solver

Not sure I understand. Suite does not have layouts. You can export as an image and combine in another program, or you might export them, then import back into Suite, then export as one.

Watch on YouTube: http://youtu.be/0CXIA7JONX8?hd=1

Did you review the articles on the Home Designer site? I'm not sure what anyone here could add. If you have a specific problem, or don't understand something, please ask. What "makes no sense"? If you have a complete plan that includes dimensions, you may just need to draw the plan using the dimensions.

The Home Designer website has many articles and videos answering common questions. It's good to start your search there where you will often find your answer quickly.

Probably, although I'd start a new plan, and suggest doing a trial -- building a very basic model to gain an understanding of how things work before putting effort into the real one. It's always recommended to get the structure correct prior to adding all the extras like cabinets, furniture etc.

What goes in that gap?

There are multiple ways of drawing and dimensioning walls. Start drawing a wall, press tab and enter the exact length. Open a wall and enter its length directly -- (turn on Start and End Indicators)

You can go to level 0, select everything and delete. Select things on level 1, Cut and Paste/Hold Position on level 0. Experiment with Edit>Edit Area

Try the Reverse Layers tool.

Place a skylight. Open it and review the options -- and note the title of the specification dialog.

Mick made a good leap there from "I want to make the breezeway smaller" to "move the garage over". I try to suggest that when someone is unsure, say where you want to go instead of asking about a specific task. Here is another idea, all auto built. A roof like this bearing on knee walls was pretty common in older houses. I did notice you have your exterior walls marked as foundation walls and that is not needed. Just build your foundation as I've done. Auto dormers are picky about where they are placed. They cannot cross roof planes, for example. The may be placed over a wall. I usually do dormers like this manually to have complete control. Did not save it ...

Not suggesting anything wrong with your design, but here are a couple of ideas. Changed pitch from 12 to 10 on the house and garage to reduce the mass of the roof, and up from 1 to 3 on the porch at that's the minimum for typical roofing materials. Rotated the garage roof 90 degrees making the garage stand out less and the gable over the doors will shed snow/water to the side. Changed the 2nd floor front facing gable trying to make it seem more part of the house.

Check my and other responses on your ChiefTalk thread.

The Knowledge Base is full of info like this and always a good place to search before asking on the forum. https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-02972/migrating-home-designer-to-a-new-computer.html Resources for self help: The built in Help System (always a good place to start) Getting Started Knowledge Base YouTube

Correct.

You can't use those as windows, just as a generic symbol. You can possibly create an opening in the wall using a pass-through, then place your window symbol within it.

Imported from where?

Here is a recent thread on ChiefTalk. Check it out and see if anything suggested there works. If not, post a picture or 2 of your screen. https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/topic/24710-x9-blank-library-content/

That's the way the program works. You specify the room type and the program uses the defaults for that room type to set the structure. You just need to make your changes after setting the room type. Search Help for room type for more info.

Looks like a bug to me. Suggest you file a report. Until you find different, I'd make the first floor concrete walls balloon through ceiling above, then select the wall and drag the top up.

Yes. It depends on how your wall is defined.

Close Pro first.

Imagine you are building a house. You get to the roof, take a few measurements and realize something is out of square. Think of all the ways this could happen. The software is like that. Your model gets built up in layers, many of which build on the previous ones. To understand the problem many times requires looking at the model. Moral of the story -- attach the plan file.

I'm not sure -- have you checked the Bonus Catalogs?

From Help: Calculate Materials in Room To create the Materials List for a room, select the room and then select Tools> Materials List> Calculate Materials for Room. Calculate Materials in Room is also available on a selected room’s edit toolbar. See Editing Rooms. A Materials List calculated from a room is created for only the contents of that room: wall materials are not included. An object will be counted in the Materials List if its center point is located inside of the room.