SketchUp for Tiny House Plans

Learn how to navigate and design your tiny house in SketchUp

If you’re designing your own house or perhaps even some furniture, you’ve likely heard of SketchUp. Below are some common questions we receive about SketchUp.

What is SketchUp?

SketchUp is a computer program in which you can create both simple and complex 3D models fairly easily. SketchUp was originally developed by Google (so it is often called ‘Google SketchUp’) but has since been sold to Trimble. Currently, there is a free and ‘pro’ version of the program available.

What are the advantages of having the SketchUp model to a house?

If you plan to make changes to the design of a house, having the SketchUp model can make this significantly easier. Changes can’t easily be made to a set of printable plans. If a change is desired, the plans will generally need to be recreated. This can be complex since a change to one page of a set of plans (or section of a house) may impact other pages (and so on). By instead modifying the model for which the plans are based on, you can immediately see how your changes will impact the other parts of the house and then recreate the plans with the new changes.

Even if you don’t plan on making changes to the design, having the SketchUp model can be extremely helpful. SketchUp can be used to visualize and understand how the house is assembled, and to get additional details and measurements during construction.

Is SketchUp hard to learn?

While SketchUp is extremely powerful, it is also relatively easy to use. If you just want to navigate an existing model and perhaps take some measurements, you’ll only need to know a very small subset of the available features in the program. For a quick overview of those, I’ve put together an introductory video. I've also recorded a few other video that dive into some of the more advanced features of Sketchup.

Intro to SketchUp

 

Intro to SketchUp Online

Intro to SketchUp for the iPad

 

Making Simple Modifications to Your Tiny House Plans Using SketchUp

 

Designing a Tiny House in Sketchup - Part 1

 

If you plan to use SketchUp to create a model from scratch or to change an existing model, you’ll need to know a lot more about the program. For a wide range of video tutorials visit: https://www.sketchup.com/resources/trainers.

Related Articles

Making the Most of Your Tiny House Height

It is one of the biggest concerns on every new tiny home builder’s mind: How much room am I going to have in that loft? We are asked all the time, “What is the highest that I can go?” There are set limitations for sure, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways to sneak out as much headroom as possible. Here is what you need to know to make the most of your tiny house height.

How to Sell Your Tiny House

If you have a tiny house to sell, there are a few simple steps and considerations to make, to both increase your chances of selling it and increasing the price for which it sells.

How to Choose a Tiny House Builder

Choosing from the many Tiny House Builders can be a daunting process. But with a little know how and a lot of research, you can find someone that you will be able to trust and who will get the job done properly. Here are five questions to ask yourself to help you choose the right tiny house builder.

Tiny House Utilities

Most tiny houses get their utilities the same way RV’s and conventional homes do. Through services provided by utility and power companies. However, occasionally people wish to locate their homes where these services are not provided.

Choosing the Right Tiny House Air Conditioner

When it comes to living in a tiny home, there’s a lot to take into consideration. It's not always easy to create a comfortable environment when you have such a limited amount of space to work with. One important factor when it comes to your comfort is the temperature. As we summer quickly approaches we are wondering, "what are our cooling options?" Here are some examples of systems to consider for your next tiny house air conditioner.

Contact Us