Observed arrival · 2026-10-18
SumiCAD: free BIM for Japanese timber homes
SumiCAD presents a free Windows design tool for Japanese wooden housing, built around one model that can generate drawings, structural checks, permit-preparation documents, and estimates.
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- For
- Japanese timber-home builders and design offices
- Worth noticing
- Plans use a 910 mm grid; the site says permit documents still require review and sign-off by an architect.
Field notes
The described workflow starts with a floor plan on a 910 mm grid; rooms are said to calculate square metres and tatami-mat area, while doors are placed at real dimensions. The page also describes reusable assemblies for walls, floors, roofs, and foundations, and model-based estimating using catalog prices plus each office's own rates. It cautions that permit documents must be checked and signed by an architect.
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Editorial observations of this landing page, not a rating.
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✦PrettyNotable craft visible
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◎NicheUnusually specific use
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