Great for conceptual models and interior finishes
March 12, 2020

Great for conceptual models and interior finishes

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with SketchUp

Sketchup is used for early massing models and design studies in the conceptual phase of large scale commercial office projects, and in later stages of design for interior and retail projects. Sketchup models are often used as a basis for clean graphic exhibits, and for 3D renderings, fly-throughs, and virtual reality.
  • Very easy to learn.
  • Robust enough to manage various file types and modeling tasks
  • Great graphics options, easy to get clean presentation exhibits from 3D models.
  • Not very useful for document production, like scale drawings.
  • It has limited file type compatibility.
  • It does not have the tools for complex geometry.
Sketchup serves a very specific function in my office and fits somewhere between Rhino and Revit in our workflow. It is useful for early design studies and clear graphic diagrams for large-scale urban projects. Only up to a certain level of complexity, at which point Rhino or Revit would be more appropriate (Rhino if dealing with complex geometry, Revit if moving into documentation).
Sketchup is so intuitive; I can't recall ever looking for official support. However, there are many user forums online that can answer more questions. The usefulness of the online forums is, however, tempered by the fact that there have been many versions of the software under different ownership and support regimes, and thus finding the right information for the right version of the software can be a challenge.

Do you think SketchUp delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with SketchUp's feature set?

Yes

Did SketchUp live up to sales and marketing promises?

I wasn't involved with the selection/purchase process

Did implementation of SketchUp go as expected?

I wasn't involved with the implementation phase

Would you buy SketchUp again?

Yes

Sketchup is an excellent tool for quick 3D studies and the production of clean presentation graphics, from cartoony diagrams to full rendered scenes (with the right plugins). Sketchup excels particularly at material mapping, which is much more intuitive than other 3D software. The way it handles material and texture also makes it an excellent tool for creating photorealistic renderings and virtual reality walk-throughs.