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Author Topic: Planning software advice  (Read 2641 times)

TJHutchison

  • Joined May 2017
Planning software advice
« on: May 29, 2017, 07:19:30 pm »
Hello all,

Can anyone point me in the right direction of some free or near free software that I can use to make a plan of my smallholding?  I'm currently upgrading all path and fencelines and adding in a few more outhouses and it will be easier if I can give a hard copy of plans to potential contractors instead of waving around blindly and saying 'about there'.  Also it'll help me to focus on not changing plans mid-stride! 

Thanks in advance.

pgkevet

  • Joined Jul 2011
Re: Planning software advice
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2017, 09:08:55 pm »
This sort of thing often comes down to how familiar you are with a bit of software or the learning curve can be greater than the job's worth.
I'm no expert but reasonably familiar with turbocad.. and one can get an older basic version for under £8. I used it recently to redesign the inside of a house and new extensions. For something like your small holding you could use that style of program and grab a frame of google maps aerial view of your holding and stick it on a separate layer then trace over it and add your new features. Albeit that non-linear features are always a pain to trace over. Heavier duty software like photoshop can autotrace but you pay for that kind of function.
Often for a one-off job it's quicker to just get the tracing paper out

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: Planning software advice
« Reply #2 on: May 30, 2017, 01:08:07 pm »
I did all mine the old fashioned way with graph paper and pencil.

pgkevet

  • Joined Jul 2011
Re: Planning software advice
« Reply #3 on: May 30, 2017, 02:50:04 pm »
I did all mine the old fashioned way with graph paper and pencil.

And in case anyone doesn't know- you can download and print graph paper (free) if you haven't got any.

TJHutchison

  • Joined May 2017
Re: Planning software advice
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2017, 05:41:21 pm »
Hello all,

I've already done the graph paper and pencil method, unfortunately (and maybe I should have clarified this in the original post), I need to be able to layer raster and shapefiles to create a comprehensible working plan.  I also need to be able to have the capicity to add in plans for laying electrical cables and water lines as this will need to be submitted for planning permission etc and inspections.  I do have a reasonable knowledge of ArcGIS but these are too broad for me to work with and I refuse to pay a license fee to use the software once.  I'll check out Turbocad if I can find a free trial but I'm also looking at 'Smartdraw' and 'Sweet Home 3D' to rough them out and then layer them using a Photoshop type-like to create something feasible.

Thanks!

pgkevet

  • Joined Jul 2011
Re: Planning software advice
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2017, 08:19:08 pm »
As stated I bought my turbocad delux 20 3mths ago from amazon for £7.99. I just looked and they're charging more now but Maplins have it for £9.99.

There's no question that there are better progs out there for your specific requirments but at way more loot... the prof version of turbocad can deal with al sorts of land undulations and pipe laying etc but at a very hefty fee. TC 20 is really more of a design CAd prog and has some limitations compared to the prof.. but was fine for my specific needs.

I haven't seen a  free trail anywhere since the days of TC3 (which i used to redesign my clinic back in the 90's) but changes to XP and printers and it is iffy about outputting.

There are free sophisticated CAD progs out there. Draftsite has a good rep but the learning curve compared to my basic familiarity with TC from past usage got to me when i played with it.

If you put enough effort into laying out grid lines for measuing from then you could manage with even soemthing like the Gimp.. a very sophsticated free drawing package - but I don't recall any inbuilt dimensioning in it and it also has a large learning curve...better suited for straight artwork.

greenbeast

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: Planning software advice
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2017, 04:01:27 pm »
I use sketchup for all sorts, from planning the layout of rooms, designining houses and outbuildings and planning the farm layout.
You can even add a topographically accurate ground plan from google earth i believe but that might be in the paid for version

 

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