I wasn't so sure about buying this product based on some polarized reviews on Amazon. Seemed everyone either loved the software or didn't like it at all. Well, I took a chance, and I'm really glad I did.
The HGTV home design software is a great value. It beats making mistakes with costly home improvement errors, and I found I was able to plan out my entire project from start to finish, right down to the costs of materials.
I think some people are under the misconception that you just push a few buttons in a program like this and the construction project more or less gets done for you. That's just not going to happen. There is a bit of patience required for any of these programs, I'd imagine. It's the power that they offer that make them just a little complex. I know because I've used other ones before, too. But it's well worth the reasonable learning curve - like I said, especially in this economy, where I can't really afford to get it wrong and make mistakes.