Using 3D Modeling For New Homes and Remodeling

When you begin any type of new or remodeled home improvement today we must take advantage of the latest software that helps create our new living area. With some of the better software, the designers actually have to build the house just as a construction crew would have to. You start by building the foundation, frame, the floors and walls + the roof, add windows and doors, siding, shingles, and paint it. Then do the same for the entire interior, add drywall, insulation, doors, cabinets, fixtures, flooring, trim, furniture and decorations. As you can see by building in the same order as the real life builders it is possible to pre determine almost all the possibilities of the finished product. With this information I cannot see why anyone would not have their plans for home improvements modeled in 3d at an absolute minimum. The benefits are clear from just that brief overview of the steps involved to use a cad system to set up a 3d model.

Even though it may seem an added and unnecessary expense to pay to have someone put your plan into 3d, it makes things easier for everyone involved. For starters it puts all the plans into an electronic format which makes it so much easier to view the plans from practically any where. All you need is a computer and you can set up a meeting between all the people involved in your project once you have a computer setup it’s possible to have a meeting of all the parties involved the builder, the architect, and the customer. Now that you have all of your plans moved to a computer file you can instantly make change orders anytime you want. Once on the computer it’s easy to change the plan and confirm the changes simply by calling the designer and asking for them to be applied to the set-up and 3d model for your viewing. Each and every time that you want a change in plans it’s as simple as making a few phone calls and the designer a few mouse clicks. Not only does this save time, money and effort and it also reduces the anxiety of what the change will look like in real time.

When talking about the cost to have a plan modeled in 3D we need to look at all of the things involved. Today usually when you’re doing your own home improvement project the cost can easily run from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars all for a very basic remodel and new homes can cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. With such a large investment why wouldn’t you want to develop a 3D model that you can check beforehand to see in real time what you’re paying for. It seems like a huge expense but to pay a thousand dollars or more for a three D. model is well worth every penny for just the ease of use and having fewer questions down the road. Also it would be so much more helpful to the building inspectors if they could use an electronic format for checking all of their plans because it would make it easier for them to actually see what you’re thinking of for your project. It would cut down on all of the paperwork that is involved and going from department to department when you’re getting a building permit. I’m sure in the modern age most of the new inspectors probably already has a computer at their desk and would not mind all the modern day conveniences of having 3D modeling and plans in electronic formats. In these days of green, think of all the efficiency of doing plans computer to computer without all of the wasted paper and trees saved. Also all the driving mileage saved if you are building a house or doing the renovation on your vacation home that was hundreds of miles away and you could do all of this just by clicking a mouse, change the plan, look at the elevations and 3D model all without having to leave your own home or your area. Plus the modern software systems have highly accurate material list generators so you can tell exactly what you need, how much you need and some can even narrow down even further by a showing the builder exactly which pieces to cut and where to cut them eliminating it down to virtually nothing. Even though that is just a dream to have zero waste still, less is better.

Now that we’re convinced that 3D modeling online is the way to go. Let’s talk about some other building practices that really help the modern builder and help all of us save energy for our future. The big buzzword today is Green Building and anyone can be a green builder it just takes a little thought to score your system and say how green of a builder you are. Today by default just getting a building permit for a new house is going to make you a passive green builder. Also anything you can do to increase energy efficiency is one category of green construction. There are lots of ways to build green, one of the best ways is to orient your home layout for natural sunlight to heat and cool your house, and this makes a lot of sense especially in the northern climates where you need sun for heat in the winter and shade for cooling the summer. Plus using energy efficient windows and really help increase the efficiency by bending of sun’s rays to help facilitate the same objectives. Another way is using windmills today which are becoming much quieter and smaller, you can get a small windmill that would produce approximately 1/3 of the power needs for an entire year for a reasonable price today and with tax credits you can save even more money and make an investment that will pay off in a relatively few years.

Prioritizing Your Home Improvement To-Do List

If you are like many homeowners, you have a seemingly endless list of home improvement projects – remodel the kitchen, paint the house, replace the roof… where to start? For most people, tackling all of the projects on the list at once would be infeasible, so some prioritizing is in order. We have compiled some tips to help you prioritize your home improvement to-do list in a way that makes sense for your situation:

First address repairs that will incur additional costs if neglected. Any issues with the home that will worsen and cost more money with time should be high priority. Water damage is a good example, as are foundation and roof problems. A water leak left unfixed could mean massive costs down the line, such as replacing water damaged walls and mold remediation. Unfortunately these types of repairs are less exciting than for instance remodeling the kitchen or installing new hardwood floors, but they are necessary for the longevity and value of the home.

Consider any necessary electrical, HVAC and plumbing repairs or upgrades. Ensuring that the mechanical aspects of the home are in working order is another phase of home improvement that may seem less than exciting, but in most cases function takes priority over aesthetics. It would be difficult to enjoy a newly remodeled bathroom without a functional water heater, or to enjoy anything about your home with a broken heater in freezing temperatures. Use your best judgment to determine what mechanical repairs are necessary.

Budget should be considered in planning your home improvement timeline. Your home improvement list probably has a mix of costly and less expensive projects. The financial magnitude of different projects should be considered as you prioritize. Expensive projects may be spaced out according to your financial means, with smaller projects filling the spaces between.

Separate fantasy from reality. There may be one or more items on your list that are more of “I wish I could..” than “I plan to…” There is nothing wrong with aiming high, but distinguishing which projects get the green light and which stay in the wish list category is a part of prioritizing. This does not mean you have to remove your fantasy projects from the list, but rather that it helps to be realistic about them when setting up your project timeline.

Prioritizing the order in which projects should be done and planning a realistic timeline based on your financial situation and the condition of your home can alleviate the anxiety of a seemingly never ending to-do list.