Rookie65

Gotcha. Thank you for the clarification. I use it successfully to design additions, homes, decks, garages, etc. It's a life saver. Your advice is always helpful.

Chiefpdb, then good luck on your research and writing. I'm sure you'll be enlightened at the end. DJP, not everyone that uses the Home Designer software is an amateur or hobbyist. Though I do think that any version other than Pro will limit the details that one often needs to generate a set of buildable plans.

Frankly I think you could do better things with your time, especially if you have a "busy" routine. To me it would become very frustrating turning the clock back from what I have to something that isn't even close. Especially knowing what you do now about Pro. When I started my business up again in 2013, I bought Architectural. After about a week I realized it wouldn't do what I needed with its limitations, so I upgraded to Pro and haven't looked back.

Fredo649, Now that you have listed that info, please update your signature so it's always there so people can help you a lot easier. In the truss details, you can create an energy heel as an option. Read the reference manual for those to understand the settings and then you are on your way!

It'll depend on which program and version you're using.

Hi Mike, Do you give your plans to builders to estimate off of when you have them printed at "scale to fit?" If so, you would be doing yourself and them a huge favor to use the HD Pro provided 18" x 24" layout sheet and send it to that sheet at the scale that will fit and have it printed at scale on 18" x 24" paper. Trying to estimate from a plan with no scale will be of little if no help to them. The sheets will resize in both directions to fit the sheet and I think any consistency will disappear. Just my 2 cents.

Or you can select the item, click "transform/replicate" and then move the object the desired distance along the axis it needs to be moved on.

Pro 2019 has 3 different options to choose from. Sorry to hear that Architectural didn't offer it.

Have you tried the bonus catalog-accessories-08-holiday decor-winter holidays? Under that tab are holiday tress with a couple of options. Then you can break apart the architectural block and resize the tree.

I was goofing around with this and what I found is that the sink in this situation places itself below the top of the cabinet. Even when I set the sink to be at the top of the counter, it sat below. May not be a bug other than the sink is set to default at a certain height. If you do a cut through view, you should see the sink "floating" in air in the cabinet. Then just change the height to where it needs to be and that should do it.

Kevin, On a product related comment, if it's not too late, I would suggest NOT using a double door with sidelights already mulled to it. It makes it nearly impossible to shim the unit plumb and square when trying to shim if off the sidelights. Ideally you want to be able to shim the door square and level so hardware lines up correctly, etc. A stud pocket between the door and sidelights will allow that and will make it easier to adjust over time if the door moves, etc. Most manufacturer's instructions recommend installation of screws in one or two of the hinges into the frame, which can't be done w/a sidelight. Plus it allows the unit to support less weight since the header would be unsupported for only the width of the door (maybe 6' in this case) than over the entire 8' opening. Just a thought, yet after 37 years in building material & construction related fields, I'd hate to see you have an issue down the road that can't be fixed easily.

The framing will disappear if you modify the framing in any way and turn off "auto rebuild" in the "deck" section when you select that room. I was given a nice tip from the customer service people that if you have an intricate set up with posts, beams and footings needing to be in a specific spot, and need to edit the deck for any reason. Go to the "display" options and turn off "deck framing". Then, use "Copy" and copy all of the items you need to remain. Then go back and rebuild your deck and then eliminate the items that you don't want to show. Then go to "Paste>hold position" and those items will be put back right where they were. Turn on the deck framing display again and see it all.

You're very welcome. Good luck!

Another thing I do when doing an interior renovation project is draw an exterior block, then do the interior wall work inside that block. It helps keep doors as interior style and not exterior so you don't have to keep changing the styles, etc. Plus it will eliminate a foundation under the interior walls.

Exactly. Just "save as" and rename the new plan so you don't mess up your master. What I will do is close the new plan after I create it, so when you open the program back up, it will now be an option to select the new plan and then your changes become plan specific.

A new plan would always use the default program settings. I have set up a master that I start all of my designs from. That way the plan starts with the defaults I want them to be and they can be then adjusted for the particular job I am working on. Then before I start changing things, I "save as" with what I want to title the job so the master doesn't get affected.

Go to Edit>Default Settings>Floors and Rooms. Then do the same for Foundation. Make sure that auto rebuild foundation and walls are checked and then you can make adjustments you need.

As Solver asked in an earlier reply, which program title are you using?

Hi Mike, I don't adjust any line weights at all. It prints out just fine.

Depending on which Home Designer program you have, you can use the "split wall" tool to define the sections of walls you want to break into each finish type. Then open that wall and change the interior material to either paint or tile.

When I have larger projects that will need to go on 24 x 36 paper, I will draw it and send to PDF on 11x17 paper with the title block scale reading 1/4"=1'-0". Then when I send the PDF to be printed I just ask them to double the size, not fit to page. It will come out as 22 x 34 on 24x36 paper, and that should work for all parties.If it has to be on power point, then I am pretty sure your idea will work too.

Hi Keith, Good to see you on here again. In going over this quickly, my suggestion is to start on the default floor of 1, which would be the ground floor in this instance. The lower floor will generate as a foundation on floor 0. In essence, both floors will generate at the same time. Change the default wall types for both floors to what they need to be. For the grade, it is usually set for distance below the floor. So if your ground floor is elevation "0", set the grade below floor to the difference between the floor and grade. That will set the flat plane at the same height below the "ground floor" even all the way around. The lower floor can be "revealed" by setting your elevation heights as negative numbers from the existing grade you created. You can draw an elevation line where it stays flat and set it to "0" so it stays flat. Then the next elevation line will drop to the distance it needs to be. I hope this helps as a start, yet you can always save the terrain until the end before placing exterior stairs, etc.

You could also do it manually with an arrow and text.

Most people stick with 16" oc, here in New England anyway. It also provides more support for drywall & exterior sheathing.

I just use a soffit at the desired size and thickness and place it outside of an "opening" for the door. Pick the material you want it to be. There are barn doors in the bonus catalogs, yet aren't available for the Pro version.