Finally Trying To Use The Material Take Off To Generate Some Decent Data...tips?

[VisualDandD]

Hey all.   I have played with chiefs materials function and more or less.....it has seemed more a pain than it was worth.   Recently I posted a thread where we made a macro that calculated rafter length and rounded to next 24" incriment and gave that value (much like you would do a manual t/o but even more accurate).

Well I have decided to use chiefs functions to try to help me do even better framing take-offs.  I think I have rafters and ceiling joists figured out.   Part of my plan is to only do small sections of framing at a time so I can tell if I am getting "garbage" back.   I also double check it with my label macros...etc.

 

Next I am concuring wall framing.   I have experimented with setting "structural material reporting" but am confused at why on "mixed reporting" I get the line "fir stud STOCK" which does not seem right and almost like a redundant value.

I get this same thing with "cut list" but in that case "fir stud stock" seems to be cripples and possibly jack material.

 

 

I wish there were better ways to track where chief it putting certain materials so you could make sense of a take off.   BOY...in an ideal world, you could click on a line of the material take-off and it would highlight those materials in the plan (either floor plan or even better 3d framing views).

 

It is just hard to put too much confidence in the numbers you are getting, especially as the project grows in size.

 

Anyone have any good tips they use.... Here are a few recent take-off sheets I have done with a mix of manual and auto calcs.

 

 

[mthd97]

Just draw your framing plans in Chief and do it by hand or since you are in the US visit head office and ask for a job and show them how the program should work for ML.

All the best and yes CA should do all the heavy lifting for us!

[sailordesign15]

This issue is covered in the knowledge center:

 

 

http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00560/59/Chief-Architect/Materials-List/What-is-the-Fir-Stud-Stock-Listed-in-my-Materials-List.html

[VisualDandD]

Just draw your framing plans in Chief and do it by hand or since you are in the US visit head office and ask for a job and show them how the program should work for ML.

All the best and yes CA should do all the heavy lifting for us!

Ha......I have quite a bit of framing experience as well as contracting.   I can do 'rule of thumb' take-offs all day long.   I also have Planswift which eliminates the "by hand" part and I could just import PDF's in and use it.  BUT....I cant help but want to extract the info out of Chief.   I KNOW it is there and can do it.   I am just looking at real world efficient ways to do it.   With about 20 years direct field experience, I think I can find that balance.   Chief is not far from being usable.... just am looking for better methods to make up for some of the shortcomings.

 

 

This issue is covered in the knowledge center:

 

 

http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-00560/59/Chief-Architect/Materials-List/What-is-the-Fir-Stud-Stock-Listed-in-my-Materials-List.html

 

Thanks!   Never saw that.  Thank you for taking the time to post the link!!!

[Kbird1]

" I wish there were better ways to track where chief it putting certain materials so you could make sense of a take off.   BOY...in an ideal world, you could click on a line of the material take-off and it would highlight those materials in the plan (either floor plan or even better 3d framing views).

 

It is just hard to put too much confidence in the numbers you are getting, especially as the project grows in size.

 

Anyone have any good tips they use.... Here are a few recent take-off sheets I have done with a mix of manual and auto calcs."

 

 

+1 on those sentiments , I bought into Chief to make use of the ML as much as for the 3D etc but find , I don't / can't trust it so end up doing a manual takeoff anyway , it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on Planswift for Takeoffs and how Chief's ML compares to it on the same plan.

 

thx,

 

M.

[mrscott]

^{I would happy with wall detail providing the material take-off list. Show a wall and schedule with the material listed. Just a thought.}

[mthd97]

If CA could do what Softplan does with Softlist I think we would all be very happy with ML take off.

[mrscott]

I have so much to learn but listen to you all about ML begs the question..."is this in their scope for the future?"