CAD and 3D rendering programs?

[mmpetunia]

I've got a lot of design ideas that I would like to test out in a CAD program but I am finding the programs really challenging for me to use. I have tried Google Sketch up in the past. I watched hours of You-Tube videos but I just couldn't get the hang of it. I've done some searches but nothing really comes up. I tried a free trial of one but there weren't any instructions and I couldn't figure out how to use the measurements to add in walls and doors in appropriate places.

Is there anything else that I can try that is more user friendly? Conversely, is there someone who is a whiz at Google Sketch up who can help me learn to use it or possibly I can send scale drawings to someone who would be willing to enter into Google Sketch up for me?

[PoolRoom]

I used: Create floor plans, house plans and home plans online with Floorplanner.com and felt pretty successful!!

[mmpetunia]

I'm trying it now... I think I just really suck at trying to use these programs. I don't get it.

[dan-fox]

Originally Posted by mmpetunia

I'm trying it now... I think I just really suck at trying to use these programs. I don't get it.

I feel your pain. I've got 35 years in with various forms of computer science; this is a big hole in my skill set also. I just don't seem to be able to get the hang of that.

[mmpetunia]

The programs are sooooo unintuitive! I don't understand why drag and drop features are not more commonplace. Or even a way to manually input dimensions, like I want the structure to be 8ft wide, 24 ft long and have walls that are 7 feet high. Why can't I put in those numbers somewhere and then the program creates me a cube with those dimensions?

Two programs I tried today had the most useless gridlines. Like, even when I counted each tiny little box I couldn't figure out what scale the diagram was being rendered at. Shouldn't that be noted somewhere-- this diagram is 1/12 scale or something? Without knowing the scale it was impossible to enter walls x amount of feet on the interior or size doorways. I know that all of these features are probably in these programs but why do they have to make it so hard to find/ figure out!

Sheesh!

I decided tonight that I am done with trying to figure out the CAD programs and I'm going to do it the old-fashioned analog way by building a 3d scaled model. Here's to hoping I have better luck with tangible things. And I get the added benefit of an adorable mini bus diorama.