How to get walkout basement showing as foundation plan in layout

[DomaniHomeDesign]

This is the first home my team and I have created in Chief Architect (converting from SoftPlan) and we're stuck still trying to figure out if there's a way to show a foundation only plan in the layout using the "walkout" basement, level 0. We end up with the full framed walls showing on top of the 4' stem foundation walls, no interior footings for the interior bearing walls, and a stone veneer on the framed wall above that isn't supported by the foundation wall.

 

If anyone can offer information on how to get just a true, basic foundation plan in our plan set/layout that would be fantastic! The (nearly complete) floor plan is zipped up and provided below.

Warnier, Adam & Diana.zip

[DavidJPotter]

Your best friend will be found to be the "Foundation Tab" of the "Wall Specification Dialog" when manually drawing foundation walls whether they are part of or just adjacent to living space on the basement level.

 

DJP

[joey_martin]

Annotation Sets (now called default sets) and/or plan views (which I have not used as of yet) are going to be your best friends if you do many basements. 

These are from a walk-out set. These are completed with Anno/Layer sets. I can control all walls, notes, dimension, everything from the same plan file with a layer set for the foundation plan, and a different set for the floor plan.

[Joe_Carrick]

You really should have posted this in the Q&A Forum.  Tips and Techniques is where you show your tips on how to do something.  IAE,

If you just reserve Level 0 for the Foundation and then use Level 1 for the Basement it will be a lot easier.

 

Floor Levels in Chief shouldn't be confused with Floor Names. 

 

For a Building with a Basement:

• Level 0 = Foundation Plan
• Level 1 = Basement Plan
• Level 2 = First Floor Plan or Main Floor Plan
• Level 3 = Second Floor Plan

Without a Basement

• Level 0 = Foundation Plan
• Level 1 = First Floor Plan or Main Floor Plan
• Level 2 = Second Floor Plan

The Floors can be named in the Project Browser.

[joey_martin]

3 minutes ago, Joe_Carrick said:

For a Building with a Basement:

• Level 0 = Foundation Plan
• Level 1 = Basement Plan

I tried that method once, but after working the way I do, I did not like that even one little bit. I do about 90% basements, so having solid anno/layer sets have been best for my workflow.

 

[Joe_Carrick]

9 minutes ago, joey_martin said:

I tried that method once, but after working the way I do, I did not like that even one little bit. I do about 90% basements, so having solid anno/layer sets have been best for my workflow.

 

Joey,

 

You really should study using "Saved Plan Views" with "Reference Levels".  Having only the Foundation on Level 0 keeps it separate from the Basement Walls, Doors, Windows, etc.  I do a lot of homes in Southern California on sloped lots.  Many times those are "Split Level" as well and having separate Levels for the Foundation and the Basement makes it much easier.

 

Chief has evolved a lot in the past several versions and getting away from some of the ways we used to work by taking advantage of new capabilities just makes sense.  

 

[joey_martin]

Sloping lots are a different animal than the flat lots we have here. And when the door/window is a part of the foundation wall system, it's easier for me to keep track of them on the same level. I have some saved plan views set up, but every time I try to use them I just end up confusing myself and deleting them. They are in my template, but honestly I'm too busy lately to be bothered with them.

[DomaniHomeDesign]

Thanks for the suggestions and different ideas here. Newbie Chief user here, so my apologies for putting this in the wrong section. 

 

2 hours ago, Joe_Carrick said:

You really should have posted this in the Q&A Forum.  Tips and Techniques is where you show your tips on how to do something.  IAE,

If you just reserve Level 0 for the Foundation and then use Level 1 for the Basement it will be a lot easier.

 

Floor Levels in Chief shouldn't be confused with Floor Names. 

 

For a Building with a Basement:

• Level 0 = Foundation Plan
• Level 1 = Basement Plan
• Level 2 = First Floor Plan or Main Floor Plan
• Level 3 = Second Floor Plan

Without a Basement

• Level 0 = Foundation Plan
• Level 1 = First Floor Plan or Main Floor Plan
• Level 2 = Second Floor Plan

The Floors can be named in the Project Browser.

 

This was the exact "workaround" I thought of. Will continue to explore this option as we live in the Rocky Mountain region and it seems at least 75% of our jobs have walkout (at worst) or stepped (at best) basements and we (and our builders) are used to seeing a separate plan page that is strictly the foundation walls only with no framing at all. Additionally, we often have jobs with multiple "levels" below finish grade because of the significant slope on the lot - just to get footings to virgin soil.

[DomaniHomeDesign]

20 hours ago, joey_martin said:

Annotation Sets (now called default sets) and/or plan views (which I have not used as of yet) are going to be your best friends if you do many basements. 

These are from a walk-out set. These are completed with Anno/Layer sets. I can control all walls, notes, dimension, everything from the same plan file with a layer set for the foundation plan, and a different set for the floor plan.

 

 

Thanks for sharing examples of what you've done on a similar type project. This is helpful!

[SNestor]

@DomaniHomeDesign -

I made this video a while back but it may help you understand how you can used saved plan views to show what you want on the foundation level. The method Joe mentions above is also a possibility...and may work better depending on the site conditions. But this simple video may at least shine some light on the issue for you...

 

One note: In the plan view dialogue you can actually specify how pony walls are displayed...the PW display can be unique for each specific "plan view". There's no need to go to defaults and change the pony wall display. 

 

 

[DomaniHomeDesign]

 

9 hours ago, SNestor said:

@DomaniHomeDesign -

I made this video a while back but it may help you understand how you can used saved plan views to show what you want on the foundation level. The method Joe mentions above is also a possibility...and may work better depending on the site conditions. But this simple video may at least shine some light on the issue for you...

 

One note: In the plan view dialogue you can actually specify how pony walls are displayed...the PW display can be unique for each specific "plan view". There's no need to go to defaults and change the pony wall display. 

 

 

 

Wow, thanks for sharing this video! This video actually gets me excited to dig into understanding layers and plan sets more. It looks like something another Chief user was trying to explain, but we couldn't get to work right. Will keep playing around with these tools and techniques. Much appreciated!!