solver

I'm confused. What is a "manual dormer"? In my trial copy of Suite 2016, there is only one type of dormer, and it cannot be exploded.

Your best bet is to contact support with your specific problems.

Do you have any family or friends in the area that could take pictures? Have you checked Google for images? Recreating plans from memory can be a challenge, especially for one who did not live in the house. It looks like it is multiple floors, which makes things even more difficult. You mentioned Chief Architect, and this is the Home Designer (by the Chief Architect company) forum. If you are considering one of the Home Designer titles, then this is the correct spot.

Materials like tile may be stretched.

SketchUp. I imagine you can find one in the 3D Warehouse, or create one of your own.

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Have you checked to see what layer they are on? If on a unique one, just turn it on and off as needed. You can Cut/Copy/Paste them too. Do a Save As on your plan, creating a copy. Delete the paths in the original plan. Copy - Paste Hold position from one plan to the other.

I'll suggest bringing in a design professional to help finalize the plan. You will be spending a significant amount of money to build this, consider spending a bit more up front. Cutting a strip out of the plan just makes the house smaller, and does not address design. One simple thing I noticed is the location of the guest bath -- just steps away from the dining table?

Wall Specification>Roof See Pitch Options - Upper Pitch

I checked in my copy of Pro 2016 and did not see a way to automatically do this. You may need to draw in your footings manually. Using 2 walls back to back should work for the footings, and you could try placing a pass through on the inner wall to match up with the window in the exterior wall.

Draw first and second sections, click in between to place landing, draw 3rd section, click between 2nd and 3rd to place landing.

You can manually set the landing to be at any height.

Create a new (thin) wall type for the back wall of the niche. Use a soffit to fill in top and bottom, and along the sides. I left the side soffits out so you could see how the interior of the wall shows.

You might attach your plan file.

Drove to the valley and back yesterday, passing Fountain Hills on Hwy 87. Thought about your lot and wished I had time to stop for a look. I imagine you want the house sitting as high as possible to maximize your view. The common way of achieving this is to minimize the roof structure. The contractor then positions the house at an elevation that does not exceed the restrictions. Dirt is pushed around and retaining walls are constructed as needed in response to the location of the house. Unless you are also trying to minimize site work -- a real challenge, or need to leave parts of the lot undisturbed, I wonder how much you need to worry about the topography.

I thought of this concept I did several years ago for someone in Phoenix. Similar plan, only with a 2nd floor instead of your lower level. The brick tower right of the door houses a U shaped stair. This might work for your plan, raising the ceiling over the stairs and using that space to hang your fixture. Also, be mindful of how a cover over the deck may block views from inside the house.

Your Google Earth image really helps. What about pivoting the entire house around and creating a single angled wall across the entire back of the house? Garages shown entering from the left.

I'll comment more later, but here is one showing the raised part moved forward, and the garages entering from the front. Suggest you decide on how the deck will be roofed as it will impact the overall plan.

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