Is there still no way to calculate drywall?

[Chrisb222]

6 minutes ago, robdyck said:

Just copy your main floor wall, rename it and remove the drywall, uncheck the insulation in the framing layer, remove the fill type from the framing layer, and adjust the framing layer to 1.5" thick, and use insulation air gap so it doesn't frame a wall where you'd use a gable end truss. 

 

That's what I do now but I still think the program could be modified so an Attic Wall type in Defaults could have all the specs you describe, and ALSO derive it's exterior cladding from the main Exterior wall.

[Chrisb222]

8 minutes ago, robdyck said:

Let's remember the material list for wallboard would only be good for estimating because you'd order different lengths as needed per room, some 48", some 54", some mold resistant ,some tile backer etc.

 

As I said, my ceiling finish and wall definitions already automatically specify the corresponding board types. The only thing I have to manually change is the ceiling finish on the garage ceiling.

[Chrisb222]

11 minutes ago, robdyck said:

You're right, if it would auto generate it, that would be awesome!

 

+1

[builtright3]

For what it is worth This is only my opinion based on my experience. Not necessarily the right way just my way.

 

This is how we view it at Built-Right Construction:

Drywall is not expensive enough to return so we just scrap it out or move it to another job if its convenient to do so. Also we mostly use 12 foot sheets unless it makes sense to use shorter materials but most of the time the 12 foot sheets work out fine. More waste but less taping means less labor. Drywall is never the trade that breaks my budget unless I screw up really bad on the take off.

With that said, I would still love for Chief to improve their material list but it is not a high priority for me right now. I would rather Chief use the time to keep making the drawing part of the program better. I'm sure that's why they don't spend to much time on material list. In all reality (not speaking with experience in programming) I'm also assuming that the drawing part of the program needs to be more advanced before you can get an accurate materials list. It's all a process. But either way I really like CA and where they are going.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK CA TEAM!

[dskogg]

A little late to the party.. but when boarders install drywall they go right over windows and doors and then cut out openings and throw away ... so how could ca actually calculate drywall if it doesn’t use the total wall including openings? What am I missing?

 

same thing with counters.. I have used custom labels for counter area but if there is a sink ca doesn’t count this hole.. but we still pay for this.. is there a better way of doing this?

[Michael_Gia]

6 hours ago, dskogg said:

A little late to the party.. but when boarders install drywall they go right over windows and doors and then cut out openings and throw away ... so how could ca actually calculate drywall if it doesn’t use the total wall including openings? What am I missing?

 

same thing with counters.. I have used custom labels for counter area but if there is a sink ca doesn’t count this hole.. but we still pay for this.. is there a better way of doing this?

Chief does not deduct windows or doors from the calculation as far as I can tell. Windows can be installed from floor to ceiling and chief will return the same number of sheets with or without the window, which is the right way to calculate. As you said, installers go right over the window, cut out the window and throw that piece into a container. 

 

As Kbird1, recommended, I switched my calculation method to area instead of sheet for the quantity. This allows me to calculate the waste myself rather than have Chief round out the number of sheets. 

 

Material list is still ill not reliable or obvious for these sorts of calculations. I still double check with Plines. 

 

The one and only thing I miss from my days with SoftPlan is there material list module, SoftList. That was incredible. So straight forward and precise. Too bad everything else was so constrained and restricted when compared to Chief. 

Can’t have it all, I guess. 

[PatelHomes]

On 2/18/2019 at 7:51 PM, robdyck said:

Does this mean you need to take your socks off?! I agree. However, with experience one should find a correlation from floor area to wall area for the types of homes you build, for estimating only, not ordering. Let's remember the material list for wallboard would only be good for estimating because you'd order different lengths as needed per room, some 48", some 54", some mold resistant ,some tile backer etc.                                                                                                                                                                                       So the real key

 

is to keep estimates simple and flexible, using ratios as a guide while leaving the details for the actual order stage. Every room will have unique needs, so the material list is only a starting point, not the final word. Just like in construction, comfort and accuracy come from preparation, and sometimes that extra layer of protection feels as necessary as wearing Long Socks on a cold day.
 

Not exactly, it just means you should rely on experience and ratios rather than overcomplicating the process. Using floor-to-wall area correlations gives you a quick estimate, while the actual order depends on room requirements and material types. That way, you keep estimates practical but still leave room for adjustments when finalizing materials.

[para-CAD]

Not sure what I am looking at in the material list

[Michael_Gia]

9 hours ago, para-CAD said:

Not sure what I am looking at in the material list

 

If you go into your wall definition and chose or add a new material for the drywall that's easy to spot, like "para-CAD drywall 1" or whatever.

 

Then go into > 3D > Materials > Plan Materials (or use the Rainbow tool)

Make sure to adjust the "Material List" tab in the material dialogue box to "Material List Calculation" and set if to "Area"

 

Then re run your Material list.  

If the Material list is still not giving the area in square footage then you have to click into the line item on the material list, click on the number in the "Count" column and hit the Wrench icon to update that material to "Area" (Unfortunately Chief doesn't always do this automatically)

 

If you do all that then you can add a "1" as a price to give you the total cost which will be your total square footage of drywall in the Total column at the bottom.  

That's a little cheat as long as you don't mind $463.76 as your total square footage.

 

Or Chief could ask their software engineers to spend a total of 46 seconds to fix these and other ridiculous quirks in this very unfinished aspect of the software.  such a shame, it's not far from being a truly great tool.

 

Oh well, maybe X18?

 

 

[GeneDavis]

When I began building I was lucky to have a drywall supplier that worked up the sheet counts by on-site measuring.  He chalked the counts onto each room's door frame, and the house got loaded, room by room, with the rock.  Ceiling boards on floor, wall boards against walls.

 

Chief's calcs fail to subtract the thickness of the ceiling rock and the 1/2" pry-up the lower course gets off the floor.  Just subtracting that would help to get the counts more realistic for the 1/2" boards.  

But if you've specified 12-foot boards for a 10 x 10 room, you're gonna have to live with that small pile of two-foot offcuts.  Unless you've some 13 and 14 foot walls, they're going in the dumpster.

[builtright3]

I never have understood the wallboard (drywall) section. I wish I could rely on it for material quantities but its to confusing and I never know if it is including the ceiling wall board (drywall).

 

I like the "Insulation" section beter. It says whats walls and ceilings.

Im sure you can customize it but It always seems to time consuming and I can do take off faster with a pencil and calculator.

Dont get me wrong, I am a total Cheif Architect fan I just wish the material list were better.

[Michael_Gia]

7 hours ago, builtright3 said:

Im sure you can customize it but It always seems to time consuming and I can do take off faster with a pencil and calculator.

Cumbersome as it is just give your materials easily recognizable names.
 

Set up your template or your latest plan that you want to use for a save as method, with materials that are easy to pick out from a material list.

 

Ensure that your wall definitions, floor and ceiling structure have those materials that you’ve customize the names for. 
 

to double check I use the perspective floor overview and run around with the rainbow tool to make sure all the materials are what I expect them to be, and that they are set to “area” in the material list tab. 
 

then what I do is just export a comprehensive material list to excel where I sort the table by the material name.  One list to rule them all. 
 

I also use the “generate report” feature and enter a price of $1 to get the total for a specific material. 
Both work. 
 

I have to thank @robdyck for these tips and techniques. 

[Chrisb222]

7 hours ago, builtright3 said:

Im sure you can customize it but It always seems to time consuming

 

It's not that bad. Copy the drywall material for as many different boards as you use and give them a name that makes sense. I specify 5/8" 4x12 boards for ceilings, so all my rooms have "Drywall - 5/8" as their ceiling finish. I made 3 board styles, 1/2" 48"x12', 1/2" 54"x12', and 5/8" 48"x12', then assigned them to their respective wall definitions and ceiling defaults. In the Define Material, set the Calculation up as Count and put in the correct dimensions:

 

 

In my experience it gets the count real close, and it's easy to see in the Material List which boards are being counted. Add for waste and you should be good.

 

 

[builtright3]

Thank you Guy's, very helpful

 

This helps and reenergizes me to investigate customizing my materials list so it can work for me. I’m sure I will have more questions and comments to add to this thread as I put things together. I need to review some videos and get reacquainted with the materials list. It’s been about 5 years since I tried to use it and I’m sure there has been lots of changes that I don’t know about.

[Chrisb222]

1 hour ago, builtright3 said:

I’m sure I will have more questions and comments to add to this thread as I put things together.

 

As noted earlier in this thread, watch out for attic walls - they adopt the default wall type and will return a drywall count, unless you change all of them to a wall type with no drywall layer. Just watch the material list, attic boards will show up as being on Floor 2 on a one story house, Floor 3 on a 2 story, so you can just ignore the count for that floor if you don't want to change the walls.

[builtright3]

47 minutes ago, Chrisb222 said:

 

As noted earlier in this thread, watch out for attic walls - they adopt the default wall type and will return a drywall count, unless you change all of them to a wall type with no drywall layer. Just watch the material list, attic boards will show up as being on Floor 2 on a one story house, Floor 3 on a 2 story, so you can just ignore the count for that floor if you don't want to change the walls.

Noted, Thank You Sir