builtright3

In Whittier CA they want any improvements or additions to historical homes to match existing. I myself would never live in a Victorian home but some people like it and I like to drive through the historical areas and enjoy the beauty to the old homes. I personally like the craftsmen style homes. I'm okay with the city's regulating the historical areas but some of the areas in late 30's to early 40's they go a little to far with the regulations. When anyone buys a home they should always find out the city regulations for historical homes before they buy because it can be very costly to improve them. I'm working on a job right now that we are adding square footage and they have spent a lot of un expected money that they don't really have because of it being an historical home. 1941 Is the cut off year and that is the year his house is and the one next door is 1942 and he can do whatever he wants. Too me that's just stupidity at its best. If they are going to regulate they should go by neighbor hood or street in group not just pick on a house in the middle of the neighbor hood. It just doesn't make sense to me. Sorry, went off a little

It would be nice if they did improve the fireplace.

I typically put the exterior wall dimensions on my plot plan around the perimeter of the house but I don't use the dimension lines. I just put the text. But can I dimension it as normal but not show the lines with arrow? Does that make sense?

That's what I was trying to explain but Joe put it in better words. Good job Joe!

Good call Dennis! I moved the wall to the bottom though because when I move it to the top it messed things up. I never saw that there was an invisible wall until you called it.

Thanks, I could remember my version but not when I bought it. So that means I have been using CA for 13 years now and I'm just now learning how to use it effectively.

I put the Y offset to -1/4 and it puts it inside the layout box so I can have the two labels side by side and maybe I will off set the scale to the right a little so it will be centered. Maybe more work than its worth. Another suggestion for CA to come up with a better way to do this.

You can always add a note "Details not to scale" on your plan no matter if it is or isn't. I have seen structural engineers do that for the same purpose Perry is talking about.

My two cents; Double plate isn't necessary but a nice added feature if your going to drywall or you have to do blocking. If your budget is tight you can save 40 or 50 bucks by not putting it in. Also its a little more labor so I don't include the extra bottom plate unless the customer wants it. I work mostly for people with average to low incomes so I keep things tight as long as the quality doesn't drop two much.

Does anyone know what year version 8.0 came out?

So what you end up with is the plan label has to be above the scale when it goes to layout? Not what I had in mind but it works.

I tried for the last hour to figure out what you are telling me here but I just cant seem to figure it out. Can you give a little more detail? I'm sure I'm missing something simple.

All my details are set at 1/2" scale and all my text for 1/2" scale is set at 2.5". I don't remember any time when I ever used any other scale. There has never been a need. You can make a detail size as small as 1/4" per foot and still read a 2.5" text size though. I understand what you are saying about the library. That's why it is a hard decision to make because its very handy to take details right out of the library and drop it in the layout plan. Its easy to send the details from the plan file also, it is just a matter of getting used to it. I'm not going to try and sway you one way or the other. Just stating what works for best for me.

I know your question is for Joe but I would like to comment on your question as well. I have totally rebuilt my plan templates mostly on what I have learned from Joe and Perry. I have worked with setting up my details in the layout plan in the past and have recently changed everything into a plan and sending it to layout. I found that working in both scales can get confusing sometimes and so I made a decision to real world scale for that reason. I believe Perry is very well organized and is used to his method but I just cant seem to get used to that particular method. I like to keep everything to real world scale. Works best for me. I made a plan called "details, notes & other" and I keep all my details in it. The best way I found to access the details is to open the plan and select the detail you want in the project browser to open it and send to layout.

Hey guys, I would like to know if there is a way to set the layout plan label to plan specific? Another words in this layout page I attached I have a roof plan and a floor plan. They are both set up with macros but they are two different plans (roof plan & floor plan). I thought it should be tied to the anno set but I couldn't find a macro to find the title.

I just changed one of mine manually and it worked fine. It will allow you to have duplicate numbers so you have to be careful.

Did I miss something here? I didn't see a post where anyone shunned engineers? Or is this just a general comment?

I was allowed to download a beta version. Don't they offer a Beta test version to all regular subscribers?

Sorry Alan, May have crossed the line a little bit. I have appreciated you on this forum. I stand behind what I said in general but I owe you an apology because you are basically an encourager to others. Your not the problem. Forgiveness?

Good job Mick, I notice a lot of setting off in his plan and I just didn't have the time to fix it. He may want to try to go back to all the CA default settings and start fresh.

All I know is that I am very appreciative of the help I get on this forum. If you don't want to send your plan file out then don't do it. Its as simple as that. Just don't expect people to bend over backwards to help you. Last I check we still have freedom of choice in this country (so far).

I haven't heard mention of what your roof pitch is but it looks like you are definitely under designed structurally. I couldn't imagine the rafters working for snow load (on your post heading it says you are in Chicago). If you don't go to an engineer you may be able to get some minimum standard framing details, rafter spans and ceiling joist spans (or rafter ties) from your local building department.

Typically I make the garage slab 1" above grade at the door opening and then make my driveway slab even with the garage slab again at the door opening.

Larry, Just a thought; Have you tried to call CA tec. support yet? Sometimes I call when I don't understand those things. If your a member you pay for that premium support so you should utilize it. I feel your pain with the Spec.DBX! I wish I had an answer for you. Some how I always make it work and never know why. I will continue to watch and try and help the best I can.

As I am not and expert at programing I would assume that the problem may lie in the fixes themselves. When you fix one thing another problem may arise. They need some of us involved in using the program after the fixes to test it. I think it is just a vicious circle. When you install a new version or upgrade make sure the old one you are used to is still active so you can switch back if you need too. If you don't want to go thru this possess then stay a couple of versions behind. I however like the challenges so I can learn more about the program along with CA. No program will never be perfect. We should continue to forward all our problems and suggestions to CA and not just complain. Don't mean to sound like I'm scolding someone but a wise man once said to me "If your not part of the solution you are part of the problem". Respectfully