Home On The Hard Drive

By Wilson Rothman

Though it's one of America's favorite pastimes, building or remodeling a home can be traumatizing, especially if you don't know what the builders are up to. Home Designer Suite 6.0 ($99; Windows only), from Better Homes and Gardens, can help give you more creative input. The program uses baby-step tutorials to help you set a floor plan with walls, windows, doors and roof, then tweak as needed. You can then print your creation as a usable architectural blueprint, complete with an estimated project cost. Other tools help with remodeling, landscaping and even furnishing your home. Still, it can't do everything. While you don't need design experience to use Home Designer, without a fertile imagination and an eye for detail, you may end up in a doghouse. --W.R.