19 replies to this topic

[Sam Allen]

Just curious......How many Softplan users are or were homebuilders?

[Yvon Gonthier]

I work for a homebuilder

[Henry Buckner]

Are/were.

[Jacques Phelps]

Are/were as well Sam.

[Martin Livingston]

Our company builds 50-100 units a year.

[Martin Livingston]

Are/were/will be.

[Michael Landry]

I use Softplan for the occasional house and all of my additions.

[Gary McKeon]

Yep

[Shawn McGill]

Yep...was.

[Paul Tacy]

Yep, been swinging a hammer since 1968.

[Thomas Davis]

yep, Florida Certified Building Contractor here

[Keith Almond]

I worked for homebuilders prior to my current job.

[Jack Carson]

Building homes since 1973. 

[Kevin Rabenaldt]

Built a few, years ago.

[Martin Livingston]

I think one of the reasons Softplan has become so popular with builders is because (correct me if I am wrong) it was developed by builders for builders. Softplan has what I consider an intuitive "feel" that fits with a builder's experience in the industry. I am pretty sure that a fundamental knowledge of construction and the trades involved would be required to effectively use Softplan to its full potential and a pretty decent understanding of the "business" side of the industry to use Softlist the way it was intended.

[Michael Roman]

Grew up in the family home building business.  Starting designing full time in 2001 after I hurt my back.  I agree with Martin in that I feel Softplan is made for people with building experience.  I have said for years, and have heard it stated on this forum many times, "Draw it like you would build it".  I think that is why Softplan is, in my opinion, the top residential design package out there right now.

[Daniel Zanoli]

Build off my prints all the time. When you do something wrong on the print and the guys you work with catch it.. Lets just say its tough out there.  Softplan changed my life. Theres no way I would of learned how to draw without it. Now I'm the areas greatest designer. (Theres only about 50 residents where I live)  lol

[Brad Graber]

My father has been building homes for 40+ years, so I grew up going to work with him since I was about 6 years old.  He still laughs cause my favorite hammer was a big 22 oz. framing hammer and the handle drug the ground when i walked around the jobsite with it in a tool belt.  

 

Anyhow... Growing up in the building business was invaluable to my design work today.  I learned a ton about building all of those years working for my dad.  In high school I had a great drafting teacher that helped push me towards a college degree in Construction Engineering and also taught me a lot about drafting.  I ended up putting all of that together into the design business that I have today.

 

Someday going into semi retirement.. I want back into the building side of things, it's still in my blood.

Here too.  

[Tom Rogers]

Built 2 houses 30 years ago. Educated as designer/architect.  Worked for designers for 8 years and builders for another 18.  Entering into a Design/Build company now