solver

I've built some items in SketchUp and changed the color after import.

I believe a railing always takes over the wall, so putting a rail as the upper wall om a pony wall, it will only show the rail.

You might find a good copy of the plan in the Archive folder, typically located at Documents\Home Designer Pro 2015 Data\Archive

Did you paint something gold?

Have you seen the TimberCab 550 from FabCab?

If someone does not respond with a solution, post the plan so we may have a look.

What did not work -- deleting the dimensions, getting multiple dimensions back?

Post the plan for us to play with.

That end is supposed to be a gable?

Have you tried deleting then building the roof?

Have you deleted all automatic dimensions (Edit > Delete Objects > Automatic Dimensions) and then rediminsioned?

Could you post a screen capture showing the duplicate dimensions?

When / how did they show up?

I don't understand -- other than the tile on the door. 

Are you modeling an existing home? If so, do you have pictures of the space?

If you open the Roof Plane Specification dialog (double click on a roof plane), select Lock Pitch, then add 18" to the Ridge Top Height, that will move the roof plane up 18".

If the value is [179 1/2"], just enter a +18 like [179 1/2"+18].

There is a good amount of info here.

Here is an article that may help.

I tried it -- short first floor room, dropped second floor above, and that works perfectly. Thanks.

I was thinking about how it will get built -- from the bottom up.

Have a room with access off a stair landing. Area under room will be used for storage and accessed from adjacent first floor room.

Drawn as a first floor room with elevated floor and roof -- thus no floor underneath on same plane as the first floor.

How do I get the missing floor?

Should be as simple as the actual framing.

Thanks for the video David.

Did you try adding windows and doors? This is why I'd like to see this as a native wall type.

The wall I defined, because it's a single wall I suppose, supports penetrations like doors and windows.

Like this?

Did not get it to work. Only shows framing in one wall, either the inside or outside, depending on which is the Main Layer. 

I was thinking about I-joist for walls, and open web trusses for walls. Both a way of creating a deep wall space for insulation.

Horizontal strapping -- On a cold climate wall, a plastic vapor barrier is often placed just below the sheetrock. Sometimes, 2x material is applied horizontally to the wall on top of the vapor barrier creating a wiring chase so the vapor barrier is not punctured, and helping to eliminate a bit of thermal bridging.

On the outside you could do something similar, for installing vertical siding, or creating a rain screen detail. 

If you are getting the libraries into your download folder, just double click them and they will install.

You could take a Cross Section, then use the Tape Measure tool to measure.

Open a roof plane. First dimension shown is the ridge height.

Thanks for the effort. After setting Main Layer correctly I too get one 2x4 wall showing in Framing views.

Plan and 3D views are the most important right now. I was pleased to see doors and windows work.

Be good to be able to model some of the walls used when building well insulated houses. Vertical trusses and I-Joist, walls with interior and exterior horizontal strapping etc.

Have defined a wall that is 2, 2x4 walls separated by several inches. See the image.

Framing does not show for this wall.

Any ideas why not?

Draw the four walls for the room.

Set ceiling height to match short wall height. Turn off Ceiling in this room.

Set opposite wall to High Shed Gable.

Set other two walls as full gable.

Generate a roof. Change roof pitch to get opposite wall twice as high as short wall.

Use Full Overview view to see the walls. Turn off the display of ceiling and roof planes to see inside.

Delete the stairwell from the floor above and the tool comes back.

A search should bring up the info you need.

A soffit or slab work to create a custom counter top.

Lots of good info here:

http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/category/3/0/10/Home-Designer/

Here is a direct link to an article that should get you started.

http://www.homedesignersoftware.com/support/article/KB-00358/52/Home-Designer/Roofs/Automatically-Building-a-One-and-a-Half-Story-Roof.html