CARMELHILL

Me and a friend also, always thought there was a requirement for a 4" step down into a garage to prevent CO2 creeping into living space. We tried to find it one day and couldn't. It might have been in the older NYS Code from "pre" international code days.

Rene, Did you ever upload the new PBR tutorials? I just checked your Youtube channel and saw the new Twinmotion videos. Have you abandoned PBR for TM instead? I was hoping to sharpen my PBR skills during this downtime.

Is Long Island NY local enough to Rhode Island for your needs? carmelhill16@gmail.com

God dam it. Thanks guys. Now when the hell did that setting get changed on my computer. Aghhhhhhhhhhhh. Thank you both for verifying.

I just noticed that the automatic header opening framing sizing feature is not working correctly, and does not match the opening specs you set in Default Settings-Framing-Openings. To confirm, I drew a large house with only one interior wall, added door openings of different sizes and types from 3 feet to 12 feet. They all get assigned headers of (2) 2" x 6". HOWEVER, a door opening that is the same size, and changed to a horizontal slider, doors 3 and 4, get headers applied differently as seen in the schedule. It also appears to affect the window framing/schedule. All windows of different widths get assigned (2) 2x6. I hate to think about all the projects I sent out in the last 2 months that I didn't review the the door/window shedules. Oh crap. Before I submit the bug can someone else verify and duplicate?

I have a similar problem. When I use my dual screens, if a dialogue box opens on my secondary screen, it always locks up Chief. Always.

Is it just me, or this new version harder to use and navigate?

Thanks guys. I found that default setting. I couldn't find it two days ago. I use windows that I added to my User Library for standard Andersen's that I use constantly. I'll have to go in and change their individual attributes. Weird. I don't ever remember seeing this issue before, but Rescheck itself might have recently gotten an upgrade. Thank you.

I just noticed that every time I export to Rescehck, the windows come in as vinyl frames. I can't recall if this also happened in previous Chief versions. Is there anyway to force Chief to export them as wood framed windows? otherwise you have to change every line item and re-input thei U and SHGC values.

Thank yooooooooo.

I submitted the bug late last night. Brian Beck just replied. They have been able to replicate the bug and are working on a fix. Hooray. BEST company ever.

It was also acting peculiar when trying to link to a different file within the the same project folder. I save old versions of previous designs in the same folder and it couldn't relink to any of those older designs. The only way to do it was picking individual layout boxes and manually relinking. What a bummer. I hope they haven't permanently removed the external file linking ability because that will kill the detail warehouse option.

I tried it on an extra computer at my office and it does not work. The file missing is a detail warehouse file residing in a separate folder. It doesn't work in a few other ways too. It doesn't correctly relink files within the same project folder either. You can't change the referenced file to a previous older file. You can only do it by selecting individual layout boxes and linking them individually. I'll see if anyone else today has this problem. Until then, no updates to the rest of my staff. See errors attached.

I installed tonights update and have lost the ability to use the relink button on the top tool bar to relink referenced plan files. Anyone else? I've checked two projects, done a "Repair Install", and a reboot. Still no good. You can only relink individual layout views with the "relink file" button on the bottom toolbar, but global relink tool doesn't work. I also uninstalled and reinstalled with the file in our Digital Locker and it still doesn't work.

I also get hung up on the pricing. Client's ask all the time what this will cost. I hate the generic "standard minimum construction costs are $185 per sf". It would be great to give a semi-accurate price and some basic material takeoffs. But what's the best resource for prices? Means books have gotten crazy expensive. Craftsman National Estimator are more reasonable and has a direct export line item program free with their book. You can also buy the online Suite of estimating programs I think for $200, with updates for the year. Those resources still aren't very accurate for local conditions. And it's hard to find prices for, and keep them up to date, for non-standard items, or specific manufactuers. Most lumber yards have garbage websites with no listed prices. Using the web to search Home Depot and Lowes only gets you so far. I had to use Menard's website (midwest) to price out I-joist's because no one locally has listed prices. I guess one way to go is grab a set of your drawings and occasionally send them to the local yard for pricing ($150 to $300 fee). Then take their estimate and add it's line items to your Chief Master Price list. But that seems pretty stupid.

That would be nice. Yes, I know. But I use the leaders with Rich Text within our plans, more than I need them in details. I'd rather not confuse my employees with changing that preferences setting back and forth. Sadly, it takes 2 years to get decent competence with these drafting programs, on top of the standard Architectural training I give these kids. College teaches them nothing useful, except how to be the next Richard Meir, Loui Khan, or Frank Gehry.

I have a take on this I wanted to share. I did a detail creation movie for my employees, to train them how to do it the way I want. Movie for how I arrange my detail warehouse. https://youtu.be/5HbsgUNQHAY Movie on how to create the detail with automatically resized text. https://youtu.be/VqK004LwYwY

I see everyone's points here. I've also seen it explained the other way. An architect's forum I read, said more detailed spec's yield better quality work, with less variation in bids, and less liability to us. But I agree, all too often these sheets get thrown in the trash. My specs have turned more into code references that the one local town, only one specifically, is asking for more and more detail. Everytime they send their plans examiners for a code training day, I get a wave of new rejection comments and more stuff that needs to be added to the drawings. I have started doing this too, with the specific section of the code referenced on the drawing, but I do it via keynotes. The keynote system is the only way I can conceivably keep drawings readable, without getting too busy. And it's standard practice in commercial. Thank you all for your input. I'm going to cut some of the "fat", and through some specific notes into the drawings with keynotes.

With localities asking for more and more code info on drawings, and in an effort to reduce liability, I have steadily been adding to our drawing specifications. Someday I might just buy a copy of the code book and staple it to every drawing. What's the general consensus here? Other than very basic code reference notes that need to be on the cover sheet near the Climatic Data chart, where are you putting your specs? Are you adding two or three extra sheets of notes to your projects or are you printing a dedicated 8-1/2" x 11" spec book? I've seen it both ways but it seems silly to print 3 full size sheets of prints, just for the contractor and subcontractors to basically look at it once during bidding, then never again.

No. I would prefer checkboxes in the database that sends items directly to the created spec book document. But it doesn't look like I'll easily be ableto get somethign like this. That's what I've been doing for 19 years, but it feels clunky and tedious.

Yes. A construction specification. I'm not thrilled with having everything in a single column of text that I subtract from. For the past 15 years I've had all my spec's fit on one sheet of 24 x 36, but I'm starting to get more detailed. I might be heading to a spec book rubber banded to all my plans. Only the very basic bldg code notes will still be put on the plans. I've thought about Masterspec, Spectext, and others, but those are overkill at this point. I'd rather just like to be able to organize my own notes better.

Thanks guys. Those might be too complicated for the rookies in my office. I did some searching and will look further into: MSWord Autotext, Autocorrect, Quickpart Gallery, Building Blocks Organizer Phrase Expander , Text Expander and Autotext Software Clipmate Ditto Clipboard Fusion Spartan Acetext I'll let you know if I find something useful.

Can anyone recommend a good program, or technique, of creating a database of specifications, and then adding individual specs to a word document via simple clicking of checkboxes? Then drag and drop that created document into Chief. I want to enhance and customize my specificatikns but i need a better way. Can thks be done within ms word, or with ms excel, filemaker pro, etc...?