Kbird1

I haven't seen that issue myself , but assume you haven't turn off 3D backgrounds or Images off ? There is also a specific Home Designer Forum over here too https://hometalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/forum/5-qa/

Some KB Articles I found excellent in the past , especially the 1st two, to help understand what CA is doing..... http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00715/150/Chief-Architect/Terrain/Smoothing-Terrain-Contours-and-Controlling-it-Precisely.html# http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00574/150/Chief-Architect/Terrain/How-Chief-Architect-Interprets-Terrain-Lines.html http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00938/150/Chief-Architect/Terrain/How-the-Height-of-Floors-Relate-to-the-Height-of-the-Terrain.html Retaining Walls http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00646/150/Chief-Architect/Terrain/Placing-a-Retaining-Wall-in-the-Terrain.html http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00697/150/Chief-Architect/Terrain/Creating-a-Stepped-Retaining-Wall.html

@Glen ...I didn't mean it was a cure for anything in this particular case, been a while since I played with Terrains but like in Larry's Vid. above, the EL Lines don't go thru the structure, and I have seen Grass in the Basement before without this setting On. Perhaps I am seeing the Difference between EL Lines and EL Region Auto Lines? M.

That's the one I remember , one for your Tips Vault , Thx.

didn't you make some Vids on Terrain Regions Larry?

Do you have the "Hide Terrain Intersected by Building" on ? ,it hard to tell from your pics but it looks like the lines run thru the house? Best to post the Plan if possible , if you want some help on complicated stuff BTW.... M.

There's a KB Article for that , not that Lew ain't right http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00516/5/Chief-Architect/File-Management/Sharing-a-Plan-File-With-a-Home-Designer-User.html

You didn't extend the Overhangs on the Rear of the building as I mentioned Ann, to 2 1/2" , if you don't the Roof plane cuts into the wall as Roofs ALWAYS control Walls , not the other way around. You should also set your Exterior Casings to 1 1/2" so they aren't buried in the Stucco on the Windows and Doors. I left the roofs at 2" earlier as that was what you had it set at but below I reset them to 1" in 12 Normally in a situation like this you would build the 1st level , the "L" as one building , then you would add a 2nd floor , over just the Garage at 45" high and set the Room "Open to below" , then you can remove the wall on level one between the garage and garden rooms and add the Beam that will be needed there.... (you will see those changes in my plan below.) I think Rich is used x7 , so you won't be able to open his plan so I used X6 so you should be able to download my Plan below and and look at it . garage1a_x6_R1.plan

Jing is the free version of SnagIt and it works well , you get 2GB of storage, but I think Larry Upgraded so he could post to Youtube direct. https://www.techsmith.com/jing.html

When I was playing with your and Bill's advice , it was fairly easy to raise lower so those two points were close , (don't make it exact I found) by using the 1" snap grid in section view, it was fairly easy to figure out how much I needed to adjust the Raise/lower setting to get the vertical. M.

The non stucco wall is cos Alan had 2 walls set as balloon thru only , set them all to balloon thru and its ok ... he is also using you extra floor which I didn't notice it looking like a single level building. M.

The Roof done auto , doesn't need any playing with in your revised plan above but that is a handy tool for when CA doesn't get it "quite right"

Well I can't be held responsible for the vagaries of CA Actually all I did was select the block in section view and turn off auto height and drag it back where it was supposed to be . While doing that though I noticed the other side of the house didn't get the blocking or the stucco upto the roof sheathing ( I never spun the model so didn't notice that earlier). Easy to copy and paste blocking to the other side , but not sure about the full height stucco on that side as it is on the other 3 walls. M.

is this what you need or like the red lines? you have Attic walls turned off in 3D views which is why they aren't seen in your pics. The front wall above the garage doors is no at "default height" fix that to close the gap in the Stucco The Overhang in CA is measured to the back of the fascia so it need to be about 2- 2 1/2" or the back of the Roof will get cut off and you wont get the gutter. have you seen this about basic Roofs http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00359/52/Home-Designer/Roofs/Automatically-Building-the-Basic-Roof-Styles.html

I didn't look at your Plan Scott so perhaps things are setup differently? , but I'll attach Alan's Revised Plan below, but perhaps I am not quite understanding your issue? I rebuilt the Roof Auto ,after setting the correct Full gable etc. then applied these settings and changed the Roof sheathing to whitewashed decking spun to 0° on the texture and Pattern. Blocking makes no diff. in Alan's plan at lest... M. Erinphries as built_R1.plan

For a simple Roof like this Mike , I'd just let CA do it Auto, especially while you learn CA, as with the right settings it makes a perfect job , I didn't need to edit anything at all. Revised Plan below so you can check it out, hope this helps.... Ontario St Duplex_R1.plan

Vids are always good , I still prefer the Jing ones people post ( no dealing with Youtube) but it is a great idea . Perhaps you should add a link Larry in your 1st Post for easy access .... is that allowed ? perhaps in your Sig. then....

Let the auto roof build the roof instead of doing roof planes manually and see what happens. You could change Hotkey assignments to what you are familiar with since you are accustomed to ACAD. Always good to post the plan file if you need help , just too many things to check in dbx's (dialog boxes). M.

Strange cos when I tested Glens tip ,after figuring out it was the depth setting of the gable fascia that needed to be 0" , it worked for me with no issues in Alan's Plan, didn't delete the blocking but may have set it to 0"x0" too. Will have a play when back at Computer.

Actually if you don't mind quick and dirty Alan it can look ok if not 100% perfect like this : - Looks like you did the Roof Planes Manually , so I reset the Walls so I could play with the Auto Roof settings 1st , - then set the Roof blocking to 8 1/4 " ie 1 " more than rafter depth ( so there's no join line) and set them Vertical. - then I added a rafter on the end flush with the stucco and shortened it to the wall line - then with the Painter Tool painted the end Rafter I just made and the blocking with the wall Stucco. Edit : as you can tell I wasn't aware of Glenn's Tip either.... NICE looks better in Vector too. "Open the roof dbx and set the Gable Sub Fascia DEPTH to zero - it will probably default back to 1/16".

Did I misunderstand the slopes in post #2 Ann ? I think you may have your understanding of Full Gable and Hi-Shed reversed ? the Hi-Shed setting should be at the High Endt of the Shed roof , with Full Gable on each wall running up to it So..... The high end of the Garden Room Roof should be over ......... ???? ( I was thinking not over the Dbl doors as it wouldn't be good to run all the water back to the garage Wall ) The high end of the Garage Roof should be over..... ???? ( I thought over the garage doors? ) PS what version of CA are you using?

If you have only a few walls to do you can use the wall hatching tool for that, on the Build Walls menu. M.

Once again thanks Joe. Point added

Thx Bill , I see you and Curt have the Same idea , I had not thought of making a special wall type and drawing my own Attic walls in , but thanks to you as well for today's lesson.... use the "END" SETTING on TRUSSES ON THE END so they work properly... Doh ! got to remember to stop thinking how I do it on the Job and What CA needs to do it right.... I was thinking I should suggest that Reduced gables should automatically get End truss "features" but without the vertical webs but that's just how I see it done here, and is likely cos they charge more for end trusses only .....

I think you are correct Dianne , I definitely recommend setting that Preference to On and am surprised that it isn't that way out of the Box (OOB) , can be frustrating otherwise , you need to click in the right spot and on angled walls it is a nightmare.