New Chief X11 "Remodeling" Video

[HumbleChief]

Just started watching but expect to learn something new...

 

 

[DRAWZILLA]

Not the way I do it but a good video for anyone learning.

[SNestor]

This video is targeted to beginners or for someone considering purchasing the software.  For someone with CA experience it’s a snoozer

[HetrickDesign]

I'm wondering how many folks here use Room Planner for measuring existing conditions? I tried it once, and felt it was too slow for me, even with a brand new decent spec tablet. I love the idea, though.

[Michael_Gia]

I still picked up a good trick. Although I knew about it, I just hadn’t used it in a while. That was to make the staircase fill 50% transparent so I can see those hidden walls underneath. 

For some reason I had developed the habit of turning the stair layer on and off instead. 

I still find these little gems in Chief’s videos from time to time. 

[EmpireDrafting]

4 hours ago, nVisionTEKBIM said:

I'm wondering how many folks here use Room Planner for measuring existing conditions? I tried it once, and felt it was too slow for me, even with a brand new decent spec tablet. I love the idea, though.

We have tried using the room planner with a Disto laser device, and sometimes the blue tooth works fine, and the next round it won't do a thing, so we do the manual input.  So far we have not had the courage to try it at a client site, but we are hoping to reduce the office as built time, by getting the as builts put together during the measure.  Don't have much time to practice - thanks to a full plate...Michael

[DRAWZILLA]

I actually like the use of room planner except for the fact that there is no consideration for measuring the site ,which occurs on every job. If they only somehow could make that work , even using just lines and text.  My experience was also that it takes me much longer to do a measure of an as-built vs. paper and pen.  I do like the transfer to Chief though so if it takes longer to measure I guess , less time spent at the layout stage once in Chief. Might be a tradeoff. I like to get in and out of there as quick as I can though.

[EmpireDrafting]

1 hour ago, DRAWZILLA said:

I actually like the use of room planner except for the fact that there is no consideration for measuring the site ,which occurs on every job. If they only somehow could make that work , even using just lines and text.  My experience was also that it takes me much longer to do a measure of an as-built vs. paper and pen.  I do like the transfer to Chief though so if it takes longer to measure I guess , less time spent at the layout stage once in Chief. Might be a tradeoff. I like to get in and out of there as quick as I can though.

Like you, Drawzilla, sometimes you have full liberty, but when there is a contractor, an owner and an agent in the mix, one needs to get in and out.  So we are still doing the hand sketches.  And hope we gather all of the info that the particular municipality wants.

[HetrickDesign]

1 hour ago, DRAWZILLA said:

I do like the transfer to Chief though so if it takes longer to measure I guess , less time spent at the layout stage once in Chief.

I only used Room Planner once for a survey. Some measurements didn't make sense when I converted, and I wished I had written the actual measurements to have a better reference. I just wish there were more videos and articles from users on this subject since it's a really important part of the job for a lot of us. I read some people like taking a laptop to a job site with Chief. I worry that it would risk breaking the laptop while moving around or tripping on something.

[HetrickDesign]

2 minutes ago, EmpireDrafting said:

one needs to get in and out.

I agree with this. All of my surveying experience has been me being rushed to get in and out for whatever reason. Sometimes I've been rushed so much I wanted to say I'm not responsible for any missing measurements. I'm not sure I could spend any extra time on site doing measurements with a laptop, but I wouldn't mind trying it out to see how I like it.