by Derek Pedersen

A beautiful yard requires careful planning and preparation. Creating a landscape plan and sprinkler layout saves time, reduces material waste, and helps ensure the health of your plants and lawn. Follow this step-by-step guide to use 3D software such as Chief Architect Premier or Home Designer to design and visualize an efficient, functional, and beautiful outdoor space you will love.

By Phillip Gibney

Chief Architect produces 3D Home Design Software for professional designers and DIY homeowners. From automated features for quickly creating floor plans, section details, and layouts to photo-realistic 3D renders for visualizing the design, the software is a powerful tool for those with residential design needs. Because the software is so powerful and robust, a question we often hear at Chief Architect is “what type of computer do I need to run the software”? Many computers are capable of running Chief Architect; however, depending on the specs, some will run Chief much more efficiently.  Investing in the right computer will also help ensure that the computer will run future versions of Chief effectively for a longer period of time, making your investment more cost effective over time.

By Kerry Hansen

Chief Academy is an excellent way to get inspired. Spend two and a half days learning new skills to increase your knowledge of the software. Connect with our staff, network with industry peers, test drive new products, get answers to your questions, and more. As a class participant, there are several things you can do to help prepare and ensure your success during your time at Chief Academy.

By Kerry Hansen

In today’s competitive market, social media is key for residential and interior designers and builders. It is one of the most effective ways to showcase your expertise, build trust, and attract the right clients. When used strategically, social media can become an extension of your design process, allowing you to tell the story behind your work rather than simply posting finished photos. Tools like Chief Architect Software make it easier than ever to capture and share that story. A strong social media presence is about more than entertainment. It’s about consistency, clarity, and sharing value.

Social media doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming to be effective. The most successful accounts in the home design and building industry focus on showing up consistently, sharing their expertise, and speaking directly to the people they want to work with. Incorporating these strategies can make social media a tool for growing your business. Here are some tips to help you get started.

by Kendra Dorosh

Teaching the next generation of building industry professionals starts with providing them with the best tools. Chief Architect is a leading 2D and 3D design software, and our academic licenses provide students with access to the same program used by industry professionals, enabling them to build essential skills with confidence.

“Whether they are taking the class to be a future Interior Designer, Architect, Plumber, Electrician, Landscaper, etc. Chief Architect software sparks interest in all areas, and that is what I want for my students.”

-Bonnie Bents, Worthington High School

By Phillip Gibney

Chief Architect offers online and in-person training classes. These classes are an excellent way to increase your knowledge in the software, get your questions answered, connect with our staff, and network with industry peers. As a class participant, there are several things you can do to help prepare and ensure your success in a training class.

By Phillip Gibney

Chief Architect Software is a leading software developer that focuses on residential home design software. Chief Architect Software offers two products: Chief Architect Premier for design professionals and Home Designer for DIY home enthusiasts. This blog article will explore the differences between the two software products and the advantages of using Chief Architect Premier if your profession is designing or building.

by Kendra Dorosh

Are you a high school student passionate about architecture, home design, or interior planning? The Chief Architect Apprentice Certifications are an excellent way to build in-demand design skills, earn respected credentials, and prepare for your future — all while meeting key standards of high-quality industry-based certifications.

By Phillip Gibney

Designing the perfect shower is about more than aesthetics; it’s about creating a functional space that optimizes your daily routine. Whether designing a shower for a new home or remodeling your existing space, a thoughtfully designed shower must be created with your everyday routine in mind. This guide will help you navigate the key steps to design your dream custom shower.

by Phillip Gibney

A plumbing system is a network of pipes, fittings, fixtures, and valves that delivers water where needed throughout the home while safely removing wastewater. While often one of the more underappreciated and unnoticed parts of a house, a well-built plumbing system is critical in ensuring health and sanitation.

With potentially hundreds of feet of piping navigating through a home’s structure, envisioning how a plumbing system is built can be challenging. 3D plumbing isometrics solves this challenge by allowing designers and contractors to visualize in far greater detail how a plumbing system may come together. This can help avoid problems during construction by highlighting conflicts between the plumbing system and the home’s structural components. For example, by visualizing in 3D where the plumbing lines are running, you could easily recognize a scenario such as a floor joist interfering with the placement of a toilet flange and its respective wastewater lines. Identifying and correcting such conflicts in the design phase is faster, easier, and less expensive than correcting them in the field.