cnc design software

Gday All, i have a small cabinet shop. i have brought a cnc router to replace the last apprentice a had,i am struggling to get someone that works the way i want.

anyway i need software to draw up cabinets and other things that are not standard. i do not need anything to show clients just to work the machine.

i have been offered software that you put in the cabinet size and out pops a cutting list but it will not take other designs or things that i want to make for fun.
they say i need another program to get it to work.
i have also heard that having to update all the time?

am i better off using sketchup or autocad then importing them to a enroute program to make the gcode . than buying all their software, looking to be around 12k

hope this makes sense.

Jack

You don't actually name the software you already have...
But you mention using sketchup or autocad, and importing them into Enroute...

Do you already have Enroute? Or the other two?

I do much vector work in Corel Draw, then save as AI, and import than into an old version of Enroute that I got with the router, and work from there.
It does all I want - and we so a lot of 3D stuff- and plenty of 2D stuff. Newer versions of ER are terrific, but I can do most stuff with our old version, once you figure out the workarounds - a bit of experience + lateral thinking will get you a long way...

A lot depends on what you already have, what your budget is, and how proficient you are with what you have.
There will always be a learning curve.