Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 8.0 Review

What the reviewers like:
Like all Better Homes and Gardens home design software, the suite version (which includes landscaping software) gets good reviews for its ease of use. Owners say it comes with helpful tutorials and offers a database of finished home plans, which lessens the learning curve and makes it fun to see how a new home or yard design might look.

What the reviewers don't like:
Some owners refer to the difficulty customizing the Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite. They were not able to pitch a roof the way they wanted or create custom-designed stairs. Reviewers stress that this program will not produce professional blueprints or designs.

Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 8.0 review highlights

We found the most convincing reviews for the Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite at Amazon.com and the Circuit City website, where owners have posted reviews for this version or earlier versions. We also found a review of an earlier version of the software at PC Magazine. TopTenReviews.com has a chart comparing this program to nine similar programs.

Experts and users like the Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 8.0 (*est. $100) software. Developed by Chief Architect, a company that makes professional architectural design programs, it includes over 30 video tutorials, as well as a user manual. Many owners say that the software is easy to use and learn. There's a large database of home plans, as well as point-and-click color for walls and floors. Given the extensive designing help that comes with the software, experts say it's a good choice for casual users. On the downside, some users complain that it's hard to customize house plans, such as adjusting roof pitches, because the software comes with pre-selected settings. For those who find this software limited, reviews say that Punch! Professional Home Design Suite Platinum V12 (*est. $100) is a more flexible tool, but it has a steeper learning curve and is mostly for those who have some CAD (computer-aided design) experience.

Also see full report: Home Design Software

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. Amazon.com
Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 8.0 reviews
Contributors to Amazon.com

Owners posting at Amazon.com give this version and earlier versions of the Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite high marks for its ease of use. There are some complaints, though, about the difficulty of creating a roof, as the software comes with preselected settings.

2. CircuitCity.com
Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 7 (PC)
Contributors to CircuitCity.com

There are only a few owner reviews of a previous version here, but they do give the Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite good marks. Owners like the software's straightforward interface, substantial library and ease of use. However, one reviewer complained that it's hard to turn off automatic settings.

3. PC Magazine
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Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 6.0
Troy Dreier
March 2005

Troy Dreier gives an earlier version of the Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer software good marks. He likes that the software gives you a database of 1,500 finished home plans, as well as a materials painter that helps you choose colors and patterns. There are also plentiful tutorials.

4. Top Ten Reviews.com
Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 8.0
Editors of TopTenReviews.com

This website reviews home design software programs, but it's unclear who is doing the reviewing. Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 8.0 finishes second in this roundup of ten programs. A helpful comparison chart lists features, tools, and other product details.

Also see full report: Home Design Software

Better Homes and Gardens Home Designer Suite 8.0 Review