CharlesVolz

Howdy All! Need help with a Chief Architect project, stuck on a design issue, or looking for one-on-one training? I'd be happy to help. I am available to help with your Chief Architect design projects and/or training needs. I also welcome referrals from designers and builders and offer a 10% referral fee. Feel free to email me or call/text me at 210 744-7489. About Me: I am a creative designer and highly proficient in using Chief Architect 3D Design software. I have acquired unique experiences and perspectives from my collection of work as a designer and builder for over 30 years. I have degrees in structural engineering (BS Rice University) and architectural engineering (MS University of Texas at Austin) and have planned, designed, developed, and built various diverse projects. I have worked with homeowners, builders, designers and architects from all over the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and England. Design & Training Services: I provide money-saving professional design services and personalized Chief Architect and Home Designer training for beginners to intermediate users. Services include: Home design from concept through construction documents Plan reviews and design improvements Live online design assistance One-on-one Chief Architect and Home Designer training Design problem-solving and workflow optimization Consultation for homeowners, builders, designers and architects I am available to help you design your home from concept to construction drawings, improve your existing home design, learn Chief Architect, and/or solve difficult design problems. I utilize the latest technology and software (like Zoom Meeting, Fathom Notes, OBS Studio and Snagit) to work with customers live online and to record "how-to" videos for builders, designers, and DIYers. Whether you need a home designer or just a few hours of expert assistance, I'd be happy to help. Thank you in advance for your consideration. I look forward to working with you! Best wishes, Charles

Exactly. I never met a framer that did it my way. Always their way. But always good.

If you selected roof trusses, they will build between the ceiling plane and the roof plane. The elevation of the ceiling planes and roof planes determines the roof structure's depth.

Howdy Damon, If you trying to show that exterior wall strip below the roof, use ceiling planes.

From my notes (no guarantees); Screened Porches: 1. Use Railing: Rail Style: Open, Post to Beam, Include Top & Bottom Rail; Rails: Top, Middle & Bottom. Insert Doors (CA will insert doorways, but change that to hinged door). For the screen material, use a molding polyline with a standard rectangular profile like CA-001 and make it the desired height and 1/16" thick with the material set to glass block or lattice (set to 1"x1"x1/16" >best) material which look better in 3D than the screen material. In X9+ you can combine Panels and Rails. Just make a simple Panel with Screen Material. Set the width & depth of the Beam in the “Rails” DBX (the Beam is one of the "Rails"). For more detailed work, use solids, p-solids, cabinets, moldings, slabs, framing material, etc. 2. Great videos by Steve Nestor (3). https://youtu.be/5QyskUt8UBQ, https://youtu.be/AB3Hjm1ZGwM, & https://youtu.be/VDNXmV056fo Lattice 3D (Creating in X18): 1. CTalk (Joe_Carrick): Use a 3D Molding. Here's one I did (2"x1/2" with 3" square holes. Rows set at 45 degrees. The 3D Molding I used was a cross of (2) 2"x5"x1/2" solids for 2" square holes use (2) 2"x4"x1/2" solids. By applying it to a wall with a 2" gap layer below, it will be pretty cool. It can also be used in a railing with top & bottom rails. FWIW, 3D Profiles using 3D Molding Symbols can result in a lot more surfaces and slow down the display. Each little cross in the Lattice has 12 surfaces so a 10'x30' wall with that 3D Profile will have over 20,000 surfaces. 2. CTalk (Steve_Nyhof): So this is a new way of adding lattice under a deck - lattice wall that makes a room - room floor is gravel - Air gap wall. When I run into it I will need to be mindful if things slow down - but typically there is not much lattice. Raise and lower the deck - I like this! 3. CTalk (Renerabbitt): Here is a method for 50 surfaces: YouTube Video

Sorry Michael! All of us dog-lovers feel for you. Love this! Or in my case, she!

Thanks Rene! Pls post your PayPal Pay Me link...

Thank you! Rene & Bob! You guys are very helpful! Best, Charles

Howdy Louie, From my notes: Computer Display Settings - To change the text size for CA user interface (toolbars, menus, status bar, side windows, etc.) font is large enough to read easily: 1. Go to Display Settings on your Windows computer by right-clicking on your desktop /Display settings /Accessibility /Text Size and choose text size percentage via the slider and click “Apply” button. 2. You may also need to adjust your Custom Scaling (in Display Settings /Scale & Layout / Scale) on your Windows computer by right-clicking on your desktop /Display settings, then select a display (if you have multiple monitors), go down to “Scale” under “Scale and layout” section /”Custom Scaling”. CV uses 250% or 300% for all monitors (50" Sony 4K & 43" Samsung 4K Monitors 2025). This will help for other programs when using large HD monitors. BEWARE OF MAKING MONITOR UNREADABLE WHERE YOU CANNOT CHANGE BACK TO A READABLE SETTING. I hope this helps you! Best, Charles

From ChatGPT: As of July 2026, OpenAI offers several ChatGPT plans. The exact model names and usage limits evolve over time, but here's the current lineup: Plan Main AI Models Best For Free GPT-5.5 Instant (limited) Casual users Go ($8/mo) GPT-5.5 Instant (higher limits than Free) Budget users Plus ($20/mo) GPT-5.5 with higher limits and more tools Individual power users Pro ($100 or $200/mo, depending on tier) GPT-5.5 with the highest limits, reasoning models, and advanced tools Heavy users, researchers, developers Business (replaced Team) GPT-5.5 plus shared workspace, admin tools, privacy protections Small and medium businesses Enterprise GPT-5.5 with enterprise security, compliance, and custom limits Large organizations

Howdy Bob, How do you get ChatGPT 5.6? They are only offering me ChatGPT 5.5. What am I missing? Best, Charles

Howdy Bill, Is that Version X11? Assuming so, I would spend some time scanning the "What's New" lists for every version since and studying the major mainstream items. And, if you think you want, get a little training to catch up. I will send you a message on how I train, but CA and others also offer training. Best, Charles

Howdy Gene, Can you just make a Floor2 "Open Below" room with invisible walls like this? You can adjust the invisible walls' locations and add a manual sloped ceiling plane, as you wish.

Here are my notes. No guarantees. Import Export Table 2026K.pdf

Howdy Jay, Just double-click on the floor lever number. Best, Charles PS: Add your current version of CA in your signature.

Very nice!

This may help...

You can also make that exterior stairwell a room and check Hide Terrain Intersected by Building. i. The program will place an automatic terrain hole in your terrain using the walls on the same floor that your terrain perimeter is on. ii. Generally, you want to place the terrain on Floor 0 so that cantilevered building areas like boxed windows do not cut a hole in the terrain. Only your foundation walls influence the terrain cut out.

Hard to help without a plan file, but here are some notes: The red check mark indicates the default value is selected in the adjacent box. The ceiling elevation defaults are in Room Specification> Structure tab. The floor and ceiling elevations of a room are affected by those of the room(s) directly below and above. Common solutions are to delete the foundation and/or align the walls of the room with those directly above and below. This is an area of CA where I think users should seek a little training; along with roofs, foundations, and default sets. It helped me back in the day.

Howdy Jason, Select a roof plane drawn over the entire area to be covered. Edit> Copy and paste in place. Move the edge of each where you want them to be different. Change the roof layers as you would like. Best, Charles

Maybe, your insulation layer is marked as framing in that checkbox. Highlight the insulation layer and look.

Nice! I highly recommend ChiefTutor! Full disclosure: I consider Dave a personal friend and a business associate.

Why don't you link that post here for others to benefit?

All good input. I did not see a comment about the MBr having direct and visible access to the Great Rm.

This is what I do, and make the interior wall have no room definition.