Hyrule

With virtualization of older Operating Systems (through companies like VMWare) you can run Windows 95 to Windows 7 on the newest of computers. Save your old OS software and your old Chief Architect software and as long as copy protection doesn't get in the way you will be able to open up those 20 year-old plans on the software it was originally created in.

Chief is better than most, as many companies out there, you're lucky if you can open up a file that is 10 years old.

With virtualization, anything created digitally should be able to be archived indefinitely. 

Monty

Thanks Don!

Thanks Chopsaw!

Northriver, that would be my guess. Everything I can find says it's just for decoration. However, by having roof cresting on the edges of a Mansard roof it would prevent birds from pooping on the visible areas of the roof I would think. I'm just doing it for decoration.

Monty

Thanks Chopsaw for the idea! I've attached some photos but if nothing exists I can draw something in Sketchup. I was hoping someone could point to a site like https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com that might have a 3D object. 

I have also contacted http://www.architecturaliron.com/roof-cresting/cresting to see if they have any 3D objects. 

Monty

Anyone know where I can find a Victorian roof cresting symbol or object? The ones built into Chief aren't quite what I'm looking for. Thanks!

Monty

Thank you Dave! I'm already a fan of yours so this was a major surprise. Awesome!

Monty

Thank you for the info! Yes, I couldn't get on top of the building so that was just the porch roof that I could see from the second floor. I'm sure the only reason the porch used slate on the sides was to match the slate on the high pitched roof.

OK. So flat seamed tin roof with slate. Got it!

Monty

Thanks Larry and Johnny! 

This is just my first draft. I'll definitely be taking my plans to the experts for issues such as this.

I'm in Utah, so snow and ice is a factor.

I'll be doing more research. I took a look at a mansard roof on a porch today. The gutter is "built in" and the shingles appear to be made out of a stone material. It's a 100 year old building that has been recently remodeled. The top had a drain in the middle. We have a lot of Victorian houses around here but they were built 100 years ago so it will be interesting to learn the differences between old and new construction. I'm just getting started so I appreciate the help!

Monty

Thank you for the tips! This is where I'm confused. A few questions:

1) With a cornice in this style, is the eave a massive piece of molding or part of the roof? 

2) What are the pros/cons doing the eave section as a roof plane vs solids and molding profiles? 

3) What's the minimum pitch for a roof plane to properly move the water? 

For the 3D model I was thinking of doing an almost flat roof plane. Then, use the shadow board setting for the rake trim, the frieze board for all the other trim except the corbels, then, place the corbels manually.

Or,

Not use a roof plane, and do it with solids and molding profiles.

Any more thoughts would be appreciated! I have "Get Your House Right" coming which I'm hoping details how a very large cornice with built in gutters is actually constructed. 

Monty

Hello! I'm trying to achieve the look of a mansard roof with a flat eave that extends out 2' or so. I want the high pitched roof plane to stop at the wall, and then extend straight out 2' for the eave. Is doing 3 roof pitches per side the best way to achieve this look? With the eave basically being a flat roof plane. Or, is there a better way to do this? Attached are some examples. Thank you for your help!

Monty

Hello! I'm trying to figure out the best way to achieve this Victorian mansard roof trim. This is my first project so I'm just learning. What methods would you suggest? Here is what I've tried so far:

1) Mansard roof where edge stops at wall, no overhang. The molding will be the overhang.

2) Not sure how many frieze molding profiles to use. 3 or one huge piece? Then add manually placed corbels?

3) Though this has no gutters, I have seen Victorian houses where the gutters are built into the trim. Any tips on this?

Or, would it be best not to make this trim part of the roof options at all and just do it with polyline solids?

Thanks for your help!

Monty

Joe,

Thank you! "Post to Beam" porch worked perfectly.

Monty

Thank you! Auto attic walls, so that's what I'm looking at. I actually want a roof over the porch, that's why I was confused by the auto attic walls as the "Chic Cottage" tutorial doesn't show these. Now I know. However, once I actually draw in the roof planes Chief builds correctly. So, all is well.

Monty

Hello! Forgive me ignorance this is my first project.

I’m creating a porch using the room divider tool (also tried the railing tool with the same result). After I use the room divider tool, I get these strange exterior walls above the porch. Then, when I change the room type to porch, it puts gaps in the floors. Something I’ve designed is preventing it from not building correctly. The only thing that’s really different is probably my floor heights:

Rough ceiling heights:

First floor: 109 1/8"

Second floor: 97 1/8"

3^rd Floor (formed by roof): 85 1/2"

Any ideas what’s causing this problem?

(Attached are the files which are displaying in reverse order)

Image 3 shows after I change the room type to porch.

Image 2 shows after I use the room divider tool.

Image 1 show before I use the room divider tool.
 

I've also attached my Chief file. 

Thank you for your help. 

Monty

4 - Victorian Style House.plan

Thank you for the help! I'm a newbie, just learning. I'll try Joe's solution of:

"I would use a floor at that level with a wall out at the edge of the proposed dormers.  Then I would move the roof planes inward so that they clip the walls.  Depending on the construction, the roof planes may form the interior of that floor or there may be knee walls inside the perimeter walls. "

Monty

Hello! I am trying to create dormers on a high pitched mansard roof. However, I'm not sure how to do this as I want the dormer walls to extend forward and rest on the roof instead of aligning with the exterior walls (see attachment). Any ideas? I can't get the floating dormer tool to work here either. 

Thanks for your help!

Monty