How to Use MCP to Model Your Home From an AI Image in SketchUp

Setting Up SketchUp MCP

Setup takes three steps: install the extension, start its server, then connect your AI client.

Step 1: Install the extension

Download or build the latest .rbz file from the project. In SketchUp, go to Window > Extension Manager, click Install Extension and choose the file. Forks exist under other names, so check which project you're installing and who maintains it.

Step 2: Start the server inside SketchUp

Go to Extensions > SketchupMCP > Start Server. The README says it runs on port 9876 by default. If you also use another tool on that port, such as Blender's addon, run one at a time.

Step 3: Connect your AI client

Add the server to your client's MCP configuration, then restart the client. In Claude Desktop that goes in the configuration file. Check the project's README for the current format.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sketchup": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["sketchup-mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Modeling the House With SketchUp MCP

Build the model in small, checkable steps, from massing to materials.

Step 4: Block out the massing

Attach your AI image and ask for simple shapes first. Ask for groups or components, in line with our SketchUp tips, so that the model stays editable.

Using the attached house image as reference, model the massing in feet:
main house, garage and gabled roofs. Make each part a named group.
Use a 7 ft door height for scale. No detail or materials yet.

Step 5: Add openings and porch

Work through one element at a time. Check dimensions with the Tape Measure tool, since an AI's reading of an image is only an estimate.

Add window and door openings on the front wall, and a covered porch with
five posts. Make the posts one component. Don't change the massing.

Step 6: Materials and scenes

Ask for simple materials, then save scenes for your main views. From there, you can use LayOut for drawings, or send the model to a renderer for finished images.

Know the limits

The result is a design study, not construction documents. A licensed professional should review anything you plan to build. If the connection fails, the README suggests confirming that both the extension server and the MCP server are running.