If the interior magazines are to be believed, many of us are becoming more experimental with our home extensions and improvements.

Recently there has been a trend to attach an ultra-modern glass-fronted extension to the back of Victorian terraced houses. You have more scope for individual flair and design and the back of your property.

However, you need a professional architect or a building surveyor to interpret your ideas. The more time you spend with your architect, the more expensive your final design.

This is where Google SketchUp comes in to play. You can use this 3D modelling tool to design and create a new extension to your house and then give your design to your architect for tweaking.

It's much better to give them a visual image than try to interpret your requirements through words.

Google SketchUp (Free Edition) is an easy-to-learn 3D modelling program which enables you to create 3D models of houses, sheds, decks, home additions and woodworking projects.

You can add details, textures and glass to your models, design with dimensional accuracy and even share them with others by posting them to the 3D Warehouse, or simply print a hard copy.