About 1.5 million new homes went into construction in January 2020, according to a study by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Each new construction relies on a team of real estate professionals to plan and orchestrate the development of these properties. Likewise, these professionals need tools to help guide them through the complicated process of planning and executing designs.
RoomSketcher is a simple, yet effective software to help alleviate the burden of designing buildings and generating floor plans.
What is Room Sketcher?
RoomSketcher is a 3D rendering software and floor plan generator used to simulate real estate properties. Users can seamlessly drag and drop building elements (walls, doors, furniture, etc.) to create digital simulations of residential homes and office buildings with ease and efficiency. Customize elements like wallpaper, flooring, and furniture to create a stunning property that is unique and expertly detailed.
Once your project is complete, there are several options for exporting the finished product. You can order a 2D floor plan for a small fee. You can generate a 3D portrait from a specific vantage point in the house. Or generate a 3D floor plan and do a digital walkthrough of the house as if you were a prospective home buyer. RoomSketcher is an app with a wide range of applications and seeks to give users the experience of designing and constructing their own dream home without having to rely on advanced architectural rendering software.
There are three different pricing tiers available; free, VIP and Pro. Free allows users to create models but the more advanced features are not available. VIP gives you access to a majority of the features, except for a select group of advanced customization options and includes credits for generating floor plans and 3D photos. PRO gives you access to all available features and includes even more credits for rendering floor plans.
Essentially, Room Sketcher provides options for everyone from hobbyists to real estate and interior design professionals. It’s simple, user-friendly interface is easy to navigate and makes the difficult process of 3D rendering as straightforward as possible.
Which Small Business Industries is this Used For?
RoomSketcher is a great software for anyone with a passion for real property and is especially useful for professionals in real estate or interior design. There are hundreds of different applications for this software in those fields. Whether you’re a contractor, a sales agent, a decorator or an architect – Room Sketcher is a great tool for developing new property designs.
Perhaps you’re a real estate broker with a listing that is still in renovation. You could use RoomSketcher to create a mock-up of what the completed property will look like to start the marketing process while the project is being finished.
Or maybe you’re a contractor who struggles with creating accurate floor plans. RoomSketcher allows you to create a visual image of what you’re building and then reverse engineer a schematic, saving you the frustration of turning a 3D idea into a 2D illustration all in your head.
There are countless ways that Room Sketcher can be used to aid the real estate development process. Its many features are specifically geared toward those who are looking for a logical tool for turning ideas into detailed models that can be easily shared with prospective clients or business partners.
It’s not the best software on the market for those looking to do hardcore architectural design work, due to its simplicity and limited capacity for advanced customization. However, it’s perfect for those who want software that is both capable of creating beautiful 3D renderings and doesn’t require years of schooling to understand.
What’s involved in setting it up?
Setting up RoomSketcher is quick and painless. All you need to do is go to www.roomsketcher.com and click the download app button displayed in the top right corner.
This will prompt a file to be downloaded to your computer.
The file contains the installer that needs to be copied to your desktop. Simply double click the installer to begin the installation process and follow the instructions for set up.
Once set up is complete, RoomSketcher will pop up alongside the other apps on your computer. Now, you can access it just as you would any other program. You will be prompted to create a free account with RoomSketcher that will allow you to save projects and upgrade to one of the more advanced pricing plans if you so choose.
Devices?
RoomSketcher is available for both Mac and PC. It is compatible with all devices, but the building app is only available on either a desktop or a tablet. Mobile screens are not ideal for navigating the interface and don’t have the capabilities to give users full control over project creation. It’s a creative software and is best run on a device that allows for maximum creative input.
Automation Capabilities
RoomSketcher gives users the ability to automate the development of floor plans and 3D renderings. Traditionally, contractors and architects would develop these schematics from hand or using professional software that requires a lot more user input and specific knowledge.
The beauty of RoomSketcher is that it allows anyone with visual sensibilities to develop professional renderings and models without going through this painstaking process. It also allows you to make adjustments to the model without having to start all over from scratch, giving you the ability to create multiple variations of the same idea without developing multiple unique floor plans.
Marketing Capabilities
RoomSketcher is a great tool for marketing ideas that are still in development. There are no direct marketing applications integrated into the software itself, but it’s core features open up an array of creative applications in the marketing of developing properties.
If you’re an architect looking to flush out some ideas and get feedback from clients before diving into the arduous process of rending them in something more advanced like AutoCAD, Roomsketcher is the perfect tool.
Or if you’re a real estate agent looking to market properties that have tenants occupying the units, you could use RoomSketcher to create a simulation. That way, you can market the properties to prospective renters and not risk losing them if the current tenant is a slob.
RoomSketcher can be a great marketing tool, but you have to get creative. The possibilities all depend on the industry you’re in and what you are looking to achieve. However, it’s a great way to turn ideas into tangible material that can be understood and shared by prospective clients.
Key Features
RoomSketcher is a software that can be used to accomplish a variety of objectives and has several key features that make it effective.
RoomSketcher App
The RoomSketcher App is where all the magic happens. It’s the sandbox where one can create digital properties and manipulate the elements that make up the design. This is where you can erect walls, lay down hardwood floors and place furniture – all with the click of a mouse. There are hundreds of customizable elements and product options, allowing users to get creative with representing their vision.
Although tutorial videos are available, it has a very straightforward interface and is easy to figure out without much external guidance. The software itself is fast and responsive – there are never any loading screens or lag when erecting properties.
Overall, it’s a great app if you are looking to create a general sketch of a piece of property. It’s easy to use and gets the job done effectively. The app itself is free but many of the other features that accompany it are only available on the paid tiers.
2D & 3D floor plans
The Floor Plan Generator is what makes RoomSketcher so useful as a professional tool. It’s a great way to visualize an idea before turning it into an official floor plan and allows for greater flexibility when developing a design.
There are two types of floor plans RoomSketcher offers, 2D and 3D.
The 2D floor plan is great for contractors, architects or any other real estate professional involved in the construction of properties. It turns your design into a clean, professional document, complete with measurements and square footage.
The 3D floor plan is better for real estate agents, remodelers or interior decorators who want to show clients the potential of a particular project. It recreates a holistic model of the property developed in the app and can be used to show what the floor plan will look like when brought to life.
The Floor Plan Generator is a great tool, but it’s not free. It’s a feature that is only available if you update to the VIP or Pro plan and even then it still costs a fee. Upgrading will give you a certain amount of credits that can be used to order floor plans. Once you run out of credits, you’ll have to pay out of pocket.
Snap Shots
Snapshots are another interesting feature of RoomSketcher. Within the RoomSketcher App, there is a camera icon users can drag and drop to generate a screenshot of what they’re working on. The screenshot is generated as if a photo is being taken from the vantage point of where the camera is placed.
Due to the birds-eye-view perspective of the building feature, it’s difficult to tell how your project looks from ground-level during the designing process. The Snapshot feature allows you to double-check that your project is coming together as planned. That way, you don’t’ order a floor plan and realize that you accidentally put an oven in place of a washing machine.
The Snapshot feature is free if you merely want to check your progress and download it as a jpeg. However, you can also order a 3D snapshot for an additional $2.00.
Replace Materials
Replace Materials is a great feature if you’re looking to get more specific with your design. It allows you to further customize elements like furniture, light fixtures, windows, etc.
In the regular app, there are many different elements to choose from but there is no way to modify the elements themselves. For example, there are almost 20 different sinks you can choose from but no way to edit the faucet itself.
Replace materials gives you the ability to edit and customize individual pieces of furniture and fixtures. Change the material, style or color to get as close to your vision as possible.
The Replace Materials feature is only available on the VIP or Pro Plans.
360 Views
The 360 Views feature is another innovative aspect of the RoomSketcher software. This feature brings your project to life by allowing you to move through the property and observes it from all different angles. Rather than just taking a snapshot, you can view the inside of your digital real estate to further ensure that the project you’ve built is up to par with what you’ve imagined.
You can look up, down, left, right, go forward, move backward and likewise interact with the property as if you were actually there.
This feature even allows you to share or embed the project in an email or on a website. Simply copy and paste the URL or embed code into whichever platform you are using to communicate and viewers will be able to see a lifelike representation of your project.
The 360 Views feature is also only available on the VIP or Pro plan.
Live Floor Plans
Finally, the Live 3D Floor Plan feature is a culmination of all that RoomSketcher offers. It is essentially a 3D Floor Plan that is interactive and can be modified instantly. Unlike the 360 View, the life floor plan gives viewers an overhead look at the property, while still allowing the same range of motion.
It’s essentially a virtual walkthrough of your real estate project and can be an affordable alternative to creating a live 3D video of a physical property.
The 3D Live Floor Plan software is only available to VIP or Pro subscribers.
Customer Service
RoomSketcher is notable for its simplicity and accessibility to even those who are not the most tech-savvy. Most of the features are fairly self-explanatory and easy to figure out without much explanation. However, if you experience issues with the software, customer support is readily available.
There are tutorial videos integrated into the software, allowing you to learn as you go. The tutorials are fairly comprehensive and provide thorough explanations of how to use the app with maximum efficiency.
Once you create an account with RoomSketcher, they will send you emails with content geared toward helping you with any additional issues you may be experiencing. These emails are generally helpful and not just marketing spam, but of course, you can choose to unsubscribe if they get annoying.
If the content provided does not cover the issues you’re experiencing, they have a detailed troubleshooting guide on their website. This guide covers many of the major issues customers experience when using the app or website and explains the root cause of the problem.
Finally, if all else fails there is an option to submit a customer support ticket with a specific issue that will be answered by a RoomSketcher representative in a timely fashion.
Product Rating
4 out of 5 stars
Your individual experience with the software will depend on your professional goals and personal expectations. However, it’s a great tool for real estate professionals looking to develop building concepts or create digital representations of the units they are marketing. It delivers exactly what it advertises, however it doesn’t go above and beyond expectations and has some minor shortcomings.
Pros
Roomsketcher is a simple product that packs a lot of value into a small package. Its interface is easy to use and doesn’t require advanced computer skills to understand. It offers a lot of free content and features and even it’s paid features are reasonably priced and fairly innovative. Its customer support is straight forward and responsive. Ultimately, I had a positive experience using the software and it did not fall short in any essential areas that would impact the overall viability of the project.
Cons
Although RoomSketcher is a solid product, there is always room to improve and there are a few aspects of the software that could use work. For one, the graphics are lackluster and somewhat cartoonish. If you are looking for high definition renderings than this is not the software for you.
It’s a good product for those merely looking to sketch out some ideas. But if you’re trying to develop more advanced architectural drawings, you’re better off investing in a higher-level software. The free tier is fun to play around with, but if you want to use any of the professional features, you have to pay. The paid features are reasonably priced compared to alternatives, but ultimately it feels exploitative to offer a free product that is practically useless without upgrading.
Overall, RoomSketcher is perfect for the right client – real estate professionals who need a tool to help market their ideas in a way that is cost-effective and easy to use. If you don’t expect more than that, it is a great product.
