HumbleChief

Every user understands the frustration of learning Chief. It can be down right crazy making at times. 'When you feel up to tackling it' I suggest posting your plans and questions anytime to the main forum and you'll most likely get the help you need. That's what I do and try to give back with solutions when I can. I'd be happy to help but I'm not the sharpest tool in the Chief shed and if I can't figure it out - you must by now know exactly what I would do with the problem - I'd post it here. Truly hope that helps.

+1 I have 2

It is, of course, dependent on each specific project and the case where we did it we used beams to span certain areas that allowed us to open up large areas of the living space and to ignore a lot of questionable very old framing in the attached garage, and its associated footing/foundation. We just basically went around the questionable old stuff with an entire new structure. Worked out pretty sweet, but of course won't work in every case.

Really? You included the plan and asked the relevant questions and the forum help couldn't get it remedied? Sorry but I'm not buying it. Try again, post the plan, and don't give up and don't go away when it gets crazy making and someone here WILL get it solved. I can't remember a situation that wasn't resolved here in some form. This is an amazing resource but you have to hang in there and keep trying.

Dirty mouse balls? Really?

Not something I would usually participate in but am going this year as a member of the User Feedback Panel and am really looking forward to it. It will be nice to meet all the Chief users and the people who actually give us this great program. Plus it's been a long time since I've been in the Rockies and can't wait to visit Coeur d'Alene. If your company is thinking about sending you perhaps you could bring a specific question that your company thinks will help it and get some specific feedback on that issue, or maybe learn some techniques that will help your company. I know if I was sending an employee I would need a specific reason for sending them other than giving them a great vacation. Either way I hope to see you there Jonathan.

Greg, I was introduced to the technique by a local builder and was a little skeptical but quickly saw how practical it was. It allows for so much flexibility when running new electrical/mechanical/plumbing and doesn't disturb the underlying framing. A great technique that should be considered for any second story addition. I think I even remember Perry advising on how to get it done in Chief as well.

I did this once and used the method Scott describes with a second floor structure built into/under the second floor. If you want a big empty space you could create an air gap the size you need and fill in framing manually. You could also manually draw in any joists you need to run in another direction or note your floor plans with the proper joist direction. Sections are very easy to notate as well without necessarily trying to get the model perfect.

www.chieftutor.com is an amazing resource, and I echo Michael's advice to post your specific questions here, you'll be surprised at the great help available.

...cue Mr. Carrick the symbol master...

That looks really good - I'm on the wait list - out of stock at the moment.

As everyone has pointed out regulation is a 2 edged sword. I rail against too much regulation but I also know that without it we'd have a huge mess on our hands. I used to go to Mexico quite a bit where regulation just doesn't exist and we'd surf with raw sewage spewing from the resort hotels along the beach. Trash everywhere. Buildings ready to fall down with the slightest breeze. Block walls that did fall down with the slightest breeze. No regulations other than who got paid what to get the job done and every consequence long or short term, ignored. During earthquakes buildings literally jump off their foundations. Hold downs are good. Shear walls are good. But these days the engineers are so conservative I keep waiting for a spec that requires a thru bolt to China with a lock nut to secure a 2 x 4 wall that MIGHT be vulnerable in someone's paranoid delusion of a 9.0 earthquake, which if it occurs I don't care how many hold downs you spec, that building is history.. When developing large tracts of land I know that certain developers would crap all over the lakes and streams to make an extra dollar, causing genuine damage. But how much caution can/should we exert. Not an easy question, and I think, as Bryce pointed out, if we as a species would control ourselves and consider the long and short term consequences of our actions we wouldn't need any regulations but that's not the species I'm familiar with. I always think that if we can live above any moral imperative to obey certain laws and regulations then we don't need regulating, and that's how I try and live my life. I don't need laws against stealing, I just don't steal. If I'm building in earthquake country I will build as safe a house as possible. I don't need an environmental law to keep me from polluting a stream, if I can see my actions are polluting that stream I'll take action to stop. Of course that's not the world we live in and any regulation, designed to control people who won't control themselves is, unfortunately, going to be here for a very long time.

Do you guys really need the island outlets to be just right in your 3D island views? Curious.

I feel bad for those who need outlets to look good on an island in 3D. I have a gfci outlet symbol I made from a CAD drawing that I place in plan view on the island. It doesn't even have a 3D symbol attached. No problem and I've never had a client even whisper about there not being an outlet visible in 3D. To each their own of course and I hope CA fixes it for those care.

NO SOUP FOR YOU!!

Constant battle to keep floor heights as default and original settings.

It works with an invisible wall - probably not in the rules eh? And can't copy and paste, but placing them from the library works OK. FAIL. When I reopened the plan the outlets were on the exterior walls. Sigh. BBB SCOTTS CABINET ELEC OUTLET CHALLENGE ANSWER.plan

Cool Thanks

The one method uses an attic wall and the "Build Framing For Selected Objects" option is not available for attic walls. No big deal - just sayin'.

...did you know that that option isn't available for an attic wall?

Misbehaves around windows/doors but might have some possibilities.

That's really good looking Mick, nice work. I downloaded the textures - thanks. Does it frame OK around windows? I'm going to post this technique in the tips sections, which I think is a little different than yours, but doesn't behave so well around windows/doors etc.

Didn't realize I was even creating board and batt but it's pretty flexible, and frustrating as all Chief adventures are. I'm going to post something in the Tips Forum in case it helps someone.

More musings...

Thanks as always Glenn. After reading your last post Glenn I see I didn't do it as you suggested with adding a framing layer to the outside of the wall definition. I found when I did that, I think, the entire wall wants to frame @ (in this case) 4" O.C. Building a separate wall allowed that wall to be frame at 4" O.C. then that framing retained, and then that wall moved into position. Very slick.