software.
My intent was to purchase a quick & clean home design software that was less intense to use than my Turbocad, Autocad, type products. A program that will not even do all of the basic door types, is not practicle for anyone to use. This is clearly a piece of software that was designed by software engineers without enough input from home builders or architects. Punch Software's Home and Landscape Design Professional could not be given a positive review by anyone that is truly familiar with various home design programs.
Punch took almost a month to respond to my detailed email inquiry about the missing features of this product. I will say to their credit. They took the product back and returned my full purchase price, even though I had purchased it from an online retailer and not directly from the Punch Web site.
I hope this is helpful,
D.B. Columbus Ohio
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My intent was to purchase a quick & clean home design software that was less intense to use than my Turbocad, Autocad, type products
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