DreamPlan Review

Kurtis By: Kurtis | Last updated February 15, 2021

DreamPlan home design software logo
DreamPlan home design software screenshot
DreamPlan home design software screenshot
DreamPlan home design software screenshot
DreamPlan home design software screenshot

9.7 / 10

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PROS:

  • Very easy to use
  • Free version available
  • Small learning curve
  • Affordable

CONS:

  • Only one sample plan included
  • Limited objects library
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SUMMARY:

DreamPlan’s top quality is its simplicity and usability. Although it might not have some more advanced features like other software in our review, it does have all the basic ones and they work really well. Since you can download a free version from the NCH website, this app is perfect for first-time home designers.

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COMPLETE REVIEW

DreamPlan is a young home design app developed by the NCH software. Although it hasn’t been around for as long as some other software in our review, this 3D home design app is still a solid choice for your first home designing experience. It is very easy to use and it has several wizards and guides that are there to make overcoming any learning curve easier.

The Basics

DreamPlan is among the very few home design apps that offer a free version of its software. Although it doesn’t have all the features and tools available with the DreamPlan Home package, it’s an excellent opportunity to try out the software before committing to buy it.

Probably the most notable quality DreamPlan has to offer is the fact that it is very easy to use. This software gains a lot of points on usability since it allows novice users to move through the app and create their designs without much strain. For example, while most other similar products require you to create your project on a regular two dimensional plan and then transform it into a 3D model if you wish, DreamPlan lets you add items directly in the 3D view. This means you have a better overview of the walls and items you’ve added, and their positioning in a real-life home. By viewing your design in 3D you’re also able to immediately see if you need to make any correction since you haven’t aligned the walls probably or similar.

If you’re a home designing novice, you’ll probably want to load one of the preexisting floor plans instead of drawing a new one from scratch. Aside from the one sample plan you can load in-app, you can also add or download any other plan you come across on the internet. You can then trace it or change it in any way you see fit. However, DreamPlan doesn’t allow for plans to be freely dragged and arranged on the screen. To do this, you have to use the zoom button in the bottom part of your screen and expand the image you’re looking at. Although this might be an unnecessary difficulty, it’s easy to overcome once you’ve done it a few times.

With DreamPlan you can also put a roof over your house with a few easy steps. The roof wizard helps you create a roof by automatically covering the area you designate to be put under a cover. The wizard works perfectly and it doesn’t require any manual corrections in case the covered area isn’t square or rectangular. This is a really important feature since, even some well-known home design apps, need you to carefully inspect each roof and usually make adjustments. The feature also lets you make adjustments in certain areas of the roof, if you see the need for it.

Interior and Landscape Design

Although it is a great, simple home design software, DreamPlan falls short when it comes to the size of its objects library. With just over 65 interior, exterior and landscaping items, this app has one of the smallest objects libraries in our review. While you can’t import additional items from the internet, there are expansion packages you can download from the DreamPlan website for free. The expansion libraries have a much better selection of different lighting and plumbing features, furniture, appliance and many more objects for furnishing your home inside and out.

Pricing

Price: $29.99

Help/Support

Website: www.nchsoftware.com/design

Support: www.nchsoftware.com/design/support

Should you require any help in finding your way around the app, or you’re simply stuck somewhere in your design, the NCH website has a very helpful FAQ section and many video tutorials to help you. If you need to contact a customer representative, you can do so via email, or you can pay extra for phone support.

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Our editorial staff evaluates products and services independently, but Best Review Guide may earn money when you click on links. Read our advertising disclosure.

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