Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [software]

14 questions
20
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17 answers

What is an affordable 2D drafting software for amateurs?

Background: We have about 1500 feet of unfinished basement that I am contemplating finishing off into a "grandma suite". Before getting serious about the project, however, I would like to play around with some layouts. My first thought was to…
Portman
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5 answers

How can I effectively use Google Sketchup to render walls, doors, and windows?

This question falls dangerously close to being a software question, but it's definitely specific to DIY... My house is around 100 years old. Off-the-shelf home design programs have nice libraries of drop-on components like walls and windows that can…
richardtallent
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15
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7 answers

What open source home automation software exists? What are the differences between them?

I just bought my first apartment and I am now looking to setup a cheap home automation system. I would like to control : light electric shutter heater thermostat other stuff in the future I am looking to an open source software that I could…
benjisail
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15
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5 answers

What is the recommended home design software?

I am going to be finishing my basement. I would like to design the new basement myself using design software. What is the recommended home design software?
SchwartzE
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8
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7 answers

What software should I use to visualize a major renovation?

We are going to make major changes in our new apartment (remove walls, construct new walls, new windows, new doors, new kitchen, new bathrooms, paint, fake ceiling, new furniture etc.). Where do I find a good software to visualize the changes,…
Muleskinner
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6
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4 answers

Looking for alternatives to AutoCad to make floorplans and interior elevations for my kitchen

I am looking to remodel my kitchen. I want to start with floorplans and inside elevations of the 4 walls, cabinets, and major appliances. I've been using LibreCAD because it supports Autocad 2000 format (dxf) and is free and open source. I've been…
Justin Dearing
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4 answers

Simple software for stress analysis of wooden structures?

I'd like to develop an intuition for how the stresses are distributed in a simple wooden structure (in this case, a bunk bed). One option is to spend years building bunk beds, but I'm hoping I can develop some intuition a little faster. What…
LoftyGoals
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Which home automation standards will work with Apple and/or Google's forthcoming sofware?

On one hand I'm happy that Apple and Google are getting into home automation, because the existing software and control apps seem to be uniformly atrocious. On the other hand, I've been planning a big home automation purchase all year, and now I'm…
octern
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2 answers

Is there software or a web site that lets me upload a photo and visualize changes to a room?

I'm thinking of changing my kitchen and bath floor, countertops and backsplash. I don't have all day to create a 3-D model from scratch. Can I start with a photo and visualize changes?
Two Bit Gangster
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1 answer

Software to keep track of renovation

What I am looking for is some kind of software to store ideas (links, images, text) for an upcoming renovation. When the renovation starts, schedules could be kept to the same item to know when work commences on it, when it should be done, etc. I…
RichardBernards
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Some Free or Open Source Software To Design Rooms and Working Areas?

Possible Duplicate: What is an affordable 2D drafting software for amateurs? I need time-and-another organize places quickly for projects and I find that some software would be useful to do that automatically. Suppose I have 100 square meters'…
user2903
1
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1 answer

What is suitable method for controlling lighting based on pause/play?

I am in the process of turning my basement into a Home Theater. I have seen some people with home theaters where when they pause a movie it dims the lights up and I would love to use this feature. What is a suitable method to achieve this effect?
Programmer
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What is a solid beginner 3D modeling software to use to replace paper and pen for home projects?

I like to make home projects, for example building a bed or a loft or a soundproof room. I also want to design my own house to build. Currently I do the old paper and pen method, but this is limited. I'm finally considering learning some basic 3D…
diy user
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Software to capture current home structure and content?

Twenty+ years ago while planning a home renovation, a designer provided software that allowed me to take interior and exterior photos, import them, dimension them, then assign/map them to walls/floors/ceilings. Once enough photos had been added and…
BobC
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