Foundations

[Rosco2017]

Todd, What Joe just said, I believe is why your molding polyline is messing up. If you've fixed your foundation problem, then I believe you just have to move the items that are out of place. It's a pain I know, but if it gives you the results you're looking for, I'd do it. 

[4hotshoez]

What is difficult is that it is not easy to know what has moved. I have really only done one project with Chief. It has been in the works for the last 8 months. This is my second major project and I am making some mistakes for the first time. If I had many small projects to learn on, I might have discovered this much earlier. Or at least I would not have invested as much time developing the plan, thus adjustments would be easier.

 

But is there info in training or any manuals that might suggest the sequence of building to avoid problems like this?

 

I just find this very annoying as now I am 8 months into working with Chief and find out another quirky work around. And honestly it is still not clear what the work around is or the problem for that matter.

[Nicinus]

By reading a suggestion from Joe about psolids, etc, it occured to me that perhaps some of your confusion is related to mouldings like belly bands being created at an absolute height, whereas changes you've made affect the foundation and makes it looks like they've moved, when in fact they are the only thing that remained still?

[Rosco2017]

http://www.chieftutor.com/chiefx1.html <----Chief Tutor. Great learning tool. 

https://www.youtube.com/user/dshall44/videos <----Scott Hall's youtube channel, entertaining, and very informative if you don't mind the sailor talk! LOL I happen to love it!

https://www.youtube.com/user/ChiefArchitectInc/videos <---- Chief Architect's youtube channel

http://video.chiefarchitect.com/?__utma=67784003.539610179.1420786454.1426531106.1426547035.60&__utmb=67784003.2.10.1426547035&__utmc=67784003&__utmx=-&__utmz=67784003.1426282850.57.19.utmcsr=facebook.com|utmccn=(referral)|utmcmd=referral|utmcct=/&__utmv=-&__utmk=166206969 Videos on Chief's website. I think you might have to have SSA to view all of them, not sure. Never NOT had SSA.

Hopefully some of these might guide you on your way.

Dan Baumann has a youtube channel that is very helpful, I recommend you watch his video series on Chief Archietect Mistakes. I think there are like 10 of them or so, I'll post the link, i believe you can find the rest through the first video. These were very helpful videos! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuIPzVulvG8

[Kbird1]

Hi Todd , this may have changed a bit and others will chime in no doubt  with pointers ,but this is something I copied off the Forum or KB years ago, don't remember the Author, it may help a bit, at least in general terms.

 

 

 

1. Open a New Plan for Project

         1.a  Set ALL defaults as desired before Drawing the 1st wall. ***Before Drawing the 1st wall save the now new blank "My House" Plan you just created so you can reuse it in the future as a Template

 

see  http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00463/  on making Templates.

2. Finish setting defaults for this specific structure if needed eg.
....A. Ceiling height per Floor
....B. Foundation specifics
....C. Framing specifications
....D. Roof materials   etc etc  (see article above)  

3. Build 1st floor perimeter & bearing walls to final design

4. Build 2nd floor perimeter & bearing walls to final design

5. Build all subsequent floors to final

6. Label 1st floor rooms properly (i.e. garage, porch, bathroom, etc.)

7. Set platform thickness on structure tab of room specification dialogue for each floor, starting with floor one & moving Up

8. Set 1st floor ceiling height  (Floor Defaults)

9. Set subsequent floor ceiling heights working from 1st floor up

10. Build foundation

11. Build interior walls in any color

12. Detail the plan (i.e. add doors & windows, cabinets, etc )

13. Build roofs

14. Build framing (walls, sub-floor, ceiling, roof/truss, etc)

15. Terrain & Landscaping

16. Create CAD details, elevations, plot plans & layout

[Nicinus]

Hmm, that kind of linear workflow is unfortunately not acceptable for custom homes, at least I couldn't work that way. I'd like to paint in broad general strokes and then refine.

[ACADuser]

Yes, interaction with the client and last minute discoveries of factors that need to be dealt with require changed in the outside envelope & may change the floor heights.

I have a multi level remodel that had the floor height changed due to bad site info. Then the client wanted taller ceiling in some rooms.

It is not real world to know all factors when starting the design.

[4hotshoez]

I am beginning to understand the reason for the sequence Mick posted, however, like Alan and Nicinus said, that is not how the information comes, nor is it the way the money flows. Clients have very little interest in footings when they want to see how their design is developing. So we either need to request a change in the way foundations influence the building or request a clarification of the programer's intent for users who cannot operate to the 16 step plan Mick posted.

[ACADuser]

I think I had success modifying stem wall heights using the settings: Default Settings / Floor

BUT all the Rooms had to be set to Default for this to work.

So if the rooms are not set to default on any setting you want to change in mass, you need to do it one by one.

There is no way to select all the rooms on one floor that I have found.

And if you do select all using the one select then Shift click to select the others you can not change the settings.

I have found it difficult to deal with these issues. The videos only deal with easy problems.

my2cents

[Kbird1]

I agree that you can't follow  "The Order" in all cases, and things may have changed in Chief since the list was posted originally ( 2-3 versions ago?) so may need to be taken with a gain of salt now , I just thought it may help someone since I haven't noticed your issues , then again I'm not usually adding Watertables (bellybands) or friezes etc either, which I noticed were also all low in the plan.

 

I know the Order above used to help with the old problem of adding windows and doors too early to a garage for example and they would sit on top of the stemwall instead of dropping down to the Slab when the foundation was built. 

[Rashid_Garuba]

I remember asking this a long time ago... Towards the end of Project client asks to add a foot to the First floor ceiling of a 2 Story Custom home (with some attic rooms as well) .. In the last 20 years It is rare I don't do water tables, custom brackets.. etc.