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P. I do not know what to say but thank you very much. A wonderful simple solution....... thank you thank you. The one issue I was imagining was the ref layer of sill plates at slab foundation level. Not a big deal. A great solution that can be retro actively implemented.

Holy effing kamoly, and the P Man is the new winner. Very very nice P. thanks. I might have to practice, but I think you have it... I think....... there might be a obscure minor problem that I will look into..... but this might be the cleanest solution to date....... really really nice......

Larry, my AS BUILT is saved as the PROPOSED PLAN. I do all that stuff up front before I get into proposed plan. How can you design an addition without a SITE PLAN that shows setbacks, FAR, coverage etc. What about building heights, don't you have to take height into consideration when you design an addition, hence a roof plan and elevations. Working on a house right now which is essentially what I described. I did the as built, saved as proposed. I am taking out two walls to open up kitchen and gutting and replacing kitchen cabs. No new floor area. My engineer need roof framing, floor framing, foundation and 2 sections to do his engineering. He needs elevations and roof plan so he can see the pitch to decide whether the live load is 16 PSF or 20 PSF. I am not sure how I could do much less work to satisfy the plan checker's needs, my engineer's needs and the title-24 needs. If you can get by without doing all of this, more power to you.

I thought so too until I saw The Dennis Gavin method. I would use the double wall method if it was only one window. But it is every window and door on every wall on about 12 different houses and I thought the double wall system would be too much trouble. I always draw with the notion that whatever I draw will need to be edited. And then there is the thought that none of my building sections would be correct, they would show the double walls and plates. I suppose I thought this was the best of the evils. I think I have chosen my poison.

Andy, Jon, Greg, Marc, Larry, how long does it take you to do as built? Use this house as an example: A typical 2200 sf 2 story Kalifornia stucco house on a slab, flat lot, vaulted ceilings in the living room and a switch back stair, two car garage. When I say as built I am talking SITE PLAN, ROOF PLAN, ELEVATIONS, FLOOR PLANS, ROOF FRAMING, FLOOR FRAMING, FOUNDATION AND 6 SECTIONS. No electrical plan and no cabinet elevations.

I concur.

Did a friend of mine come to the party but left early ?

That's great Joey, thanks for reminding us of what was posted in post number 1 including the plan.

Gee whiz Joe, I thought Dennis's solution was much easier and more editable than creating symbols and then having to put another window off to the side and when the client changes the window size having to go about the process all over again. Wow, thanks for setting me straight. And yes I think CA should waste time creating the option to draw construction lines and as usual, your solution was much more trouble than being able to create construction lines.

The bucking vid. http://youtu.be/Mo74FCr93_8

Thanks Bill, I must study your "blind" technique. This is a typical case of pick your poison. There is not a perfect solution, that being said, I think DG Method is the least hassle.

Yes Yusuf, that is Dennis Gavin's method. However you forgot to put an exterior finish on the non room def wall. I think Gavin Dennis gets this weeks award for "Inspirational Achievements", thanks again DG, good stuff.

Graham, last week I changed my name to Scott, just goofing with you, I think you are correct, the build order is important. Some really weird stuff.

Thanks Dennis, definitely the best solution to date. It does work with a few quirks. 1. Sometimes the top of window is not correct, in fact sometimes I need to put in a totally and incorrect top of window height..... maybe something I am doing..... 2. The other step I have not figured out is how to use your method with my windows already in place. I would like the window to be in place and then add your oversized window opening and the non def wall in the correct spot WITHOUT HAVING TO MOVE THE WINDOW that is already in place. I thought I did it once but I cannot repeat. Thanks again, good solution.

Thanks guys for the help. Bill, you do not have the recessed stucco band, Yusuf, I am not sure what you are doing, Jeff's solution would not work because I rely on sections and if I drew the section, I would not have the framing, Dennis's looks good, I think it might be a derivation of Jeff's, I wish you would post a small plan Dennis, I thought JC method might work, but take a look, the window is backwards, so far my method seems to work the best,,,,, but that is saying very little. I have a feeling the solution is under our nose, Dennis, would you mind posting a plan with your solution? I am attaching the plan I am working on, so if anybody gets a great idea, just edit my plan and repost. Thanks all. BBB A BUCKING PLAN 1.plan.zip

Gene, that is exactly it, a sub frame of 2x4 within the exterior wall.

Yep, tried that but you do not have the stucco return between the window and the bucking wall...... you know, in my example I have about 4" between the window frame and the bucking wall, the bucking wall being the wall that sticks out another bucking 4".

Yea, but if the window moves, I have to monkey around with the walls again.... but you and Joe may be right, that might be the best solution...... so essentially my solution (double walls) but using double walls only at the openings.

Thanks Dennis and Bird...... not sure if Jeff's solution is the solution... he did not show a section or a decent plan view solution. If anybody can post a small plan with their best solution, I would appreciate it.

Joe, it is really easy to describe a solution, but have your tried it? I should of said something else, I am not only looking for a satisfactory 3d look, but a good plan solution and a good cross section solution..... I ain't even going to request a good material list solution... I gave up on material lists a long time ago.

Geez, Yusuf "The Ethiopian" is espousing some sage advice..... BTW, I am trying to use some large words that he won't understand (English is his 99th language, I doubt he can decipher what I am opining about).

The goal is one wall type but I want my....... BUCKING DETAIL!!!!!!!!

BTW, in my plan I used a window and a pass-thru. I should of put in a window and did the DOUBLE WALL O[TIONS...... ENLARGED OPENING OPTION, that way only one window and no pass-thru needed. But still I had to build two walls.

I know, I know, you think there is a misspelling in the title, not so. Take a look at the picture, my client calls this a BUCKING DETAIL Essentially we are framing a 2x8 wall but around the window we want the REBATE/INVERTED TRIM, whatever you want to call it. Take a look at the plan, this is the beset solution I have come up with.... 2 walls.... what a hassle..... anybody have a better idea? BBB A BUCKING PLAN 1.plan.zip

Here is a vid, not a bad vid. http://youtu.be/EnUIljodQC4