Demolition Plans

[Ben1976]

Hi all,

I'd like to know best practices for using demolition walls (and components) in Chief other than drawing dashed lines on top of things.  In other programs, I can show phases of construction.  Essentially, I want to combine the existing plan and the demo plan b/c the job is small and doesn't make sense to have additional sheets for a couple of doors and walls being Demo'd.  The question is: what's the best way to show this, clearly, in Chief Architect?

 

Thanks in advance.

[SHCanada2]

Please move this to Q&A.

 

Two ways I do it. If it is just a couple walls, I just use a hatched polyline that represents the wall to be demolioshed.

 

Sophisticated way. Once you draw the existing plan, save it, then duplicate it(proposed plan). Then you create a reference view that shows both plans. you can then create something like this:

 

CA has some videos on it:

Using the Reference Display - Video | Chief Architect

 

you can also search the forum for reference display

Edited September 30, 2025 by SHCanada2

[cherybom]

For small renovation projects, I’ve found it works best to use a dedicated demolition layer set and display demolished walls/doors with a distinct line style and color directly on the construction plan. That way, you can show existing conditions, demo work, and new construction on a single sheet without creating separate demo drawings. Adding clear notes and a demolition legend also helps avoid confusion. It’s a bit more setup initially, but it keeps the plan readable and minimizes sheet count for smaller jobs.

Slope Rider

[Renerabbitt]