Economics of Chief Architect


Chiefpdb
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when I first started reviewing Cad software in 2004 I was prepared to spend up to $10K

 

I started with HD PRO so may partner and I could get our feet wet

 

then with a sale we jumped onto Chief 9.5 for around $1800

 

I consider Chief to be a bargain in comparison to other cad software

 

Lew

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10 hours ago, Grumpka said:

Sketchup...free...fun..

 

CA full blown architecture software.. 3k

 

There are software options for all budgets.  You do not need to pay 3k, but if the tool is going to help you make a profit, it's a no brainer investment.  Time is money. What tool will get the job done fastest... thats the real question...

 

So, if that's the case, the developers of Chief Architect should invest the money from the sales of their products over time to make sure they can evolve it.  

 

Soon, v.11 of CA will be released. Would you say that 11 years spent to make the program was time, or should we say, money well invested? 

 

 

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4 minutes ago, Chiefpdb said:

 

So, if that's the case, the developers of Chief Architect should invest the money from the sales of their products over time to make sure they can evolve it.  

 

Soon, v.11 of CA will be released. Would you say that 11 years spent to make the program was time, or should we say, money well invested? 

 

 

Actually, there were 10 versions prior to that and some versions took more than a year. 

 

Chief is an extremely complex application that makes the process of creating designs and construction documents much easier, more accurate and faster.  As an Architect that means I can do more projects in less time and can have confidence in the quality of the finished product.

 

The Home Designer products are limited in scope and can work for non-professionals but for design professionals (those using the software for there business) Chief Architect is a much better choice.

 

You should look at the feature comparisons of Home Designer vs Chief Architect.  That will give you a better idea of why the cost is so different.

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40 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said:

Actually, there were 10 versions prior to that and some versions took more than a year. 

 

Chief is an extremely complex application that makes the process of creating designs and construction documents much easier, more accurate and faster.  As an Architect that means I can do more projects in less time and can have confidence in the quality of the finished product.

 

The Home Designer products are limited in scope and can work for non-professionals but for design professionals (those using the software for there business) Chief Architect is a much better choice.

 

You should look at the feature comparisons of Home Designer vs Chief Architect.  That will give you a better idea of why the cost is so different.

 

I have looked at the differences and I can understand the need for a higher price tag. I would say the eye of the beholder is what sees the most suitable version. I myself believe Home Essentials offers me what I need for now - settings in which fictional characters from my future novels or screenplays can enage each other. One thing is to imagine a close or ranged encounter, but it is quite another to visualise it. Home Designer offers me the chance to see how the people involved in a fight involving firearms could make use of a house, or even a deck to their advantage.

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1 hour ago, Chiefpdb said:

I myself believe Home Essentials offers me what I need for now

 

There are free versions to play with like Sketchup and FormZ_Free but I think you will find the HD line of products easier to use...but don't skimp spent what you can afford , thoubh the good thing with HD products is that you can upgrade to the next one with a full refund from the previous Title eg Essentials to Architectural if doing it in the same Version, ie you just pay the extra.

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18 minutes ago, Kbird1 said:

 

There are free versions to play with like Sketchup and FormZ_Free but I think you will find the HD line of products easier to use...but don't skimp spent what you can afford , thoubh the good thing with HD products is that you can upgrade to the next one with a full refund from the previous Title eg Essentials to Architectural if doing it in the same Version, ie you just pay the extra.

 

I would prefer to slowly work my way up the ladder. I refunded Home Suite because it seemed like a rung that was too high for me at the time. I'm going to climb higher in future, but if I start at the bottom, I feel I can better grasp the principals of the program. 

 

I do appreciate, though, that the upgrade to the next version of Suite is only 19$. That's a kind thing to offer. 

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  • 9 months later...
On 2/7/2019 at 1:52 PM, Chiefpdb said:

Only, why is the price for Home Designer Pro not rounded up to 500 USD? Why make a reduction of only 5 dollars? 

As explained by others it's a psychological incentive to see the price start with a 4 instead of a 5.   But, if you think lowering the price by $5 is nonsense, you should know that here in the U.S. gasoline is sold with prices ending with 9/10th of a cent!   A historical pricing scheme from back when gas was only pennies per gallon and some wise-guy decided to beat the price of his competitor by 1/10th of a cent.   This is a practice that goes on to this day.  Talk about wacky.

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