builtright3

I have had some engineers tell me that you can over engineer. If the structure is to stiff and has no movement that is not good either. I think that was why the steel framed housing wasn't working especially in California because they were to stiff and could not absorb the shock to deaden the force that hit the structure. I'm might be talking out my a$$ right now so don't quote me on this. I have no bases of proof here and I don't even know if im using the correct language. I'm just a dumb biker you know from California with a huge Love for the Lord. Respectfully Speaking

Some engineers I do blame to be perfectly honest. I had the same engineer for over 15 years and unfortunately he died a couple of years ago and his work was fair and he had over 40 years experience and he used to be a plan checker for a while. But since then I have done around 20 jobs or so that I needed structural engineering and most of my jobs are simple single story and a few 2 story. Some of these engineers follow the standard conventional framing and calc out only what they need to that doesn't fit under the conventional framing category (this is the way I prefer it done). The engineers that calc out the whole job are going crazy with hardware and foundations that are unnecessary according to conventional framing. I actually had two young engineers tell me that they are responsible that the structure doesn't fail so they over build to protect themselves and avoid law suits. I think the newer younger guys just don't feel comfortable with their own work. I cant say I blame them with the way so many people are sue happy these days. After going thru several engineers I finally found one that is more reasonable but again he is the oldest and most experienced engineer out of all that I tried. And his prices are lower on top of it. Go figure!

Do they make you do any hardware to attach any of those boards or are they just nailed? You wouldn't need to do that if you just used larger rafters for the span. A lot less work that way. Typical A-frame above 3:12 pitch

I'm with you Perry lets just do it the old way! It seems to me that we are talking about 2 different types of purlins: 1) A beam for a mid-span support for rafter that have a post at both ends of the beam. -OR- 2) A 2x no smaller than the rafter sized to span across the bottom side of the rafters with a 45 degree min. angle brace off an interior wall at 4 feet on center. A35's and bird mouth cuts are a pain in the a$$! If I was forced to use a beam vertically I would rather run my worm-drive down the top side of the beam and cut an angle so the rafters would sit solid and then toe nail the rafters to the beam. I know hardware is necessary in certain situations but it in my worthless opinion (because im not an engineer) we are so over building single story room additions. Engineer are having me undermine existing foundations just for an HD2, making me drill thru 3' of stem wall and foundation and running all thread with a stinking nut and washer on the bottom side that gets poured in concrete. Give me a break! I guess my house which has no structural damage from the early 50's should have fallen down be now. Especially with all the earthquakes we have had. Yea lets just add another 4x beam to the roof with some A35's and while were at it lets throw in some more post and foundations. I'm sorry! I guess I had to get that off my chest.

Perry, Where can I get this ECHO pen? Are there any stores that have it in stock or do I have to order it on line?

Perry, As a Framer I have to ask this question: How do you put a diagonal brace under a vertical beam?

Yep, I think it is all about how your contract is written up. But also I don't think code enforcement would allow anyone to use the same plan for each house unless it is changed to the property specific. Which means you must have the signature and wet stamp for each property and/or each structure on the same property. A builder can't legally keep resubmitting the same plan for different structures unless somebody supplies a wet stamp. Again the guy that stamps the drawing needs to get paid for every structure that is built for he or she is responsible if something fails because of miscalculations.

I could be wrong but I believe the plans have to be approved by the city for each property individually. That means that you would have to sign and stamp the plans for each individual address that it goes to. If it is basically the same layout and they are using several then you should get paid for each plan you sign off on. You and/or the engineer. If they are repeats just figure a reduced amount if you want but remember that you are still liable for the structure so that is worth a good amount. If that structure fails they will be knocking down your door. I don't think I would give them too good of a deal. I have never been in this situation before. Interested to here other comments.

Your fine don't get discouraged because of a negative comment. Sometime it gets a little frustrating for the people that are trying to help. Their are a lot of good people here that put a lot of time into helping others. Blessings

The lowest dollar amount out here in CA for a designer is 50 per hour (that I know of) but I think most figure around 75. Licensed architects are 125 plus I think. I know I'm cheap but I'm not only the designer I'm the builder so its worth it for me to do my own plans at a bargain so I have better control over when they get done and its a good selling point to take a job from plans all the way to finish.

It kind of funny when someone post a question and then you never hear from them again after several replies are going back and forth.

Perry, Once you put the beam in can you rotate it in the section to get what Bill is doing? Not that you need to do that but was curious if you ever tried it. You would the one that showed me how to edit in section views.

Bill, I do it the same as you have it here in your section. But I don't try to get it in the framing because we don't need to see the purlins in 3D so its just as easy to draw the purlins with bracing into the section.

Was this the first time you tried the 3D on this computer or has it worked before? The reason for me asking is I have two video cards on my computer and if its not set to the right one I have the same problem.

I have a great paint brush holder! Its the guy down the street standing on the corner. But it can be pretty exhausting watching him during half time! :lol:

I don't want to post the plan because someone might steel all my great ideas and sell them and then I might loose $$$ because of it! Ha Ha Like I'm Joe the Great or something. Just kidding. You solved my problem! Thank you! The reason the wall would not change to invisible is because I set my interior and exterior walls on there own layers so it wasn't the normal wall layer. Seeing how I only change interior wall to indivisible at times I will put my interior walls on the normal wall layer.

I'm not pressed to find these answers right now. I appreciate the feed back. I thought this might be a fairly simple answer but apparently not. I will search the forum and the internet later this week and see what I can find. Thanks guys

I really appreciate the video. Most of my jobs are on fairly level ground and the grade in the foundation area is typically about 12" (give or take) lower that the outside grade so your method wont work for me. However I'm now wondering if the grade inside the foundation area can be different than the rest of the grade around the house. If not maybe CA can add that as we have spoken in earlier post.

Ok, so I get no locate. But why is there a layer with a color and a line for it?

I put a number one line weight on a cade line with another one next to it in grey (one line grey and one line black) and it printed out one in grey and one in black. Then I unchecked "print in color" and they both printed in black. So its all working with me and im running X7

This sound like a dumb blonde but here my question; If I draw a wall and then check the invisible box in the dbx it used to change to an invisible wall with a dashed line. With X7 it doesn't do that anymore. The layer doesn't even change. Does anyone know why they even have the invisible check box anymore or am I doing something wrong? I just don't get the whole invisible wall thing anymore and I don't understand the "no locate" (what it is) and why it has a layer. What does it locate and how can you see it? Where is it and what is it and how can you locate it if you don't know what your looking for? Cant find any information that explains it. :wacko:

When I have an invisible wall and I want to put a regular wall or half wall through it I notice it brakes the wall up or stops and starts each side of the invisible wall. Do I have any options with that? Is there an ignore wall easy button or pass thru wall check box or something?

Any wood (post or sill plate) has to be at least 8" above grade by code requirements. There are other rule's to follows if there is a concrete slab around it and you have good drainage. Does that answer your question?

Chief has come a long way with framing. The tuff part is getting all the setting right in the dbx's.

Thank you! I will take that as a compliment. Soooo much to learn Just send me the royalty check! What's 50% of "0"?