RobDesLLC

I use SharePoint as my primary repository for company files, with all design working files and assets (Chief Architect, Lumion, Adobe Creative apps, etc) on a local drive. I manage financials with Quickbooks Online. I use Microsoft Office 365 Business apps, including the use of Teams for project management and collaborating with clients. I sync SharePoint with OneDrive, and keep copies of all company files on a local drive synced to OneDrive. I also back up the company files to a NAS, and I back up the entirety of my Office 365 data (including all SharePoint files) to a cloud backup service. Design working files are backed up to a second local drive and another NAS. I also use Dialpad through my T-Mobile business account, allowing Ai to identify action items in my calls and messaging for adding to my task lists. I have a folder for each project in my working files, and another in my company files. As I generate product to share with clients and trade partners, I save a copy from the working files project folder to the company files project folder, and the project folder is accessible through a tab in Teams for the project team. I use Adobe Sign for distributing and tracking contracts for e-signing. I both collect and make payments by ACH, with a handful of recurring expenses paid by debit card. I use a sweep account at my bank to receive payments (for more account security). It may sound like a lot, but it's actually very easy to use my system. I have redundant and accessible data storage, effective and easily searchable communications, efficient and easily auditable legal and financial transactions, and the ability to manage my business entirely from a Surface Pro tablet when I'm in the field or traveling - without any loss of functionality. I also use almost no paper, other than printing hard copies of layouts.

That is insane. In my opinion, you should talk to the building official about it. If your plans went through the plan reviewer and a permit was issued, it isn't the inspector's role to make that demand. They have the authority to demand a revision for a code compliance issue, but not a minor graphic issue such as this. They're way out of line. A design alternative I use regularly that could solve the problem in a less confrontational way would be to specify a flat garage slab with a 1.5" x 11.25" recess at the overhead door opening. The recess would have a chamfered edge. I then use a standard recess detail for this section of the slab, show a dashed polyline on the foundation plan and call out the recess detail, and make no corresponding change to the model itself.

I set the floor elevation to the lowest point and let it stay flat. I address the slope in notes and annotations. In my opinion, most of the time the juice isn't worth the squeeze for sloping slabs.

In Scenario #1, I do not redraw the plans without first contacting the original architect or designer to acquire their permission to do so. If they will not allow it, I refuse to do the work for the client. I always advise the client that it would be in their legal and financial interest to attempt to work with them on revisions rather than myself. In Scenario #2, I advise the client that I will use the images only as reference material for style or to incorporate particular design elements, but I will not attempt to recreate someone else's design. In Scenario #3, I ask the builder to state that they own the plans as their intellectual property, and I confirm this with the original architect or designer. I protect my own intellectual property with the following contract clause: I mark all conceptual and preliminary plan sets as "NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION" in 1.5", bold, semi-transparent red letters across the entire title block. I also label my plan sets as "CONCEPTUAL SET", "PRELIMINARY SET", "ARB FINAL SET", "PERMIT SET", and, "CONSTRUCTION SET" in the title block, just above the sheet label.

I have default R values set for the different assemblies I use frequently, based on what is required locally under IECC 2009. I set the SHGC and U-factor for windows and doors after I receive the lumber yard's window & door quote from the contractor, and then I run the ResCheck report.

I do not use live views for my sections and details. I use the "CAD detail from view" tool as a starting point when a new detail is required.

I have been building a library of frequently used CAD block details and CAD block elements. My projects here often have unique/project-specific details with frequently used elements, so having labels that automatically populate is useful to me. I like your approach and I will try it out. I appreciate you sharing the code. Thank you.

In the example section, the CADBlockName macro automatically names the label for the Simpson SDWF floor screw just by making the arrow touch the CAD block. The LumberHeight and LumberWidth macros automatically fill in the nominal lumber size in the 2x12 rim joist label. For example, changing the size of the cross box to 1"W and 16"H would change the label to "5/4X16" RIM JOIST".

I use a Surface Pro only for taking a plan to the site for field change documentation and electrical walkthroughs.

I have 4 LG 32” monitors at 3840x2160 resolution, and a 65” 4K TV in the conference room with a wireless mouse and keyboard. I normally use the top monitor for File Explorer, Sharepoint, and Outlook, then the other 3 monitors for plan view, elevation view, and 3D view. The 65” TV mirrors the middle monitor, which I use for presentations in meetings. I use a 30”x60” side table for laying out original plans when working on renovations. I also have a mic and webcam at my desk and in the conference room for virtual meetings.

I have a Surface Pro tablet that I use for field work. It works well for electrical walkthroughs, etc.

I suggest he consult with a local structural engineer

Sorry, I was not. I got tied up. I will send that to you later today/this evening.

I have a small library of these. What's your email address?

I tried doing that, but Chief wouldn’t let me paste the column from Excel.

I make dummy sheets to populate my sheet index with structural engineering, civil engineering, surveys, and landscape plan entries. After I print my layout, I replace the dummy sheets with the real sheets in Acrobat.

I made a few macros that I've found useful and thought I'd share. I have %cadblockname%, which returns the name of the CAD block it references. I also have %lumberheight% and %lumberwidth%, which return the nominal dimensions of the CAD box they reference. I use "%lumberwidth%" X %lumberheight%" (CONT.)" to create a dynamic label for lumber sections (including 1x trim). I then use %description% built into Chief to create labels for polyline objects, which I use for things like plywood, concrete footings, rafters, etc. These have helped me to speed up sections and details for me. I hope they help you as well. CADBlockName.json LumberHeight.json LumberWidth.json

Is there a way to export a material list to Excel, fill in pricing values (pc/SQFT/LFT), and import that pricing back into the master material list? I'd like to have the lumber yard update a spreadsheet of building material pricing monthly, and then import that data into Chief Architect to generate a reasonably accurate buy list and preliminary cost of materials before formal bidding. Am I asking too much?

Does anyone know if RHVAC by Elite Software can import thermal envelope data from Chief Architect in CSV format?

Take a base template, set the foundation defaults to your liking, and save as a new template named for that particular foundation. Repeat as needed.

Has anyone come up with a way to make a wall fill pattern, such as 8x16 CMU?

I base my fee on an estimate of hours, but my proposal and contract are for a lump sum fee with a defined scope of work and defined list of construction documents. If the project veers outside of the scope, the client will be charged hourly. My contract spells it out. Open-ended hourly agreements tend to scare off clients. Your neighbor is right! And, really, do you want to be busy because you're known for being cheap? I have found that my fees have weeded out a lot of potential clients that I really didn't want. My happiest clients have typically been those who paid the most. I aim to close 80% of the clients I give proposals to. If I am around 80%, I know I'm pricing jobs right. At less than 70%, I'm charging too much, and above 90%, I'm not charging enough.

Thank you. Don't sell yourself short. It's a bit of a balancing act. If you charge too much, you won't get business because clients can get the same service cheaper elsewhere, but if you charge too little, clients may feel you're incompetent. As for how fees are calculated, I realized a few years ago that charging by the square foot makes no sense to me. When I design a house, I must provide the same drawings and details for my construction documents, whether it's a 2,500SQFT house or a 4,900SQFT house. A renovation/addition may require more of my time than a new house of comparable size. I use a spreadsheet with a menu of tasks, to which I assign hours for each task, plus fees for outside services (printing allowance, surveying, civil engineering, structural engineering, landscape architect, etc). I may adjust these based on the "******* tax" factor. The spreadsheet determines my lump sum fee based on my hourly rate. By tracking my time, I can compare it to my spreadsheet and determine if I'm charging correctly for each type of job, if I'm using my time as efficiently as I planned, etc. Sometimes I incorrectly estimate my hours, but I'd have no way of knowing without measurable data.

I make well over $100,000/yr doing design work, mostly residential, at $125/hr.

I built my workstation for CAD, 3D rendering, and VR. I have an NVIDIA QUADRO P4000 card, 64GB DDR-3200 RAM, and a Ryzen 2700X processor on an X470 Taichi board. I have been very pleased with the graphic quality and performance.