Converting .pdf's to .dwgs

by Paul
(Vancouver, WA< USA)

I get a LOT of plans from clients where they used some cad program that will only create .pdf files or they found a plan on a site and it came to them in a .pdf format.

They contact me, want to build this house of their dreams, here's the plans, we want to make changes... and it's a .pdf file.

Now, I know some will say "What's the problem, in 2018 AutoCad started making it so they can convert .pdf files to .dwg files?"

Well, I'm still using a version I got when I was an application engineer for an AutoDesk Reseller and it's got AutoCad, AutoCad Architecture, and Revit Architecture.... 2010. Still works fine for me and as long as it keeps working and all my custom lisp routines keep working, I'm fine with it.

I can even take newer versions of AutoCad files and save them back to 2010 using AutoDesk programs like Design Review and Trueview. I don't see a need to pay for an update license every year and I don't make any attempts to download pirate versions of the newer programs.

But... What I can't do with my version is convert those nasty .pdf files to a .dwg file without loading the .pdf into AutoCad and tracing all the lines.. That's a lot of time and costs because I can't work for free.

So, long story short... What programs have you tried with success to convert the .pdf's to a usable .dwg format? I don't mind paying something for a program that will save me MANY hours of my time but, I don't want any pirated software or anything like that.

Your experience and suggestions are greatly appreciated.