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A RedX Decks Alternative for the Sales Conversation

RedX draws the deck for the permit office. PaperPlan renders it for the homeowner. If the job isn’t sold yet, start with the render.

By Monty, Founder, PaperPlan · Updated September 29, 2026

Explore my deck ideas

US$19 once for 3 concepts and 2 refinements. Clean downloads, one project, no subscription. Generation starts after payment. See plans.

Phone showing PaperPlan workflow: backyard photo upload, material selection, finished deck render

Why this page exists

Sell first, draft second

Construction drawings convince inspectors. Photorealistic renders convince homeowners. Don’t spend drafting time on an unsold job.

Homeowner-readable output

A framing plan means nothing to most buyers. Their own backyard with the finished deck means everything.

No modeling session

RedX asks you to build the deck in 3D before it can output anything. PaperPlan asks for a photo.

Brand comparison built in

Show Trex against TimberTech against AZEK on the same yard while the homeowner is still deciding.

How it works

Upload the site photo. Use a phone photo of the homeowner’s backyard. No measurements or CAD file needed for the first visual.
Mark the deck area. Drag to outline where the deck goes and add stairs if you want them.
Choose material and design. Pick composite, PVC, cedar, or pressure-treated. Compare looks on the same photo.
Render, share and propose. A render takes about a minute. Share it with the homeowner, or attach it to a branded proposal with Contractor Pro.

RedX Decks Alternative for the Sales Conversation

RedX Decks is a 3D deck builder that outputs serious construction documentation: joist and beam layouts, stair stringers, elevations, cut lists, permit packets. PaperPlan does none of that. What PaperPlan does is win the conversation that happens before any of it matters.

Feature	RedX Decks	PaperPlan
Primary output	Permit-ready drawings, framing plans, cut lists	Photorealistic render on the homeowner’s photo
Audience	Permit office, inspectors, your crew	The homeowner deciding whether to buy
Input	3D deck modeling session	Phone photo plus a marked deck area
Time to first visual	A modeling session per design	About a minute
Materials story	Structural and framing focus	Trex, TimberTech, AZEK, Fiberon, cedar, PT on the same yard
Proposal	Construction documentation	Branded PDF proposal with client acceptance (Pro)

RedX Decks is genuinely strong at what it does (framing layouts, stringer math, load calcs, permit packets), and PaperPlan does not attempt any of it. The two tools bookend the job: sell the deck with PaperPlan, then draw it for the permit in RedX. Plenty of crews should own both.

Common questions

Does PaperPlan generate construction drawings?

No. PaperPlan produces photorealistic renders and sales proposals, not framing plans or permit documents. For those, RedX Decks or your drafter remains the right tool.

Is PaperPlan affiliated with RedX?

No. Independent product, independent company. This page exists because deck builders search for both and deserve a straight answer about which moment each tool serves.

Why not show the homeowner the 3D drawing?

Because homeowners buy what they can picture on their own house. A technically accurate 3D model in a generic scene reads as a diagram; their actual backyard with the finished deck reads as the future.

What does PaperPlan cost?

The homeowner Deck Ideas Pack costs US$19 once for three concepts and two refinements. Contractor Pro is US$99/month or US$840 billed annually for 250 renders a month, the full material library and proposal export.

Keep researching

An ArcSite Alternative for Showing, Not Drafting: ArcSite does CAD drawings and takeoff estimates. PaperPlan is the visual alternative: the finished deck shown on the homeowner’s real backyard photo.
A Cedreo Alternative Built Only for Decks: A Cedreo alternative for deck-only crews: skip the 3D scene and show the finished deck on the homeowner’s real backyard photo, right from your phone.
Deck Proposal Software That Starts With the Render: Deck proposal software for small crews: lead with a render of the deck on the homeowner’s own backyard, then send a branded PDF with scope and pricing.
Deck Design Software, Built for the Sale: Deck design software for small contractors: render the deck on the homeowner’s backyard photo, share it and export a branded proposal. No CAD to learn.
AI Deck Design on Your Actual Backyard: Create an AI deck design from your own backyard photo. Compare concepts and materials, refine a favorite and learn the limits. US$19 once, no subscription.