johnny

If you post the plan someone could probably solve the issue in a few seconds. ....

I agree with that statement about "profession" in general.....but I think Chief doesn't need to be as challenging as it is sometimes. I think the folks at Chief have done a great job on so many things - but its the basic 10% items that are just killing us. Id love for x9 to be 90% clean-up of existing tools and processes. X8 was a solid release, but we need more focus on fundamental tools/problems.

Scott - I agree with you 100%. Chief amazes me so completely in certain areas, but others I want to throw my entire computer out the window.... its barely holding on to the status "tough but worth it".

Between Softplan and Chief you are making the correct decision.

Well done!

Has anyone tried to setup custom railings for this? Seems like "panels" would work fairly well.

Actually, the render is adding dynamic lighting to your "color" choice. You can get the colors closer by learning how to select certain ranges and values with less saturation - but that is a whole lesson on its own.

I didnt have time to do a vid, but if you notice your walls in those sections are broken at the top - as if you may have re-shaped them. You need to get your wall back to being unbroken at the tops and it will work.

I agree with Michael here. Specific tools for this type of work will make the process much faster.

I do wish we had a better way to manually select connections between walls/roofs etc. However, it is a quick fix in the current system: (by the way nice house design - is this a new construction or existing remodel of an English tutor?)

Ill add too that some of the power users have saved my bacon a number of times, and are also one of the truly great things about Chief's offering.

Very nice.

I tend to agree with the spirit of this thread, though I think a lot of the "power users" are trying to help. Chief is both the best and worst software i've ever used. Hands down its also the hardest software i've had to learn, and that is probably because Chief does so many things differently. As someone else said once 80-90% of a project is very easy in Chief but the last 10-20% basicly can be a nightmare. Even with its issues its currently the best software for residential home design - but Chief as a company needs to get an architect on staff to help round some issues out.

Thank you sir!!.

Glenn had shared with me a dimension setting that is commonly used in Europe and Australia which keeps the extension line separated by a certain distance from the object being dimensioned. I cannot find the controlling entry point to define that distance. Does anyone know where to look? I had thought i knew but when I change that number isn't not changing my setting. Thanks in advance.

I think if you have multiple buildings symbols are best.

Draft-stopping and fire-stopping are slightly different things but often get confused since they are so similar. Firestopping is to actually restore fire-rating for separated spaces or prevent a fire from spreading - Draftstopping is choke a fire's air supply by making it difficult/impossible for it to pull air from an adjoining space. I believe Scott is referring to draft-stopping, although his very first post he does say "fire block".

Scott - i do not think you need the draft-stops by code. I suppose the inspector is defining the roof space as floor??? There is a good chance the inspector is making a mistake (happens all the time) but i've come to realize those fights can go bad places.

Where are you relating having an attic access with not needing draft-stops? Id like to see where you are reading that. Unless there is something specific in the CA code the IRC states: R302.12 Draftstopping. In combustible construction where there is usable space both above and below the concealed space of a floor/ceiling assembly, draftstops shall be installed....

Here is another good section on this. http://publicecodes.cyberregs.com/st/ny/st/b200v10/st_ny_st_b200v10_7_sec017.htm

Do you have a section of the mansard roof detail by chance? Often rim/sole plates and blocking "naturally" create draftstopping. Is there a living space above your mansard roof? That would be a major pre-requisite to be required, not to mention that is why I recommended calling it a cornice (since there is an exception for that too). (R302.12) Can you show me what the condition looks like?

If you label the mansard roof as a cornice you may be fine without....though its fire-blocking is so easy to fulfill. If the inspector is asking for it then re-labeling to cornice may not work.

You know you didn't post plan...?

Sure I would recommend CA for remodels. I've used other BIM apps and the process isn't all that much different in Chief. I won't lie though, there is a huge learning curve for Chief as they've decided not to create much familiarity with other apps. Their 2d tools (and 3d generic shape tools) aren't very good in my opinion - and I am talking beyond the basics. The power of Chief is in its 3D specialty tools that makes otherwise complex model elements easy.

Its easy in Chief to show existing walls in 2D - but its not as easy to try and get 3D representations of both. Practically speaking I dont see how that would be a good thing anyways. Draw your as-built condition first, then you can make a CAD detail from view - block it, and then bring it into a new plan as 2D (line properties how you define) and start to model your "final" condition. The MTO produced by Chief is good IF you take the time to meticulously model everything correctly. I could see this being a more problematic issue with a remodel when you mix new condition with existing.