robdyck

For a column, especially a square column, I'd suggest using the 'Post' tool which can be found under 'General Framing'.

Yes. https://3d-viewer.chiefarchitect.com/go?share=705752943482554 https://3d-viewer.chiefarchitect.com/go?share=170850252294042

I gotta admit, I draw my share that are similar as well. And in my neck of the woods, I buy food for the kids with the money other people give me to draw what they like. Sometimes they care if I like it as well, other times...not so much.

???

Rescale the CAD block to 1 and 1, then you can explode it.

The only reasonably quick solution I can think of would be to use 2 windows in the same place, and alter the height and properties of the 2nd window to display the sill only and interior casing only. This will solve some problems but not all. I use a default window, copy it, make a passthrough with the interior casing and no frame (reduce the height by the default frame thickness, then copy and center on the original window.

The walkthrough camera is controlled by the Full Camera defaults. Set your backdrop and layer set there.

To avoid the railing issue, it helps if you have the rails displayed in plan view and align the handrail of the stairs with the handrail of the deck. Rarely will this mean that the stairs themselves align with the outer edge of the deck.

For this look, you wouldn't need anything other than the addition of a separation or blank area to your cabinet front. Doors / drawers could be set to 'slab'.

Wall Definition: "Foundation to Exterior of"..your most exterior layer.

It also appears as though the stair may not be in the correct position butting up to the deck. You can see the stair nosing but it is inside of the deck floor surface. Also, the vector line for the top tread butting up to the deck is missing...another clue as to the top connection.

While Alan's point is definitely valid, I will mention that the amount of concrete that would be duplicated in Chief's materials list using my method would just barely be enough to prime a concrete pump and as such for almost all projects would be an inaccuracy that is insignificant.

Do you have a pattern for running CMU's? If not, can you make such a pattern? If you're planning to show the blocks in plan view (which you shouldn't FWIW) will you have them all correct? If not, what's the point? This has come up before, not sure if there's any simple solution yet.

It is possible, but not through the wall definition. You'd need to use distribution path to distribute a CAD block of the CMU. However, this will probably not work well at the corners.

Sounds like you need to turn off 'Auto Rebuild Roofs', OR change the settings that control the build of the roof in the wall specification dialog box for each wall.

Seems like a molding would be the fastest.

That's right Steve. To avoid the Room that DOES get created there, I'll take a short wall segment, usually in the mechanical room, and give it No Room Definition. I just don't like how the furred walls behave in a few other ways, mostly all the short invisible walls that Chief dimensions to the center. And there are some things I DO like about how they behave. A furred wall allows a basement window to be called out in the correct room, for example. So when I say I never use them, I should clarify that I almost never use them, and its because the benefits of one method trump the benefits of another method for my typical finished plan set. If I need the benefits of using the furred wall in a plan set, then of course, they make the cut.

I would NOT edit footings for concentrated loads in the manner described above. I'd use a separate object (there's a few that work nicely) because: its faster...much faster I'd be reporting all those atypical footings in a schedule the reinforcing (which should vary dependent on the loads) can also be reported in the aforementioned schedule I don't want Chief telling me I can or can't display them. More control...yes please!

Feel free to send me a PM. Whether I'm qualified could be a matter of opinion but I've got 20 years of experience as a custom residential framing contractor and I've been drawing plans with Chief for 22 years...and yet I remain the youngest member on this forum!

Practice...click on auto exterior dimensions. Then start adjusting everything until there are no fractional wall lengths.

Before you get to far into your plan, you should review the DEFAULT SETTINGS. When the default ceiling is different than every room in you plan, that's a bit of a red flag that you could be going about it wrong. It'd also be a good idea to review all your ceiling elevations...is 121 1/2" what you actually want? A few thoughts about the roof...all the roof pitch is the same and all roofs except the Porch Roof are at the same elevation...ensure these all have the same baseline elevation (relative to the ceiling height). This assumes the baselines are in the correct location of course and it appears as though yours are! Then ensure the raised porch ceiling and roof is a reasonable dimension higher than the main roofs....13" is not a reasonable difference. I'd suggest using 12" or 16" or 18".

Yes, I understand Scott. It was a joke, not a jab, but I realize that isn't always relayed through this medium...I assure you I meant no offense! Time spent on this forum will reveal that I'm rarely serious. I would suggest watching even more of the training videos...no doubt you already have spent a lot of time on that. I'd also suggest concentrating on the development of the rooms before working on the roof. Ensure you have the correct room types with the correct structures (floors, ceilings) and finishes. Then, its much simpler to deal with roofs, either manual or automatic. Just like actual building, its much easier to put a roof on when the walls aren't moving! May I also suggest reviewing the topic below...this simple starting suggestion will make life much easier.

And you're saying that maybe a set of plans should just be purchased?!?

Yes, but I don't use furred walls for those. I have a separate wall type for the insulation wall and I draw it inside the foundation, then butt it up against the fdn wall. I never ever use a furred wall. It does not do goofy things with the area calculator, it just doesn't do what you'd like with the area calculator. Read up on how the area is calculated and you'll see it is behaving as it should.

select a roof plane edge, press '2', select adjacent roof plane edge to join. Voila!