mydog8it

I'm backlogged. I'm looking for a freelance designer/drafter to help with revisions to existing stock plans. Payment will be on a per-project basis. I'll send a list of changes/additions the customer would like to make to a plan, you quote a fee and time frame to complete. Payment schedule is negotiable, but a percentage of your fee as job milestones are completed seems to make sense. I'd like to work with someone that has at least 3 years experience with residential design and Chief Architect, and is familiar with contemporary/modern styles and southwest construction - manufactured trusses, mostly monolithic slabs, parapets or low roof pitches. I draft my own sections (I don't use CA's auto-detail for those) so you'll need some CAD skills to edit those as well. You must have your own current CA license. My plans are in X2 - X10, so having some older versions on your system would be a bonus but not required. You must be willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Send me a private message with your contact info if you're interested!

Thank you. I will give that a try.

Does anyone know where I can find a symbol for a set of string lights that work as lights in CA? I'm looking for those big bulbs on a single draped line. I found a few string light symbols in 3d warehouse but I'm not able to get them working as lights. Something like this: https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/3cd60ff1af916a362a0df0488873749b/String-Party-Lights

Got it. This is super helpful. Thank you! Thanks- I was wondering about the partition walls, too. Can't watch on my phone, but i will check this out when I'm at my desk Interesting.

They weren't always owned by Dell. But 5 years is a pretty good life span for a computer.

Thanks for the feedback! When you say "on layout," do you mean a stud at each edge of the shear panel?

In my opinion, asus rog (republic of gamers) is the most reliable gaming computer brand out there. I'm not a fan of Dell (which is Alienware).

So, as far as best practice when actually framing the building, there would be a typical 3-stud California corner on each corner (without the "u" CA is adding), and the "frame though" would be on the bearing wall? I'd love feedback from any contractors on how this is actually done vs. rendered.

Now this has me wondering - is the "frame through" typically on the load bearing walls? Like this (cross hatch is bearing):

Ahhh. So it only fixed it when I checked the box because when the corner changed directions, the stud spacing was different. Thanks for the clarity. I measured the spacing on the corners with extra studs, and sure enough, they are greater than 16" oc. Apparently I have to move and re-align everything again.

Interesting - I had it unchecked, but I just tested it again and checking that box fixed it. It also rotated all of the corners. Thanks

This plan is in X8. I haven't downloaded X9 yet...I really need to get on that before X10 comes out. lol Thanks for the tip on the framing reference points. I've already moved/aligned/centered everything on this one, but I'll check it out if I have to do a wall framing plan again. I don't do them for the same reason-framers won't even bother to look at it.

My old computer is the older version of that. I love it. The only upside to this smaller one is portability.

Thanks. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. Sidenote: The crazy off-center non-symmetrical spacing of wall studs at the corners and around/over openings is killing me.

I don't typically do wall framing plans and haven't used the auto wall framing tool before. Does anyone know why it would frame 2 corners of a rectangular building with a normal California corner, and the other two like the second image?

I was going to get this one: https://www.asus.com/us/Laptops/ROG-G752VS/ but I decided to try out this one at half the price: https://www.asus.com/us/Laptops/ROG-GL553VD/ with 32g ram. So far I'm pretty happy with it, especially for the price. No overheating, no lag when viewing really big renderings, and overall pretty fast. I haven't raytraced yet though. My biggest complaint so far is the case is a little cheap and plastic-y feeling... and I need to plug in a bigger monitor for doing actual work.

That's interesting. I think mine is a G72 and I've been pretty happy with it, but I've upgraded the RAM & video card and added a big SSD. Any problems with your G75 overheating?

Is anyone running CA on one of the 7th gen i7 Asus ROG laptops? How's it working? I'm considering either the G series or the GL series. My biggest concern is overheating, and I'm not sure which would be a better option. I have an older G series now, and from time to time I have to put an ice pack under it when I'm raytracing. I'm hoping one of the newer models will have a better cooling system.

I've noticed everything slows way down once I add electrical, terrain, and some furniture. I do those in a separate file from my construction sets now. "save as" then add all of that. Or, if I don't need fancy 3D models I use CAD blocks for electrical instead of symbols. If the lot is flat I use a polyline solid for the lot surface/perimeter instead of creating a terrain perimeter. You can also use CAD blocks for outlets and switches, and just put in actual light fixture symbols. That helps, too.

Thank you. 'Technique Options' did the trick. I knew it had to be something ridiculously simple.

Has anyone found a way to edit the shadow intensity for an existing/saved vector elevation? I changed the defaults under camera > rendering techniques, but that only seems to apply to new cameras. I'm not seeing an option to edit the shadows under 3d > edit active camera, just to turn them on and off. Sidenote: The elevation shadows look amazing! Well done, CA.

A recent client decided to add a pool at the end of the project, and the grading/drainage engineer made quite a few changes to accommodate. We also went through five or six variations on exterior color schemes, landscape & hardscape options. Needless to say, that plan exterior was re-rendered A LOT. But you're right, most plans are not. That actually might be nice for things other than terrain, too, but it's not something I'll complain about. I'm just excited to finally be getting frameless corner windows in x8

That probably makes your plan much faster, especially with complicated terrain, but I would get frustrated re-blocking and placing the home back on the terrain every time the client wanted a change.

I think you're making it more complicated than it is. If you open the terrain perimeter and check the boxes to "flatten pad" and "hide terrain intersected by building" the gaps below and mounds of dirt inside will go away. This gives you a flat pad under your building. Unchecking those boxes will let you see how the building interacts with the unaltered terrain so you can see where you need cut and fill.

I would open the line that is your '100ft' line and verify what elevation CA has that line set at. Then open your terrain perimeter and uncheck the 'automatic' box under 'building pad > subfloor height above terrain' and match the building pad to the elevation of your 100ft line. If your 100ft line is set at elevation 1200" (100'), your subfloor height above terrain would be 1200". Example: I have a plan with an elevation line that represents 1943 ft in real life, but in my plan it is elevation 36". In my case, I wanted the slab at 1943, so I set my building pad 'subfloor height above terrain' to 36". By unchecking the boxes to 'hide terrain intersected by building' and 'flatten pad', you'll be able to see the areas that need cut and fill.