RichT66

Hi Eric - Plan as requested, it's a work in progress. There are 2 areas of the foundations I couldn't get right, the one pictured in the JPEGs and at the other end of the same internal load bearing wall, again where 3 wall types with different foundations join. New to this hence sure you'll raise your eyebrows at a few of the methods I've used! Richard ​ Tan Lifau 30CA.plan

Hi I really like the Cheif Architect Home Designer Pro product, but I spend many hours dealing with quirky behaviour, trying to make it do something for it to not do as you expect or it to revert your changes instantly, or auto adding bits of wall you don't expect. I guess this is understanding the depths of the rules behind the tool. I am having trouble with foundations where 3 walls intersect with different wall types and different foundation stems and foundation depths. I cannot get a tidy result. I try tidying it up in cross section elevation for the changes to be instantly reverted, even though auto build foundations is turned off, it still does some auto stuff that is unwelcome. e.g even wrapping foundation upwards and leaving holes?​ Attached pictures show a) three walls of different types in plan. three walls of different types in layer zero dolls view, looking down, looks as expected. c) the mess that is generated by HD Pro looking at the foundations in dolls view looking upward d) Similar mess in cross section, that no matter how much I try to tidy it up, keeps reverting back or not doing what I ask! How do I get more predictable results and how do I stop Home Designer changing things back or just seemingly doing it's own thing? Thanks for your thoughts! Richard

This is very similar to my post from 11 December titled controlling door recessing.. It would appear that an inward opening doors always end up on the inside of the main layer, even when you select non recessed. The only way I found was to make the door open outwards but then this makes the floor plan incorrect. If you opt for a swing both ways door (!) you can get it in the middle of the main layer. It's a shame there's no inset option as there is for windows!

Sounds good for a flat file but wanted to display the 3D outputs, and be able turn and zoom in and out as per dolls house views. I would have thought that there was a recommended 3d viewer that could do this. If nothing comes forward I'll post as a suggestion. What better way for CA to demonstrate what can be achieved with its product without the need to boot up the PC! To be the best solution you could use dolls house view and move up and down floors too..

Hopefully an easy question! What's the best way of exporting the 3D models and viewing them on an IPad please? Richard HD Pro 2016

HD Pro 2016

I am looking for more control of the recessing of my doors. My roof is supported by a wall plate on the inner block wall hence I believe this needs to be the main layer. Similar to the standard 'thick brick wall' wall type all other layers including cavity, insulation and stonework are then the Outer Layer. In the UK doors are generally fitting to the outer layers. My issue is that my outer layers are thick stone 200mm + 70mm insulation + 50mm cavity. For an inward opening door, either of the recessed options place the door hinged at the inner edge of the main layer. Using non recessed inward opening is not much better with the door buried deep into the wall. The only way I can get the door in the nearly the right place is selecting non recessed and making the door open outwards, which is then wrong in the plan. I even tried redefining the walls with outer layers as main layers, but then I couldn't accurately place the roof wall plate. Surely there is more control as to where the door is hinged within the depth of the wall?

I believe you need HD Pro where you can have rooms with no ceilings, and can expose rafters. It also allows you limited automatic trusses, which are difficult to make look as you desire. You can expose framing in walls and upgrade the sizes of the framing to be more oak like. I've also used the roof beam tool for a close approximation to a purlin. Soffit tool can also be made to look like oak, though I found the '3D closed' shape more friendly and easier to position. You can't fully rotate these tools and can't make curved beams. I was advised to draw in sketchup and import the SKP file (this has to be done on imperial plans and added to library as it doesn't work in metric) Example of what can be done in HD pro with only a few weeks experience attached. Will be following this in case you get better suggestions! R HD Pro 2016

Hi UK based new user I've had lots of fun getting floors and foundations right in my drawing, with even bizarre things like Attic walls appearing with foundations but making progress now by building my foundations on stem walls manually on floor zero. I wanted to add insulation below the slab, but I only have one layer in the 'floor structure definition dialogue'. My floor defaults are set to 'slab at top of stem wall' which looks correct on cross-section elevation. Any clues? R HD Pro 2016