DavidJPotter

I had to use manual roof tools to iron all the problems out on your file, I do not think Architectural is really capable of doing this roof by settings alone. DJP Farmhouse.zip

The baseline height of roof planes is determined by how you wet room ceiling heights. If your room ceiling heights are off or just wrong in each room then the roofs once built will look wrong like your posted image. Only if all rooms are set tot he same ceiling height values will the resulting roof planes also have a uniform fascia and baseline heights. Make sure also that you have set the Finished Ceiling Height value in "Edit - Default Settings - Floors and Rooms - Finished Ceiling Height" BEFORE you create your model structure and do not make any alterations of those values until after your roofs are in place. Once roofs are as you wish them to be do not use "Auto Build roofs" again unless you are pursuing new changes that require a new roof system. DJP

If you are using elevation points as opposed to elevation lines, splines then I am not surprised that you are having difficulties. I never use elevation points, they are hard to see and find to edit them after the fact. The basic datum for terrain is that the software will generate a gradient from one elevation value to the next elevation value. For abrupt changes in terrain you use the "Terrain Break" object to define abrupt changes. Try to keep your terrain as simple as it possible and laid out smoothly from end to end. I realize that the "real world" often does not follow this maxim but most land used for structures does. Having two elevation values too close to one another or vastly different elevation values causes a bizarre world end product, so keep your modulation of the terrain plodding, checking each change to track if it was correct or not. If that change looks weird, then stop, alter that change and then check again until you get the right looking product. Like every thing else, in this software the product you see is what you created, so it it sucks, you made it that way. Find out how to do it right and through trial and error practice you will eventually arrive at personal competence. DJP

DJP

Check out this search data at the Home Designer website please: https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/search/?default_tab=all&q=roll+out+shelves&page=1 DJP PS: BTW you should NOT post questions here, the Tips and Tricks section is for posting helpful hints, shortcuts and other helpful-useful data you have discovered that you wish to share with others. O & A is for Questions to be posed, not here.

This software performs best when your structure is at right angles to the screen or at 7 degree increments. To create a structure at odd angles just makes the work ten times harder as the tools and objects you are using are not being used as they were programmed to be used. if a structure needs to be rotated relative to magnetic North you have a "North Pointer" tool for that purpose, you rotate the North Pointer and never the structure. When you use any software in ways it was not designed to function you just make it harder on YOU. DJP

Each video is marked as to what software title it applies to or not. No video generally fits all possible titles. DJP

You NEVER - NEVER - NEVER EVER should rotate the model to "fit" terrain, rather you fit the terrain to the structure in HD Pro always. DJP

If your plan already contains HD Pro walls, windows, doors and roofs, then you should open "Display Options" and check "Lock" for all visible layers. When you import an AutoCAD .dwg, it will be found on the "CAD , Default" layer. When you temporarily "lock" layers they then become un-selectable. The point is to lock the layers of your structure FIRST before trying to "marquee select" and then rotate-move it to its proper orientation to what you have already created. Once you have the .dwg properly located, then lock the "CAD, Default" layer and unlock the layers of your existing structure to then continue with what your imported it for. DJP

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Customizing+materials+in+Chief+Architect this link will introduce you to some You Tube videos on customizing materials. DJP

When I work with Engineers I just share my floor plans and elevations in AutoCAD .dwg format and then let them adjudicate what they are licensed to do from that. A competent framer or Builder does not need advice on how to frame a building as well (if they need detailed plans I would not trust them to build anything). DJP

Look at Eric's image: he added a porch using invisible walls and THAT is how he got more roof that you did. DJP

No matter your opinions about overhang, THIS software requires at least some so that fascia will then appear and the wall below the roof eave will be properly cut off. Any software is pre-programmed with certain limitations and this is one of them. You can always annotate plans to state that no overhang is to be created but I am saying that this software has that limitation and one must deal with it as it is and not how it might be or should be, it is what it is and does what it does and that is it. DJP

Roofs must have some overhang (see the definition of the term " Overhang"), no overhang equals no fascia DJP

I disagree with Eric on this. What I would do using Pro or Chief Premier is to use a 3 or four inch thick cabinet for the front of the odd shaped cabinet and then cover the top with a custom countertop. In any case the actual cabinet will have to be custom made in the field just as in your software. DJP

IF and only if "Auto Rebuild Roofs" is checked "ON" in the Build Roof Dialog will the roof planes react to changes to the Ceiling Height setting in the Room Specification Dialog. With Auto Build Roofs "OFF" the roof planes stay were they were while the ceiling raises or lowers, causing no effect on the location of the roof planes That is why only changing the ceiling height did not effect the roof planes. Otherwise you would have to manually raise or lower the roof planes when you change the ceiling height of a room. DJP

"Chief" is not doing this, your video card IS, you can try to update its software drivers but if that does not work, look at a video card upgrade as your solution like Jo_Ann said. DJP

Yes, PROVIDED THE CHIEF ARCHITECT USER MANUALLY PROGRAMS THE FILE FOR USE IN HOME DESIGNER SOFTWARE TITLES BEFORE SHARING IT WITH YOU. The command, in Chief is found in "General Plan Defaults - Allow editing in Home Designer Software" Check box before sharing with you. DJP

What you are showing in your posted image is not a sloped wall, rather it is the underside of a roof plane or planes. If the slope is wrong, then the roof pitch is also wrong or its baseline is too low or high. That is what is creating the coffered ceiling, not a wall. DJP

Post a photo of the existing structure or one like it so those who would help you can better understand exactly in detail exactly that the geometric problem is please. DJP

DJP

You draw the porch area using railing walls set to invisible. Once you have a room specification dialog box for that area you uncheck "Flat Ceiling over this room" on the structure tab (that removes the default flat ceiling over the space. Then mark the outer wall to have a "Gable Roof" over the space in the Roof tab of the Wall specification dialog box. Then build roofs and your existing gable will be extended over the Covered Porch room. The beams and posts you will have to add manually. DJP

With Architectural one MUST be VERY precise with one's "Wall specification dialog - Roof Tab" settings, to do otherwise will just continue to frustrate your plans and desires. The basic settings are laid out in your "Build Roof Dialog - Roof Styles" tab. Practice getting those right in simple test plans before you inflict them on your main plan file please. DJP

https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/search/?default_tab=all&q=1+1%2F2+story&page=1 Take a look at these articles and videos please. DJP

If you used the "Straight Sidewalk or Straight Driveway" well those are not editable using the "Break Line" tool, only the "Polyline" driveway or sidewalk can be easily edited using the "Break Line" and "Line to Arc" tools, try that please. DJP