Here is a list of ten key extensions which any 3D enthusiast can add to their workflow to improve productivity and also to speed up modeling. Just go for it.
V-Ray 5
V-Ray 5 is a long established as a robust professional renderer within arch-viz circles, it can very well deliver polished, photo-real renders for both new users and pros. V-Ray 5 offers such render options using which you can quickly select and tweak to suit your style, available in the latest update. It has an interactive viewing window as you model in SketchUp, and a paid cloud rendering option that helps you to free up your hardware for other work. You can try to figure it out by tweaking specific inputs or roll with inbuilt presets if you’re new to rendering.
Who can use it? It can be used by both beginner and advanced users. It can adapt to suit your rendering knowledge.
Best for: Interactive render viewing and also for high-quality professional renders
System compatibility: Windows/Mac
Pricing: It isavailable as part of SketchUp Studio
Trial: Free for 30 days
Lumion Live Sync for SketchUp
By using Lumion Live Sync you can establish a live connection which means you can model and render simultaneously. This will help you to give a sense of pushing and pulling a real-life building. It is anessential when it comes to smaller scale models.
Who can use it? Ranging from intermediate to advanced user
Best for: To visualize your small scale project as you model
System compatibility: Only available for Windows
Pricing: Lumion €1499 | Lumion Pro €2999 | Free educational license in some countries
Free trial duration: 14 days
Unreal Engine
This is developed by Epic Games and was earlier deployed for gaming development. It is extremely useful for creating approachable, super-fast renders that can be navigated in real-time. By using The Unreal Datasmith Plugin for SketchUp will also help you to get seamless exports from SketchUp to Unreal Engine.
Who can use it? Ranging from beginner to intermediate user
Best for: Fast, real-time rendering
System compatibility: Available for Windows and Mac
Pricing: Free
Profile Builder 4
By making repetitive tasks simpler this extension massively speeds up modeling time. You can make profiles using simple or complex SketchUp faces and polylines. Just by extending these profiles along paths to create a profile member, and then combine profile members to create parametrically defined assemblies.
Who can use it? From Intermediate to advanced user all can use
Best for: Creating bespoke and standard profiles for repetitive geometries
System compatibility: Available for Windows and Mac
Free trial duration:Â 30 days – Download Now
Add Height from Datum
If you need to reference heights whilst you’re modeling or during crucial stakeholder meetings then you must use this extension. Just by marking out the key levels in your design and reference them for greater accuracy throughout your design process.
Who can use it? From beginner to advanced user all can use it
Best for: Keeping track of key datums within your project
System compatibility: Available for Windows and Mac
Pricing: Free. Register with SketchUcation, an independent SketchUp community forum, to access the download
​S4U Make Face
By only selecting your line drawings and Make Face will simply auto-fill them with faces.
Who can use it? Ranging from beginner to advanced user, all can use it
Best for: Filling in your line drawing with faces
System compatibility: Available for Windows and Mac
Pricing: $10
Free trial duration: 5 days
Solid Inspector2
Just by using this stress-relieving extension it can inspect and highlight those issues such as reversed faces within modeled solids.
Who can use it? From beginner to advanced user all can use it
Great for: Checking that volumes are drawn correctly, resolving issues in solids and keeping models lighter.
System compatibility: Available for Windows and Mac
Pricing: Free
Fredo6: FredoTools (v3.6a)
Fredo6: FredoTools (v3.6a) is useful as it is a collection of various inspection and simple manipulation tools. Specifically its Edge Inspector is a handy tool which is useful for inspecting edge connections.
Who can use it? Ranging from intermediate to advanced modeler
Best for: Optimizing models using a variety of clean-up and manipulation tools
System compatibility: Available for Windows and Mac
Pricing: Free. Register with SketchUcation, an independent SketchUp community forum, to access the download
​CleanUp3
CleanUp3 UI in SketchUp
It is a lot like SketchUp’s native Purge function, just as the name suggests CleanUp3 will tidy and optimize your SketchUp model. By simply choosing between options to purge unused items; erase hidden geometry, duplicate faces, and lonely edges; or merge identical materials, and connected coplanar faces.
Who can use it? Ranging from beginner to advanced modeler, anyone can use it
Great for: Removing redundant geometry and making your model lighter
System compatibility: Available for Windows and Mac
Pricing: Free – Go pro for $5
Fredo6: Bezier Spline
Fredo6: Bezier Spline UI in SketchUp
It is one of another useful set of tools from Fredo6 that enables users to draw a variety of Polylines, Bezier, and Spline curves. One of the most unique features it offers is the ability to edit a curve after they have been drawn by adjusting its control points. With the combination of Profile Builder, you can use the Bezier Spline tool to run road profiles and road assemblies.
Who can use it? Ranging from beginner to advanced modeler, all can use it
Best for: Sketching out centerlines for roads onto topographic surfaces
System compatibility: Available for Windows and Mac
Pricing: Free