Simplest planning of the building envelope and floors - where to start?

Hello everyone,

I am leckerkatze and new here. I am currently working on the development of a hillside property with a small multi-family house.

Unfortunately, and I am convinced that the opposite also exists, I have had consistently - over the last 20 years - not so good experiences with architects. So before I spend money again, I wanted to draw (or have drawn) a very simple sketch of a possible exterior shell and the floors myself or cheaply by an amateur, using MS Paint if necessary. I have already done quite a bit of research looking for software, with CADVilla appearing to me as the tool of choice. Honestly, I estimate the effort to become proficient enough to create something decent as too great.

What I want:
Consider the hillside location of the property
Be able to draw cuboids as floors
Read off measurements

I don’t need infrastructure, windows, aesthetics, or floor plans. An architect will take care of that at some point. But just to get a feeling for what one actually wants from the architect or how one imagines it, I would like to do some preliminary work.

So how would you start? Pencil and paper? Or is there another simple tool or someone who can be commissioned relatively inexpensively to do something like this?

Many thanks and best regards
Leckerkatze.

I would start with a needs analysis – small apartments, apartments, family apartments, etc.
All of this in connection with the development plan.
Then to the architect. Do not draw your own plans, but specify a room program. You do not choose the exterior appearance yourself, but it results from the housing requirements, the development plan, and the legal requirements (parking spaces, underground garage, stairwell, balconies/terraces, elevator, etc.).

Drawing alone, especially on a slope, can only go wrong.

I am currently dealing with the development of a hillside property with a small multi-family house.

How many residential units, and do you also want to live in one yourself?

Over the past 20 years, I have consistently – unfortunately, and I am convinced there are also the opposite experiences – had not so good experiences with architects. So before I spend money again now, I wanted to draw (or have drawn) a very simple sketch of a possible exterior shell and the floors myself or cheaply by an amateur, using MS Paint if necessary.

I can never remember well which software uses (and whether it is still available). If you can virtually shake hands with regarding architects, maybe you should try alternative advisory routes: on the one hand, I also work as a construction guide myself, but since you are from BW, maybe an engineering office from Heidelberg would be more interesting for you (?), we recently discussed this here: or

In the last 20 years, I have consistently - unfortunately, and I am convinced that the opposite also exists - had not so good experiences with architects. So before I put money in their hands again, I wanted to create a very simple sketch of a possible exterior shell myself or cheaply by an amateur, if necessary with MS Paint,

An architect will take care of that at some point.

Cool answers regarding the requirements…! I can only shake my head.

(strange, when I see a nickname like that I immediately think of something indecent and first have to make sure I am still in the right forum) : with a multi-family house, you should primarily go to an architect and secondly jump to the topic of trust!

I always have a hard time remembering which software uses (and whether it is still available).

Should we be worried? ;)
For what the original poster wants, the program would be completely unsuitable, as it does not represent terrain profiles or only does so very poorly. To depict a few cuboids on a slope, I think pencil and paper is still the best option.

What I want: Consider the slope of the plot Be able to draw cuboids as floors Read off dimensions

If you don't know the program yet, you might want to try "Sweet Home" (free) once. It is more intended for interior layouts, but I also managed to create a decent exterior shape with it. I just took a quick look; you can enter elevations via "Niveau," but I don't know if that will help with your question.