Tag

remodeling

A Designer’s Journey from Hand-Drafting to Design Software


Modern farmhouse style home with black windows, white siding, and a standing seam metal roof.

Author's Portrait By Kendra Dorosh

Have you spent hours laboring over a drafting table? Remodel/ Addition Design Contest winner Sandra Lukas can relate.


Black and white image of a woman with short hair and large sunglasses.

Sandra’s winning design in the Chief Architect Remodel/ Addition Design Contest caught our attention and inspired us to learn more about her story. It turns out that she hand-drafted designs for high-end spec homes for years before making the jump to Chief Architect’s Home Designer Professional software. Follow along as she takes us on a trip down memory lane from her days of hand drafting to how she discovered and fell in love with design software.

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The Live-in U-Haul: An Award-Winning Design


Rendering of a remodeled U-Haul converted to living space.

Author's Portrait By Kendra Dorosh

Emma Baumann is a high school student with a passion for interior design who placed 2nd in the Chief Architect Remodel/ Addition Design Contest. She’s intrigued by architecture that adapts to the evolving demands of life during COVID-19. Her winning remodel creatively converts a U-Haul into comfortable and stylish living quarters.

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TheBuild.tv Launches for DIY Home Renovation Education


HGTV star, Anthony Carrino posing in finished kitchen renovation.

Author's Portrait By Kendra Dorosh

Dreaming of renovating your home, but not sure what to expect? Thebuild.tv by Anthony Carrino may just be the new series you’ve been waiting for.

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Two-Time Design of the Year Contest Winner, Nathan Ensminger!


Nathan's 2018 Remodel/Addition Design of the Year Contest Entry.

By Jake Murray

Congratulations to Nathan, who has won the Chief Architect Design of the Year Contest for two years running! What will he design next?

In 2018, Nathan placed 2nd in the Chief Architect Remodel/Addition Design Contest in September and won the 2018 Design of the Year Contest in December with his backyard getaway. Nathan wasted no time and entered into the Kitchen/Bath and Interior Design Contest in June of 2019 where he took 1st place with his Kitchen design. Nathan then went on to win the 2020 Design of the Year Contest in December. He’s certainly on a roll and we look forward to seeing what he’ll submit next year!

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The Construction Industry’s Top 5 Challenges in 2020


Clerestory house design with an increasing arrow overlaid on it.

Author's PortraitBy Kendra Dorosh

What are the biggest challenges your business will face over the next year? If you said finding skilled labor and completing projects on time, you aren’t alone.

With housing starts at a high and labor shortages expected to continue, we set out to identify the biggest challenges that businesses are facing in the coming year and what they’re planning to do to address them. We heard from 35 building industry professionals who provided us with a pulse on what they are preparing for in the coming year.

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Taking Chief Architect Beyond Home Design


White, ranch style house with gable roofs and two large trees

Placing 3rd in our Remodel/Addition Design Contest, Mark Supanchick’s story proves Chief Architect is capable of a lot more than Home Design.

“I started designing when I worked for Patterson Dental from 2001 – 2017.  During that time I had an idea that if we could show the dentist one of his existing exam rooms with all new equipment in it with updated colors and flooring in a period of 5 minutes, it would be a great sales tool.  So I started modeling all of the various dental equipment in 3D using AutoCAD.  My problem was I didn’t have a program that I could draw the room with existing windows and doors fast enough to put the new equipment in within 5 minutes.  Without that ability, my idea was useless.

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Capturing As-Built Measurements for Remodel Projects


The as-built home with an overlay drawing of the proposed remodel and addition.

Author's PortraitBy Kendra Dorosh

How do remodeling professionals capture as-built measurements?  Paper, Napkin, App, or Laptop software?  Chief Architect software surveyed remodelers and found 75% measure as-built homes by hand using paper and pencil.  The compounding effects of repetition have made this an efficient process. If the system works, why change?

What is an As-Built plan?

The As-Built plan refers to the original condition of the house before remodeling. Remodeling projects and home additions start with as-built measurements, also called red-line drawings or record drawings. It’s vital to map out the as-built plan as precisely as possible.

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Award-Winning Condominium Remodel from The Queen of Colour, Gabriele Pizzale


Portrait of Gabriele Pizzale of Pizzale Design Inc.

Author, Kerry Hansen By Kerry Hansen

Gabriele Pizzale designs spaces that reflect the people who enjoy them, perfectly tailored down to the last detail.

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August’s Remodel/Addition Design Contest Winners


Elevation view showing the as-built and the remodel.

Jim Shallman Wins 3rd Place with His Story and a Half Log Home


By Emily Black

Jim places third in the Chief Architect Residential Design Contest. His log home design maximizes space with a light and spacious feel.

“This is the home my wife and I built in Crosslake, Minnesota, which is the second home I have designed for our family. We have lived in Crosslake for most of late spring, summer, and fall. We also have a townhome in Maple Grove, Minnesota that we stay in for most of the winter.

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