House design

[Martin Cleaver]

I have a basic (original) plan of my house... from the
architects' drawings dating from 1900.
Is there any simple, free (or even off-topically inexpensive)
software to use this to allow me to reconstruct a modern
floorplan and then change/edit it?

Rgds

Martin

 

[nic]

There are actually quite a few.


Q CAD http://www.qcad.org/index.php3
FreeCAD http://www.askoh.com/freecad
Varkon CAD http://www.mathematik.uni-ulm.de/help/varkon/man.htm
CAD Standard Lite http://www.cadstd.com/lite.php

these programs are all 2D design drawing tools, ie this means you can do
simple line drawings (house plans).

I am an architectural student. If you don't have a big printer (ie A1 etc).
Print the plan in parts, glue the pages together and get it copied at a good
shop that has a big copier, VERY INEXPENSIVE, considering the cost of
plotting one A1 page (not to mention buying the printer).

As far as I am concerned QCAD is probably your best bet. I am 90% sure it
freeware though someone told me it might only be limited to 10 mins though I
think this is untrue

just out of interest here are more links to other arhcitectural software -
if you want to hone your house planning skills (do a 3D model... )

nic.

3D Programs (create models, scenes etc.)
Art Of Illusion http://aoi.sourceforge.net
Blender http://www.blender.org
Wings http://www.wings3d.org
Persistence of Vision http://www.povray.org
Now3D http://www.now3d.it/Eng/
Spiralizer & Elefont http://www.armanisoft.ch/webdesign/FrmDownloads.html
3D Canvas http://www.amabilis.com/
Anima8or http://www.anim8or.com/
Clay Mation Animator http://www.animateclay.com/download.htm
Blob modeller http://www.personal.uni-jena.de/~p6sepa/zips/blob.zip
3D Plant Modeller http://www.kurtz-fernhout.com/PlantStudio/index.htm

Build Lego on your computer in 3D with BlockCAD
http://user.tninet.se/~hbh828t/proglego.htm

3D File Converter
CrossRoads 3D http://home.europa.com/~keithr/Crossroads/index.html

Terrain Creator (make realistic terrain, environments for your 3D models)
Grass GIS http://grass.itc.it
Terragen http://www.planetside.co.uk/terragen/productmain.shtml

Image Creators/Editors
Dogwaffle http://www.squirreldome.com/dogwaffle_main.htm
20/20 http://www.hotfreeware.com/2020/2020.htm
Gimp http://www.gimp.org/

Texture Creators
Reptile ftp://ftp.sausage.com/pub/supertoolz/reptinst.exe
Iris http://www.cinegraphics.net/product.php?location=Iris

 

[nic]

QCAD is a 10 min demo, just checked. SORRY.

try varkon, freeCAD or CAD standard lite.
nic

 

[Martin Cleaver]

There are actually quite a few.

these programs are all 2D design drawing tools, ie this
means you can do simple line drawings (house plans).

But can I actually use an old drawing to get the basic details
right? By scanning and "tracing" over it?

Rgds

Martin

 

[Bob Adkins]

But can I actually use an old drawing to get the basic details
right? By scanning and "tracing" over it?

There are "raster to vector" converters to do that. Google it, maybe you'll
find a freeware program or time-limited Shareware for sure.

Bob

 

[John Fitzsimons]

There are actually quite a few.

FreeCAD http://www.askoh.com/freecad

< snip >

"Sponsors can advertise on the 'freeCAD' web site and inside the
'freeCAD' program to promote their products, services, publications
and job opportunities."

Adware ?

 

[Carver33]

But can I actually use an old drawing to get the basic details
right? By scanning and "tracing" over it?

Rgds

Martin

There is a program called Wintopo:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/heatons/softsoft/wintopo/
with a free version of raster to vector conversion. It's somewhat
limited and the resulting output will probably require quite a bit of
cleanup, but it should get you started.

HTH
Bill

 

[A man]

Varkon is $895 for windows version. Free for Linux.

--
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http://chuckr.freeshell.org (zip file of file list only)
http://freezone.darksoft.co.nz
http://home.att.net/~chuckr30/index.html (zip file of file list only)
http://chuckr.bravepages.com