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[ChiefTom396]

New user and learning Chief architect.  Navigating around, watching videos,  however I can't seem to find learning video of similar situation and what I'm trying to accomplish in my design.  Basically,  I'm removing a Steel bilco basement door and framing it out with 2x6's , entry door and gable roof. I'm looking to design and create detail drawings including the trusses. Existing walls are 10 foot and entry will be at smaller elevation. I've attached images for reference.  Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking to treat my layouts and design as an addition. 

[DavidJPotter]

You draw the three walls, set the desired ceiling height, designate it "Open Below" to allow access to the basement door. You mark the outer wall Gable by opening that wall's dialog box-Roof Tab - Gable over this wall.

 

DJP

[DBCooper]

"...set the desired ceiling height..."

 

Just to be clear, you may want to set both the ceiling and floor heights in the new room you are creating with your 3 new walls.  Heights are usually best controlled by rooms rather than trying to edit wall heights (until you get into special situations).  The room dialog is also where you designate that the room type is "open below" so that it does not get a floor.

[ChiefTom396]

16 minutes ago, DavidJPotter said:

You draw the three walls, set the desired ceiling height, designate it "Open Below" to allow access to the basement door. You mark the outer wall Gable by opening that wall's dialog box-Roof Tab - Gable over this wall.

 

DJP

Thanks, I'll give it a try in my next session.  I believe my initial approach was similar. Just wasn't getting the results I was expecting.  I designated 4 walls to resemble existing wall, then I drew the 3 walls for the new enclosure.  

[DBCooper]

"Just wasn't getting the results I was expecting."

 

In cases like this, you can always post a picture of what you are getting (and even better, include the plan file), and people might have some better advice on what you can do.

 

[Michael_Gia]

I think most experienced Chief users on here forget how challenging drawing this sort of thing is.

 

It has all the advanced skills wrapped up into a seemingly simple build.

 

And there's a lot that will not be perfect with the final result.

 

like...

 

- creating the stairwell on the first floor to give the necessary head clearance for the stairs.

- dropping the floor in the extended part so that your foundation walls come down, so that your exterior door is at terrain height.

- an invisible wall to create the landing as you walk in from outside.

- dealing with the first floor exterior wall by selecting "choose interior 6" if wall is intersected by a roof" etc...

- lowering the ceiling on either side of the exterior wall so the two ceilings line up inside or possibly having to put in a ceiling plane for the stairwell so that it slopes towards the basement.

- a lot of little wall end glitches and ceiling roof gremlins poking through.

 

Not a small task for a new user.

I hate doing these myself.

 

I actually created a small plan and wanted to send it in but was too embarrassed with the result.  It wasn't pretty.

 

Someone take pity on this pour soul and give him an early Christmas present.

 

 

[DavidJPotter]

When you draw a new room, it is programmed to have its "floor Level" matching the rest of the First Floor. Your add on room over the basement door even when set as "Open Below" still has a virtual floor level which you can alter so it matches grade instead of the level of the rest of the first floor.

 

What Michael Gia said above is also true, lots and lots to learn, mostly procedures, default settings, input boxes and check boxes, how the software is programmed to work whether or not you agree with that programming, etc.

 

DJP

[SHCanada2]

20 minutes ago, DavidJPotter said:

"Open Below" still has a virtual floor level which you can alter so it matches grade instead of the level of the rest of the first floor.

i do a fair amount of basement entries, just not usually fully enclosed (usually post and roof, or just railing). But there are a couple things to ensure you do in order to avoid redoing. 

1. set the terrain height correctly relative to the main floor of the main building. I typically measure this with a tape measure against a known entity, such as front steps or window (then you go inside an ,measure distance to floor)

2. Once that is set, measure your top of concrete stairwell walls from grade. Usually here it is above grade a few inches.your picture looks like ~8 inches

3. then adjust your exterior room height at the basement level you created to have the proper ceiling height to match 2

4. pull a section and make sure the measurements are correct

 

then do the rest

 

 

 

[PhillipCA]

@ChiefTom396

 

The 29:00 minute mark in this video covers this scenario: https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/watch/11078/basement-design-process.html?playlist=88

 

Once the basement level walls are in place, you may consider some of the approaches others have suggested for the first floor walls, roof, etc. 

[Michael_Gia]

Terrible video for what OP is looking for. In this video you are presented with the overly simplified and idealized version of what OP is asking for. 

 

A nice and clean, completely outside of the main house stairwell to the basement.  Not so trivial when you have to span across 2 floors for head room, all while dealing with that exterior wall and ceilings on the inside. 
 

The video says nothing of the dozens of issues OP will run into, giving him the impression that he’s just not advanced enough.

 

Here is my crappy attempt.  I never come across this condition in my work so please criticize all you want. 
I’m sure there’s a better approach. 
 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ji4jssqcb8osp13/ChiefTom396.plan?dl=0
 

 

@ChiefTom396

[SNestor]

@ChiefTom396 - made you a "how to" video. I've not done many of these so I may not have everything exact...but, you should at least get an understanding of how you would put something like this together.  

 

ChiefTom396 - How to Basement Stairs to replace Bilco Door - Watch Video

[Chrisb222]

12 hours ago, SNestor said:

@ChiefTom396 - made you a "how to" video. I've not done many of these so I may not have everything exact...but, you should at least get an understanding of how you would put something like this together.  

 

ChiefTom396 - H butow to Basement Stairs to replace Bilco Door - Watch Video

 

Nice video Steve. I like your Loom videos with the playback speed control. You talk slow enough that I can watch them at 1.7x and still follow along. And it's entertaining to hear you speedtalk 

[SNestor]

@Chrisb222 

Learn Chief and get a laugh at the same time.

[ChiefTom396]

On 11/23/2022 at 11:00 PM, SNestor said:

@ChiefTom396 - made you a "how to" video. I've not done many of these so I may not have everything exact...but, you should at least get an understanding of how you would put something like this together.  

 

ChiefTom396 - How to Basement Stairs to replace Bilco Door - Watch Video

 

Awesome! Thank you.  I've been a mechanical CAD designer for 20 years using inventor,  solidworks and Creo. It's a new learning curve for me and enjoy the challenges of learning Chief.  I've also followed the previous video posted above.  The more you work at is the only way you learn.  Thank you