CAD for Salesmen?

[Anonymous]

We are looking for CAD software for our salesmen to use to sell ideas and buildings. The drawings files they produce should be able to be downloaded into ArchiCAD 10 (may upgrade to 12).

Salesmen generally are not CAD people. We need a system that will generate floor plans, elevations, and perspectives.

Is SketchUp the best way to go? The program is more economical to purchase for five laptops for five salesmen. Not sure on how it downloads into ArchiCAD.

What other options do we have?

Rich

[Dwight]

This is a complicated issue since our advice depends on your expectations at each step of the building process.

With a few days work in SketchUp, your team could have a pretty good library of elements for prefab buildings - whether or not you agree that your buildings are modular or not. Simple for the sales force.

Your web site shows industrial buildings - i would think that you'd want fairly simple parts with fairly developed costing data for the sales force to quickly ballpark job costs.

Start with the free SketchUp and see how the lads take to it.

[Richard Morrison]

Sorry, I missed the website. After looking at the images, my previous software recommendations definitely apply. Chief Architect will blow away SketchUp for speed.