Designing your own house plans?

[Sean H.]

I'm getting tired of paying a drafter 125/hr, to create my design. I would like to take the steps to start designing my own houses that i build. I read a lot of blueprints, so i have a general idea of how to layout them out. I just need to learn a software to create them. They will need to easily pass the planning department. 

I heard a lot about sketch draw. Is there a good step by step book you can direct me to that has good direction? 

[Christpher Schuebel]

Youtube usualy has a lot of videos that can help you learn new software but I have a feeling you may be undestimating the amout of time it will take you to learn how to use the program.  For a 125 an hour I have a feeling your are getting more than just drafting services.  Is your drafter doing a code anayliss to make sure the design is code compliant?  Theres also the cost of the software and your drafter is probaly doing a lot of problem solving and stuff you may not see or be thinking about.

I've also never heard of sketch draw but if you are going to take the time to learn how to use software I would stick to something a little more mainstream.  I would assume your current drafter is using an autodesk product, probably Revit or Autocad.  I would reccomed learning one of these programs.  There is alot more learning resorces and support for these.  You should be able to get a subscription for one of these for about $50 a month.  I have been using Revit since 2007 and took a class in college, but it probaly took 2 years before I was proficient using it so be prepared to spend some time learing any software.