Hello, My architect has a 3D model/plans of our house and has said they can send me the model to download and I would be able to view measurements and elevations and also download furniture from the Sketchup warehouse to test furniture arrangements.
Please advise which SketchUp version I need? Is the free version sufficient?
Thank you in advance for your help
If it’s for personal use you could use the free web version of SketchUp. There is a file size limit for the web versions so you’ll need to take that into consideration. Components from the 3D Warehouse can bloat your file. If the architect’s model is already large, adding furniture components could easily cause you to exceed the file size limits. I would recommend avoiding highly detailed components. Go for the simplest ones you can find or learn to use the modeling tools and make your own simple objects to represent your furnitre so you can get an idea of how much space they’ll consume.
Thank you DaveR. Yes it’s only for personal use and really as a sense check on furniture placement and dimensions. Do you know what the file size limit is for the web free version as I can perhaps ask them to reduce the file.
If they are not able to, what is the next version level up that would fit my needs and that would allow for the 3D warehouse?
I think the limit is around 100 Mb. If it’s even getting close, you could ask the architect to send you a very stripped down version of their model. I expect the model contains stuff you really don’t need for working out furniture placement.
To avoid the file size limitation I think you’d be looking at the desktop version of SketchUp so SketchUp Pro. There’s a 7-day free trial but if you need more time than that you’d have to buy a subscription.
Hey Lysa,
Just chiming in. I saw your message and double-checked with our product team. There is actually no file size limit anymore, but with any file over 5mb, you’ll see this message: “You’ve selected a large model which may slow down SketchUp or cause other issues.”
Actual model performance depends on your machine, internet connection, file complexity, etc., and we recommend you always try to purge your file to remove unnecessary elements. Realistically, you may start to see slower performance in SketchUp for Web around 20-25mb, depending on the above variables.
Dave is correct about Desktop being the best bet to ensure speedy model navigation, which is available with the 7-day trial or the Pro subscription. Another option you have, if you are an iPad user, is our Go subscription which gives you access to SketchUp for Web and SketchUp for iPad. The iPad will handle larger files better than Web and still gives you easy access to 3D Warehouse to bring furniture straight into the model. That’s a lower-cost subscription, and there’s a monthly option if you purchase through the App Store.
Just throwing that out there as another alternative. Happy to help if you have more questions.
And Dave, thanks for weighing in. Great advice above!
Cheers,
Dan