Can anyone compare Chief Architect with REVIT LT

[Fun2Learn]

Hi. I am trying to decide between buying either Chief Architect full version or Revit LT. I am consdiering starting a small design/drafitng business out of my home.(I am a former architect--see below for more info.) I was all set on Chief, but noticed that Revit LT is now only $1195 including the autocad subscription that lets you do high powered rendering in the "cloud" (Not sure if I would even need this, however.) I am not sure which one to choose.

I like Chief, and am familiar with it and comfortable with it after playing around with the free trial (and for years I've owned a very early version of a CA non-professional home design software.) Any chance that CA might lower their prices to compete with REVIT, have a sale, or offer a rebate??? Are there any advantages to CA that would make the much higher price of CA worth the cost? I don't like some of the restrictions on CA Lite (like not being able to import manuf. catalogs for one. That would be very hard if I did kitchen remodeling.)I think I wouldn't be happy without the full version if I got CA. However, Revit LT sounds comparable to CA's Premier from looking at the features as shown on the company websites, but it is hard to tell as they dont' use the same terminology.(I'm not sure if REvit LT can import from manuf. catalogs, for instance.)

From what I can tell, Revit LT sounds like it is comparable to CA as far as the market they are designed for (small business, sole proprietor). Has anyone here compared the two feature-wise? Any thoughts? I haven't downloaded the free trial of REvit yet, because my present computer isn't powerful enough for it--it is the full version of the actual REVIT LT. I need to buy a new computer, even if I get CA, but CA's free trial is working on my "old" computer just fine. (BTW-REVIT's free trial lets you save files, unlike chief, which would make it easier to test drive, though it is only for 30 days. Though Chief's trial is not limited as to how long you can keep it on your computer, it is really hard to test a product like this when you have to start from scratch (redrawing basic walls, etc.) each time you sit down to it. It is hard to get past the basics in one sitting.)

I am thinking that if my home business doesn't take off, I may need to go back to work in an architecture firm or something similar. Do many architects, (other than sole proprietors who obviously wouldn't be hiring anyone), use CA? Also, if I want to market my design/ drafting services to contractors in my area, would CA offer benfits to them that REVIT wouldn't have? It sounds like (from reading forums like this) that many contractors already work with CA. That might be a plus. I am located in Maryland, if their are regional differences that might matter.

I'd love any feedback or advice (either on the two cad programs or even about opening a small design/drafting business), I would greatly appreciate it.

Here is more info on my background, fyi: I got my architecture license in CA back in 1990 and a few years later quit working (after about 13 years in the architecture field) when we moved to MD and became a stay-at-home mom. Over the years, however, I designed some remodeling projects for myself and friends, and played around alot with my old 3-D Home Architect CAD (an older CA non-pro product) and several versions of CA's free trial. (BTW--that old, (1997!) version of 3-D Home aAchtiect still works just fine on my windows vista computer and is really pretty amazing when you consider how old it is, and the general state of technology when it was created!)

Thanks for any help!