GeneDavis

Too much glass! That's my problem when running the web-based ResCheck package. Owners buy these big-acreage lots with killer mountain views, then want windows and sliding glass walls everywhere. In your jurisdictions, how detailed does plans review get for your IECC certificates? And how detailed is inspection?

Yes. Drew one. Put it on a useful layer if you want, otherwise it will be on CAD, Floor Framing. Copy and paste as needed. For X all in a row, drag-space-copy is fast and easy.

Is the scope to provide construction docs for constructing a building? Because the way that is done using Chief Architect is to "draw" the building, get everything about it exactly the way it is to be built, and then, and only then, to do the layout. Only when going to layout (the term we use for creating the documents) do we concern ourselves with using CAD details. Take a look at all the sample plans shown on Chief's website.

The file can't attach unless you close it firtst.

Watch the training video "Understanding default sets," at the Chief site.

Everyone has their opinions, and mine is that the elevation you show is pretty plain. And I am not sure what value, really, those dashed lines accenting roof overhangs bring. Have you tried suggesting an alternative, straight out of Chief? Something like what Michael (Alaskan Son) showed in a thread about techniques? Pic below. Very pale pattern lines, shadows, and a semi-transparent mask over the foundation. Or are you asked to comply with their standards because they have multiple sources for plans and yours have to meet their specs.

I want my great room with the ceiling finish it has, which is tongue and groove boards. The kitchen is for now undecided, but may be different from the other two. There is wall separation between all three, just as there is wall separation for the other rooms on this floor.

OK, I watched the silent video, pausing it so I could see various things, and I am lost. Here is what I have.

I cannot get sound in Michael's video.

OK, I see. You need to define the small area of floor there as having less structure depth, and to do this you will need to use the room divider wall type to wrap the area adjacent the floor opening, then specify structure accordingly. Chief won't give you the ability when doing this to bevel the ceiling, so you will do a polyline solid to get that triangular-section piece. A CAD detail should be drawn to show the framer what to do.

I want the room ceiling, the top of the tray, one material, and the tray sides, another. I did a one-room house as a test and can get what I want, but not in the plan. The plan file is here (I hope I did Dropbox correct.) https://www.dropbox.com/s/zk217tczyvxufop/BZ.plan?dl=0 For some reason, I have an error message and something in my specs of settings is keeping me from getting what I want.

More detail needed.

But I still gotta ask. Why is hidden so important? Here is a sample from Chief of a plan, and note how the shed dormers are treated. Any builder can understand it.

In the example given by the OP, all the walls are shown as single dashed lines, no matter what level (0, 1, . . . ), and if we want to get that we need to do CAD work. Those wall lines are an important element. Doing those roof planes with solid fill and controlling order of draw is done, then the entire group of CAD lines representing the building lines, i.e., the outer face of the main layer, is given FRONT status in order of draw. Creating the CAD goes quickly.

Give us an example of what you want to see on your construction docs. Roofs shown in plan view in Chief are not rendered as solids. Their bounds are shown, so a lower roof under one higher does not have "hidden" parts not shown. Are all your roofs showing on one plan level, i.e., 0, 1, 2, . . . ? That is a start. We need to see what you want to do, to be able to suggest solution.

When you are done, give us a shot from inside! This one is done all with trusses.

Have you learned to use the ceiling plane tool? You're gonna need it.

This feature wall which looks out at a million dollar mountain view, is 24' wide x 25' tall at its peak. If you have done one this size with ordinary 2x framing, kudos to you and the framer. I think steel is needed. How do you do the steel elements in such a wall with Chief? And isn't the Chief Architect sample plan "Bachelor" done with steel in a couple glass walls like this, but I downloaded the plan and cannot see the steel.

Stairs go up to a gallery/loft, and where they end at top, with 44-1/2" width, the wall adjacent the woman figure is 6'1" at the wall, and the OH is 7'0" at the middle of the stair run. What does code say about this? This isn't gonna get built where they will say anything about it, but I want to know how a well-versed plans reviewer or inspector would treat it.

I don't see this option for barn doors. Suggestion time?

I don't see that option. Is there a workaround?

Thanks, Eric. I knew there was a way, as I have done it before. Needed a reminder: tudor, no radius.

Dogear arch isn't doing it for me. All I can get is a 45 side when I need one steeper. The image is what I want.

Most windows get cased (trimmed) to cladding (unit edge at perimeter) at exterior and over-with-reveal on inside. This means if heights of windows are tweaked so door head trim height matches that of windows, you cannot do it for both in and out. Check it out. Casing (at head) for an exterior wood-framed door is about 1/2" LOWER outside than inside, while for a clad window it's opposite. Exterior is HIGHER out versus in. Chief models casings with better realism for doors than it does for windows, for me at least, because all my jobs use clad windows.

The R.O. opening height for an 8/0 exterior door is 99" plus or minus. A header with a plate under it thus can be no taller than 5-1/2", for 109" walls. Until a new update happens and gives us more framing options, one will have to do manual editing to get headers tight to top with plate under.