Accurate default settings?

[grumpydad]

I will start by saying I am not a builder just a design engineer who wants to design his own home. I purchased Chief Architect Premier and have started to design the house. However since i am not a builder I am unsure if the default setting in Chief are accurate for how walls, floors, roofs, should be built. I know there are lots of options and ways to build these things I am mainly look for guidance as to what is normally the standards. How accurate are the defaults? any direction to find these answers would be very much appreciated. 

[RGWhite]

The defaults are as accurate as you want them to be.  Not sure what you want to see.  You must know the local building codes in order to set things up in your default.  For example here in Florida we must put two king studs each side of window and doors.  The program comes with one king stud each side.  Residential footers should have two #5 rebars cont. , make sure that is set up.  So as you can see it can be done but you need to know what the standards are locally.  Some of the details will have to be drawn manually as the program has it's limits.

[grumpydad]

Robert, 

 

Thanks for your reply, this is exactly what I was thinking. Without being a builder and knowing those types of things I can only go so far in my design I would imagine. So no matter what I do in my design I will have to have a builder review the design and make the necessary changes. 

[DzinEye]

 The short answer... If you're planning a pretty generic stick-built home, I think Chiefs default settings will get you close enough for basic design purposes.

Beyond that there's a world of questions that needs answering;  What country, state, city are you designing this for?... Different countries, different parts of a country, different counties and cities all potentially have different requirements.  Within the U.S., they're relatively close but there are differences.  Aside from codes, locally available materials and regional practices may partly dictate 'normal' construction standards in your area.  Codes and Standards aren't the same thing.   You can look up building codes online once you're learned from your building department what codes they follow.  That's a pretty deep-dive though if you just want to 'design' something that you can pass along to other professionals to complete for the building permit and the construction processes.  If your intent is to do all of the above, then you have a long road in front of you.   

[grumpydad]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I will certainly leave the details to the professionals that know how the house should be built and jest keep the basic defaults to get the plan in place. I just was trying to avoid having to pay $2000 for house plans from one of these online house plan sites. 

 

Marvin

[Kbird1]

46 minutes ago, solver said:

you might consider Home Designer Pro instead for $500.00

 

I tend to agree with Eric especially if you plan to pass off the Plans for ConDocs later.

 

HD Pro is now $600 ( Sept 1st 2021) but they immediately put it on Sale again , so it is back to $500 currently for HD Pro 2022.

 

M.

[joey_martin]

A few thousands dollars spent to insure your $100K+ investment is correct is a very, very small price to pay. Hire a pro.

[para-CAD]

Everywhere I used to frame (except for Western Canada) was this:

Pre-cut Studs

92 5/8

104 5/8

116 5/8

- Add (3) plates (2 top and 1 bottom, you get:

8’-1 1/8”

9’-1 1/8”

10’-1 1/8”

That covers your standard wall heights.

 

The majority of Joists can be lumber, I-joist or trusses:

Lumber: (PT is usually a bit thicker)

2x10 = 9.25”

2x12 = 11.25”

 

I-Joist

9.5”

11.875”

14”

16”

 

Floor trusses

Anything over 18” mostly (24”)

 

My typical design here is 9’ main floor (9’-1 1/8”), 8’ second floor (8’-1 1/8”).

In Texas, the big homes I framed were 10’ main (10’-1 1/8”) and 9’ upper (9’-1 1/8”) mostly.

 

Remember that the taller you go with wall heights and floor systems, the longer you will need for your stairs.  Best thing about tall walls is tall (8’) doors and taller window options….both get $$$ as you deviate from the normal plain jane.

[LevisL]

3 hours ago, para-CAD said:

Everywhere I used to frame (except for Western Canada) was this:

 

Pre-cut Studs

 

92 5/8

 

104 5/8

 

116 5/8

 

- Add (3) plates (2 top and 1 bottom, you get:

 

8’-1 1/8”

 

9’-1 1/8”

 

10’-1 1/8”

 

That covers your standard wall heights.

 

 

 

The majority of Joists can be lumber, I-joist or trusses:

 

Lumber: (PT is usually a bit thicker)

 

2x10 = 9.25”

 

2x12 = 11.25”

 

 

I-Joist

 

9.5”

 

11.875”

 

14”

 

16”

 

 

Floor trusses

 

Anything over 18” mostly (24”)

 

How long ago did you frame up here in Western Canada?! Reason I ask is I've been drafting for about 20 years and what you just listed has been more or less standard as far as I can remember! I've worked in Edmonton, Lethbridge, and I've been in the Peace Country for the last 10 years. All the same. The ladder system at the top of foundation walls apparently is a Western Canada thing though, though even that is more popular in certain cities than others! And very few stick framed roofs. Most of the roofs use energy heel trusses up here.