DavidJPotter

Rookie, by "Professionals" I strictly meant Professional Drafts Persons, Designers and Architects, we use Chief Architect Premier. it is true that lots of remodeling company's, Interior Designers and remodeling persons use Home Designer Pro. DJP

DJP

I started with Chief Architect Premier Version #4 in 1995. I have the current versions of Home Designer because I use them to help those that use the software. Chief Architect Premier is the big brother to all of their line of software, Home Designer software is for amateurs and hobbyists. It fills that role well, especially for the price. DJP

Commonly in Construction Documentation, you show a floor plan for each floor separately and then an elevation view of each of the four sides of the construct, if required a site plan showing the footprint of the first floor inside of the property lines and any relevant setbacks and easement lines required by law. A drawing showing all floors, stacked on top of each other has NEVER been used in any blueprinting or con docs that I know of. DJP

How many floors? In what condition? I mean the answer is "yes" depending upon what you wish to show and not show. Can you be a little more specific please? DJP

I agree with Eric in that Architectural's roof tools will not help you here, so symbols are the way to arrive at a solution as he suggests. DJP

Frankly, I would not bother to model such a slight angle for the floor. That can easily be indicated in a plan view with text (indicating the direction of slant and the rate of slant should be sufficient). If you feel you still must 3D model this slight angle in the floor you can emulate this using a geometric shape (wedge) resizing it to emulate the slant, which should be a lot easier than trying to use a ramp object. DJP

DJP

Chief Premier - Yes, Home Designer Pro - No, only .dxf file format. Free .dwg to .dxf file converters abound on line. DJP

DJP

Only Home Designer Pro And Chief Premier have "Allowed Angles" input boxes found in "General Plan Defaults", So you are on your own with Architectural. DJP

Look under the "Library" menu and select "Download Core Content" to reinstall it from your PC. If you have purchased any catalogs, you will need to download those from the Home Designer website - Catalog area or your "Digital Locker" area. DJP

Not a "Trick" (Since you have not filled in your profile "Signature" I do not know what software or version you are using. For this post I am assuming you have Home Designer Pro, if you do not have pro, then this answer may not apply to you). As soon as I have the dormer object sized and located, I then "Explode" the dormer from a symbol to its parts (walls, roof planes and a hole in the roof polyline). once exploded (a command available in one's Edit Toolbar when the dormer symbol is selected). Once that action is taken, the window will allow you to edit it and thereafter it will not change on its own. As long as the dormer is a symbol, the window is preprogrammed to resize automatically. I did not download your plan, the above is based upon over a decade of experience with these objects. DJP

That depends upon the structural makeup of the pony wall in terms of how they then line up. You posted image shows only the outline of the walls but not their material make up. It is obvious that the layers do not align properly but not what the layers are structurally. I commonly opt to align the outer edge of the concrete stem wall with the outer edge of the structural framing, so the dead load above can be directly transmitted to the Earth but lawfully, that is wholly the province of the State Licensed Structural Engineer. DJP

The best sales talk is that which you say to yourself, take Eric's advice and see for yourself. It is always just your choice to make. DJP

Temporary dimensions are a preprogrammed automatic function and as such will not be as predictable or reliable as manual dimensions. If you can write code that will read the mind of an end user on the fly, then become a famous millionaire, otherwise, understand that preprogrammed automaticity is not going to be "right" all the time. Move on to things and subjects that you, personally can control is my advice. DJP

IF you have Home Designer Pro you can manually, select and edit wall polylines in camera views (especially elevation cameras). What program and version do you have? DJP

What is not "right" about it? DJP

DJP

Open the dialog box for the wall you wish to change. Then go to the Materials Tab of that wall's dialog box. There you should find an input box for the exterior and interior of that selected wall. You then change (select) the material of your choice for that wall DJP

It can be done by presetting up the shed roofs (see the Roof Styles Tab of the Build Roof Dialog for instructions) or Manuallly, your choice. DJP

Polyline solids ( custom 3D objects created in elevation cameras only) are not a tool that exists in HD Pro, at least for now, it is found only in Chief Architect Premier. In HD Pro you can use custom slabs and reshaped soffits to emulate Lintels and crossheads. DJP

Just as you would do for ANY project, you would first open "Edit - Default Settings - Framing" dialog and set framing members to Metal and the dimensions intended instead of the default fir wood. The software is NOT a State LIcensed Structural Engineer by default so you should have your plan reviewed by such an individual before submitting for a permit. This software is a great help and tool for designing and drafting but it must be well understood and guided BY YOU to any useful results. Learn how to use its tools and enjoy the process. DJP

Post a copy of your plan so helpers can then look, see and report. DJP

If you want to place the tile on just one side or face of the polyline solid, use a reshaped soffit to carry the tile material and place it on the surface you wish to see. This should work, no matter what software or version you have. DJP