Planstech

I will stop using Master Bedroom just because....

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/master

In some cultures, a Master/Slave relationship was an Employer/Employee relationship. 

Some who have researched it concluded the Master Bedroom didn't start getting called the Master Bedroom until around 1926.

Wait! What about the term 'Chief'?

Will Chief make a change in X16?

This has become a topic where I work.

I think it's more of a term like a master set of drawings. But I guess when naming a bedroom it may have some unfavorable connotation.

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This article I thought was balanced:

https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/fun-at-home/a1087/master-bedroom-politically-incorrect/

That last post is a good point. Along with the fact that it may be very small as far as zoom locations in AutoCad.

I go into layers in AutoCad and sort by color and change all the dark colors (I think 18) to yellow so it pops out at me.

Something I've tried for awhile is to use a while background in AutoCad. That way all the chief layers colors show up the same.

Thanks All, I'll probably run the trial for X15 and see how it feels. I pretty much prepare nothing but architectural drawings for single family homes - no landscaping or virtual walkthroughs. I'd be interested to see how much X15 will speed up or simplify the work I have been happily doing in X2/X4.

I should mention that I'm getting older and learning new things is more difficult than when I first got into designing. That's why I think I have already answered my own question regarding Revit. I mean, $65 per month for Revit Lt seems like a huge savings, but I'm guessing it'll easily take hours upon hours to get proficient in Revit. From my just playing with the trial I see it as complex. Chief may have restraints compared to Revit, but with Chief you can literally open it up and it's pretty obvious how to get going without even watching the training videos. I could see if I was looking to get hired at a firm to use the industy standard, but for producing an architectural plan set, Chief gets you there with little effort.

9 hours ago, Renerabbitt said:

Are you doing residential design and plans?

Not presently. But I may need to get back in the industry. Just trying to figure out if I should stay with my Chief X4, or upgrade to X15, or move to Revit. 

I'm leaning towards staying with X4.

20 hours ago, Michael_Gia said:

Revit if you ever want a job. 
 

Chief, if you are in business for yourself and work primarily in the single family home, stick construction industry. 
 

That actually helps a lot.

I'm too old to go get a job with a firm. Framer for 15 years. Then designed for 15 years. 100% Acad until around the time 9.0 came out. I upgraded every time and ended up stopping at X4 when I got hired as a Plans Examiner. I'm just preparing for supplementing my retirement.

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I'm trying Revit LT now, and first thing I notice is it's going to take some learning. Chief is pretty much open and start using it and you can figure out things along the way..

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I guess my better question now is; How much is paying $200 a month for the latest CA going to do for someone just designing typical residential projects? And for sending out for engineering I just export to AutoCad.

I've tried reading the new features for each progressive release, but I don't see how it'll make that big of a difference for me.

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I guess after my trial for Revit LT expires I'll download a trial of the latest Chief and see if it'll be worth it.

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I did find this thread interesting. In that it's in an Autodesk forum and they're saying about the same thing. Saying good things about Chief.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-architecture-forum/revit-vs-chief-architect/td-p/2431801#:~:text=Cheif Architect is capable of,great platforms for home design.

On 10/26/2023 at 9:30 AM, Casey4965 said:

I am new to Chief Architect Home Designer Pro. I mainly use AutoCAD and Revit.

 

I have a wall that is angled ever so slightly and when trying to dimension it, point to point, I can get the overall. It's when I want to dimension the door from corner to casing that it does not recognize the door. I have adjusted all the settings as far as I know. 

 

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Casey

You being primarily a Revit and Acad user, what's your take on Chief? I'm still on Acad 2002 and Chief X4. Just trying to figure out which route to move forward with.

On 11/15/2023 at 7:17 AM, DeLayDesign said:

Let me first say I am a Chief Architect enthuses. I have recommended and fought for the software more times than I care to count... but...  There are just some things Chief does that make me understand why more architects ignore it as a viable design software.  Outside of the bugs that continue to plague the software - often things with work arounds like missing thresholds from doorways or issues with bay windows (something I've asked about more than once), to more frustrating issues like working with their decking system... doing anything with their deck system...  Chief insists on limits on constructability - which makes me question on a regular basis - why?

A true design software needs to give it's users the freedom to design within the world of all things possible, not just what the developers have coded possible.  This is important now more than ever because of the most recent price increase pushing the software into the same cost arena for new users as the other 'main stream' brands.

Most recently I was tasked with building a brick home with 'Chicago masonry' construction.  This is mainly just a wall with a double brick wall with furred interior and often plastered finish, but Chief does this with any wall.  This particular build involved a tight connection between a bay window and the end of the wall.  Internally the wall would be a flush connection, but outside there is an actual corner.  Chief doesn't understand what I need it to do and wants to build the wall as a single eliminating the corner altogether.

 

It doesn't have to be this way and I'm sure it's developed in a way to helps more often than it frustrates - again I'm a proponent for Chief Architect.  I'm also sure it's probably difficult to rebuild the coding to give us the freedoms we need to build properly, but @ChiefArchitect - You may need to.
 

I very well may be asking this from many chief users. How long did you spend with Revit?

I'm still back at Chief X4, but now I'm at a crossroad. Should I push forward by going to the CA $200 a month subscription, or go with Revit LT for $65 a month?