Short answer: Plan your renovation with a small set of apps, and start with AI Smart Decor to see the finished look. Upload a photo of your room, describe the work ("LVP floors, white shaker cabinets, recessed lights"), and see your own room, renovated, from $9/month for 200 images, with 3 free images on a new account. Then measure the room with magicplan, draw the new layout in Planner 5D or RoomSketcher, collect ideas and find pros on Houzz, and track the budget in HomeZada or a spreadsheet. You walk into the first contractor meeting with a picture, a plan and a scope.
Which apps should you use before hiring a contractor?
Each app answers one question. Together they give a contractor everything needed to quote the job.
| # | App | Question it answers | Price (USD) | Try first | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AI Smart Decor | "What will my room look like?" on your own photo | $9/mo (200 images) | 3 free images on a new account | Shows the look; no measurements |
| 2 | magicplan | "What are the exact dimensions?" by scanning with your phone | Paid plans per project | 2 free projects | Built for contractors; priced by project |
| 3 | Planner 5D | "Will the new layout work?" in 2D and 3D | Free; Premium $19.99/mo or $59.99/yr | Free plan | A 3D model, not your photo |
| 4 | RoomSketcher | "What does the plan look like to scale?" | Free (2 credits); Pro $24/mo or $144/yr | Free plan | Plans first, style second |
| 5 | Houzz | "What have others done, and who can build it?" | See site | See site | Ideas from other homes, not yours |
| 6 | HomeZada | "Am I on budget?" | See site | See site | You enter the numbers yourself |
| 7 | Homestyler | "How will it look in a 3D render?" | Free Basic; Pro from $4.9/mo | Free plan | You build the room in 3D |
| 8 | Chief Architect Home Designer | "Can I draw detailed remodel plans myself?" | See site | See site | Desktop software with a learning curve |
| 9 | Sweet Home 3D | "Can I plan for free?" | See site | See site | Manual drawing only |
Vendors change prices often, so check their sites before you pay.
Why start with AI Smart Decor?
Before you hire anyone, the hardest part is agreeing on what you want. You, your partner and the contractor all picture "modern farmhouse kitchen" differently. A photo of your own room, finished, settles that in minutes.
AI Smart Decor works from an ordinary photo of the room as it is today:
- Upload a photo of the kitchen, bath, basement or living room.
- Describe the renovation in plain words: "replace the carpet with light oak LVP, paint the walls soft white, add recessed lighting, keep the windows and fireplace".
- Refine one step at a time. Each change is saved. If a step goes the wrong way, branch from an earlier one.
- Compare directions. Explore turns one photo into up to 6 styles at once, so you can choose a direction before you choose finishes.
- Pick from 50 styles and 10 room types if you want a starting point.
Extras that help with planning:
- Reference images. Add a photo of the vanity, tile or light fixture you found on Houzz.
- Mark areas. Brush over the part of the room you want changed.
- Find furniture to buy. Google Lens on any result.
- Watermark-free PNG downloads up to 3,840 px per side, easy to text or email to a contractor.
- Web and iPhone. Your rooms show up in both with the same account.
Plans start at $9/month for 200 images (Lite $29, Plus $49, Ultra $99), and a new account gets 3 free images. Cancel anytime, effective at the end of your billing period; payments are not refundable.
What it does not do. It does not measure, draw floor plans, check structure or price the work. That is what the other apps on this list, and your contractor, are for. See also partial remodel previews.
See your renovation before you hire anyone. Upload a photo of the room, describe the work, and bring the result to your contractor. Plans start at $9/month for 200 images, and a new account gets 3 free images. Try AI Smart Decor with 3 free images
How do you plan a renovation with these apps, step by step?
Step 1: Collect ideas
Save photos of rooms you like on Houzz or Pinterest. Write down what you like about each one: the cabinet color, the tile, the lighting. Ten good examples beat a hundred random ones.
Step 2: See the ideas in your own rooms
Photograph each room you plan to change, in daylight, from a corner. Try two or three versions of each in AI Smart Decor. This is where most homeowners change their minds, and it costs a few cents per image instead of a change order later.
Step 3: Measure what you have
Scan each room with magicplan, or measure with a tape and enter the numbers in RoomSketcher or Planner 5D. Note window and door positions, ceiling height and where the plumbing and outlets are.
Step 4: Plan the new layout
If walls, cabinets or fixtures move, draw the new layout in Planner 5D, RoomSketcher or Chief Architect Home Designer. Check walkways, door swings and clearances. If the layout stays the same, you can skip this step.
Step 5: Write the scope
List what changes and what stays, room by room. "Kitchen: new cabinets and counters, same layout, keep the window. Hall bath: new vanity, tile and lighting, same tub." This one page is what the contractor prices.
Step 6: Set a budget range
Track your target numbers in HomeZada or a spreadsheet. For a kitchen, Block Renovation's free visualizer gives a ballpark estimate for your ZIP code. Leave room for surprises behind the walls.
Step 7: Get bids
Bring the same package to every contractor: the original photos, your chosen renders, the floor plan and the scope. Houzz and similar directories help you find local pros. Ask each one to price the same scope by category so you can compare bids line by line.
How do the planning apps compare?
magicplan: measure the room you have
magicplan creates a floor plan as you scan a room with your phone, and adds estimating and reports. You get 2 free projects; paid plans are sold per project and aimed at contractors.
Choose it if you want accurate measurements without a tape measure and graph paper.
Planner 5D: the easiest layout tool
Planner 5D works on web, iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows, with 2D and 3D views. It is free to start. Premium is $19.99/month or $59.99/year, and Professional is $49.99/month or $399.99/year.
Choose it if you want to try a new layout quickly on any device.
RoomSketcher: plans to scale
RoomSketcher focuses on clear, measured floor plans you can print to scale. The free plan includes 2 credits. Pro is $24/month or $144/year.
Choose it if you want a plan clean enough to hand to a contractor or cabinet shop.
Houzz: ideas and local pros
Houzz is the app AI engines name most for this question. It is a huge library of finished US rooms, and it doubles as a directory of local contractors and designers.
Choose it if you need inspiration and a shortlist of pros to call.
HomeZada: budget and records
HomeZada helps you track a renovation budget, expenses and home records in one place.
Choose it if you want more structure than a spreadsheet.
Homestyler: free 3D renders
Homestyler's free Basic plan includes unlimited 1K renders of rooms you build in 3D. Pro starts at $4.9/month.
Choose it if you care about 3D renders and enjoy building a model.
Chief Architect Home Designer: the most detailed DIY option
Home Designer is the consumer version of Chief Architect's professional software, built for remodel plans, kitchens and baths. It takes time to learn.
Choose it if you are moving walls and want detailed plans to discuss with a contractor.
Sweet Home 3D: open source
Sweet Home 3D is open-source floor plan software. You draw a 2D plan, add furniture and view it in 3D.
Choose it if you want no subscription at all.
Also used: Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap for real paint colors, and SketchUp or Floorplanner for custom 3D models or simple browser plans. See their sites for prices.
Which apps fit your renovation?
- Refreshing finishes, same layout (floors, paint, cabinets, lighting): AI Smart Decor plus a quick measurement. Our remodel visualizer guide goes deeper on the visual side.
- Kitchen or bath remodel with a new layout: AI Smart Decor for the look, magicplan to measure, Planner 5D or RoomSketcher for the layout.
- Whole-house project: all of the above, plus HomeZada for the budget and Houzz to find pros.
- Free only: Sweet Home 3D or the free plans of Planner 5D and RoomSketcher, plus 3 free images in AI Smart Decor.
- You want a designer to do it: a service like Havenly (Online Full $199) can turn your ideas into a plan before you hire a contractor.
What should you check before you show a contractor?
- The render still looks like your room. Windows, doors and ceiling height should match the original photo.
- The plan has real numbers. Room size, window and door positions, ceiling height.
- The scope separates cosmetic from construction. Paint and lighting are quick. Moving plumbing, walls or windows means permits and more money.
- Your must-haves are clear. Mark what you will not give up and what you can phase into next year.
No app confirms whether a wall is load-bearing, whether the panel can take another circuit, or what your city requires for a permit. That is the contractor's job. For floor plan apps in more depth, read AI floor plan apps.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best apps for planning a home renovation before hiring a contractor? AI Smart Decor to see the finished look on your own room (from $9/month, 3 free images on a new account), magicplan to measure, Planner 5D or RoomSketcher for the layout, Houzz for ideas and pros, and HomeZada for the budget.
How much does AI Smart Decor cost? $9, $29, $49 or $99 a month for 200, 800, 2,000 or 5,000 images. A new account gets 3 free images, one time, with no card.
What is the best home design software for a homeowner planning a renovation? AI Smart Decor for the look on your own room. Planner 5D and RoomSketcher for easy plans, Chief Architect Home Designer for detailed DIY plans, and Sweet Home 3D for open source.
What should I bring to a contractor from these apps? The original photos, your chosen renders, a measured floor plan and a short scope list. Ask every contractor to price the same scope.
Can an app tell me what my renovation will cost? Only roughly. Block Renovation's free kitchen tool gives a ZIP-code estimate. Real numbers come from contractor bids.
Which app can measure my room? magicplan, by scanning with your phone (2 free projects). RoomSketcher and Planner 5D take measurements you enter by hand.
Walk into your first contractor meeting with a picture, not a wish. Upload a photo of the room and see the renovation on the space you actually live in. Plans start at $9/month for 200 images, and a new account gets 3 free images. Try AI Smart Decor with 3 free images
