GeneDavis

It will take time, but the tilted elements can all be modeled as solids. For just those parts, I'd be inclined to model in Sketchup and import. CDs will be tedious. Charge a fortune.

So for window height to align to door height, your doors are not a standard 6/8, or 8/0? And your wall height is 109 not 109-1/8? Most places sell 9' precut studs that produce the 109.125 wall height, and that's what you see in Chief's OOB template.

83 3/8" is the RO height when a 2x10 header with plate under is tight to the top, when 97 1/8" is wall height. I'm not able to access my X12 today but how does Chief autoframe it when the 2x10 header and 82 7/8" window height and 1/2" top clearance is specified? Should be a quick edit, but you'll do it for each opening in wall detail, then for each opening in section to get the inside ply tight to the outside ply. Tedious, but straightforward editing. I do it on every job.

Don't trust the dbx image. Show us both after framing.

Material regions.

Tell you what. Paypal me $500 and we'll zoom for an hour and you'll be all set.

This can't be real. You created the 3D model, the house, with the interior you show on the picture, all of which would require you to study and train with the software, extensively if I might say, and you cannot understand layers, layersets, default sets, and saved plan views? in plan view for floor 1, open it using the various out-of-box SPVs, and for each one, carefully examine the active layersets and all the defaults. You'll learn something.

Watch some videos on default sets, layersets, and saved plan views. It's all there for you.

I want countertop at 36 above finished floor, so I specify FF for cabinet bottoms. Most of my work is for a guy that does all basecabs sitting on adjustable legs, with snap-on toeboards. In your case, if you know for sure what can and will be ordered, design and specify accordingly. If you don't, set the cabs at FF height.

+100 for Perry's circa 1988 solution. Meet with them in person, show them plans, discuss whatever next steps are needed, roll them up, end of meeting. Client gets no copies of the plan.

"We are struggling with clients taking plans drawn to scale to “other” builders for quotes. There’s just too much info in CA that defeats our purpose. I would like to be able to present concept plans that makes it impossible for another builder to quote from. From a sales and marketing approach , give them less tech info and focus on the conceptual." First of all, you need to be getting paid, and up front, to produce this work. You will never ever find a way to stop such clients from taking your work product to the type of builder who says, "hey, all's ah need is a pitcher, and we can build what you want." Me, I wouldn't give them plans, but instead would give them 3D walkthroughs, and without any good overviews of the house a builder could use. Many people don't get into the weeds of a house design, but instead fixate on one or two things they saw somewhere that they want in their own house. Show them only those one or two things and showcase them well. Take a look at this one from Chief, and ff to 12:17 mark to see the show. If you don't want to have to get up to speed on walkthrough techniques, consider screencap pics of perspective floor overviews, maybe one perspective full overview as if shot from a drone out at the street looking at the house from 40 feet up, and just a few raytraced interior shots of the spaces most meaningful to the client. In other words, tempt them using 3D, give them nothing in 2D, no plans, no elevations, nothing a resourceful builder could use to rip off your design and cut you out. Also, make it clear with watermarks or annotation on whatever you present that your design is copyrighted. If you find someone end-running you, look at the for-permit plans on file at the building department they used to build. If your plan was copied, threaten to sue, and copy the building department and the builder. I've seen building departments so notified refuse to issue a C.O. unless shown evidence of settlement.

Why don't you give us some specifics? Framing lumber? Chief's not your engineer. You must size all those beams and posts, and place them in the plan. Fireblocking, backing for all the conditions where you need it, you'll model it all in. Hangers? You gotta choose and spec it all, and Chief won't count it for you. Roofing? Chief will get a lot of things right, but don't expect it to tally starter shingles, ridge venting, step flashing, kickouts, ice/water membrane, boots and other specialties for penetrations, and nails or staples. If your standards for framing, roofing, insulation, trim, staircase work, and many more elements remain fairly fixed for project after project, you will be able to tweak your template to give good results. But if you build from plans and specs by others, each job unique, expect a long setup process each time.

Seeking services?

Behaves as expected here. My ceiling planes jump from inside framing line, and roof baselines are on outside framing lines.

Sometimes, additions after additions do not end well.

You can build a roof, then frame it which will generate lookouts for the gables, then raise the roof the appropriate distance to house the lookout profile when moved up to rafter top. Move one lookout, edit it for length, then repeat-copy as needed. Just make sure you haven't checked to auto reframe roofs. You'll need to elevate all the eave and rake work, meaning subfascia and fascia. I did not go as far as dealing with fascia, but in the image here, I moved one of the gable subfacia members up.

Thread winner!

I would call it skip sheathing, something one would do on a barn that's gonna get wood shingles or shakes.

For this one from last year, I tried a bunch of stuff but gave up and used solids to do the drywall fills where needed. The trusses framed correctly, as did the cheek walls. I recall doing the 2x4 ceiling joists manually.

But you'll have to know how the preferred truss supplier likes to place girders and hips. Those are key. The rest is just boilerplate.

Both, I guess. I recall him saying he has no internet, just a smartphone connected via a tower somewhere. He must have to truck into town every week or so to connect his laptop to wifi to satisfy Chief's need for web connectivity.

This is the guy that can't post plans, and gives us images of his screen with his cell phone. Sounds like he solved it by doing room open below, but he gave us no pic of the problem solved. Another BnC mystery.

Somebody tell us why the sheathing should sit on and have its face flush to a foundation. This does not seem like a good practice, particularly in this current age of rainscreen walls.

Is this the "ladder," i.e. embedded pressure treated 2x6s? Lotta lumber. Where is finished grade?

Foundations built to eighths and sixteenths are never gonna happen. I know there are local practices, and this one's pretty dumb. I want whole inches for outside dimensions, and framing to those building lines. Describe the feature or benefit if aligning sheathing to foundation (which is always gonna be off line somewhere) and why you cannot do what's done most everywhere.