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different floor heights and ceiling heights and multiple floors makes for a difficult project. Remember heights are set from First floor elevation which is the zero. Lowering some rooms is ok and done in the room dialogue. Having software build your foundation tends to be best as long as you ensure specs in the dialogue are what you want. As said above - to learn one has to play with it. Try creating a 2 room house with each have different floor elevations. again but different ceiling heights. Mybe again to see what options you have for roof generation. Play with foundation variables so you understand what they do. Create a copy of your existing plan and play with things until you get what you want so you do not ruin original file. Once you figure it out then apply to original file and save and on to the next task... After a while this all becomes second nature. There are many ways to do many things and when you find a way that works for you. To learn this software, you have to play with it and create different designs to learn it. I find the HELP to be a tremendous resource as it explains a lot. Also have some knowledge on houses are built also helps a bunch so you know what is possible or not and what is required from say a structural point of view. I have seen some designs which are impossible to build yet look nice. Creating a model of existing can be a PAIN but if you design it like it was built tends to be easier; especially when a house has had multiple editions added over the years or very old and made from obsolete material or methods. Then you have to cheat your plan so it is accurate for what you need but may not indiicate how it was built. Good luck and play with it. .

I didnt mean they do not work with those tools they just do not work well if our light is not symmetrical. have a pot light? click it do you get any temp dims to locate it from a wall or something? Or from then next pot light in say a row? Hey tel me how far is that pot light from the side wall and end wall? Have to use tape measure as selecting it does not show any temp dims. So in your case you had to locate the first before you can use the replicate thingy. example: see attached ceiling light I selected and no temp dims to locate so yeah I have to center it with room and all. 2nd pic is of a landscape SEASIDE PATH LIGHT that has been selected no temp dims and the center point is the center of OA width which is worthless since should b center of spike or light bulb something when installing you can measure or check and means something. So centering etc are based on this center point which is not easy to find in real life due to light. Heck temp dims to edges would suffice but now with electrical stuff.. I can locate everything else in the library (that I have played with which is a bunch) except electrical things require you to add manual dims. Light switch try to locate 4" from a door what a PIA as thing jumps around goes to other side of wall sometimes just real messy versus other objects that are on walls. Dimensioning outlets and switches is a pain not on mine I have to bust out the tape measure. I have tried the replicate thing and I guess I am too use to AUTOCAD and Solidworks and I mess it all up and takes me too long to figure out each time I want to use it. Same thing with OFFSET (offset should just be a command and not some weird way it is in HD so I just draw poly lines where I want lights and such and then insert and locate centers on the cross points. Or I will insert Ceiling J-Boxes at these points so I can change lights out easy enough and keep their locating point.

When I mess with my exterior lights and get them how I want them in the 3D perspective view using STANDARD view I can get them to work as I want. MAnual based on LIGHT SETTINGS. Then I switch to PHYSICAL viewing and some of them turn off even though they are on. I try turning them off and on - nope. Go back ito adjust lights and cehck everything is correct (it is) and click update just in case and close out by hitting DONE. and physical view remains as before with some lights off. TRy it w/ automatic with more lights on then I have and no change. Move camera viewpoint - No change.. Nothing works = seems like a glitch.

I use these 3 commands /buttons a lot: See screen shot attached: #1 is the PERP or PARALLEL button. Select object you want to rotate to be Perp or Parall and then click on #1 button. You then find object you want to align it TOO and depending on how you move your mouse you will see and AXIS line to denote how it will roatte it when you click again. so by moving mouse little you can get PERP or PAR. #2 is CENTERED. Similar procedure but it will aalign object to be centered with what you select the mouse with - it does show you axis it will center on since it gives everything 2 axis in plan view (X and Y) #3 is Mirror. SO it mirros object based on same thing what object you hover over and the axis line it shows. I suggest playing with each as these 3 are probably the 3 best commands they have for placing objects ina plan. DO note though for some reason ELECTRICAL items do not like these 3 commands and still difficult to align pot lights. Best way for pot lights is to draw lines where you want them to be and located them on the line. For spacing on this line again draw cross lines so you create intersections for location This brings up a Suggestion to HD software coders: everything but electric brings up temp dims to help locate them by edges why not LIGHTS? let me locate the CENTER of the light so I can locate Junction boxes currently have to be done by inserting manual dims and then it is a pain - like no one likes the electrician.

thanks, can you describe differences between them? I see width and radii etc. but are these based on some local supply house stock or made up completely by you?

did you look at terrain specification?

Draw Main house first. under terrain spec is a dialogue about a pad for house that is level and how high subfloor is above surround terrain. This main house FLOOR level becomes the ZERO for everything's Z axis aka vertical. Some threads on here about adding second buildings and I think they stated draw that in another file and then import it and place.. or something like that. Search and read some of those good answers if memory serves as I used them as I have a detached Car Barn and its slab is about 2" lower then house. I do not know elevations, slab heights, floor heights should be simple but sometimes the AUTOMATIC parts of the software fight you. Specially if you have brick house that has brick ledge since you have no control over that.

you can do that on any terrain feature. All they did was add a terrain feature on top of a road but it could be a driveway or a slab or a flower bed.

I have looked in library I am using CAMPAGNE panels: But I increased height to 48" to match what I have Closest to a Gothic Picket we used: Where is matching gate in the main gate library? I looked in bonus library and lots of NON Matching Gates - Heck no matching panels for these gates either. The PICKET gate is probably best choice but looks like crap since boards are different and picket spacing is different. Notice how wide the pickets are on the gate versus fence - just looks bad. I have tried to make it look better with other gates and cheats and well, what you see is where I am at. Issue is gate is wide and those in the library do not take kindly to being made skinny or wide as program just stretches and squeezes the gate to suit width listed. Wrong pickets and spacing when I have it drawn to width they have for it. Wish program was smart enough to figure out how many pickets were required based on picket width and desired gap between boards. So the library gates only look good when you use them at their drawn width - which you do not know and may not suit the plan. Just seems the landscape design portion of Home Designer was an after thought even though they market it for landscape design. Decks are similarly clumsy to design unless very basic, Would be cool if you could make a Door/gate that used the wall/fence material if you did not select anything. I think hidden doors (think Oval office) that are mase to look like walls would be interesting and then would work for gates on fences too. only thing I notice is picket spacing as program just squeezes or stretches pickets to suit width of panel between posts so never looks right unless you guess what they drew it for. Again a way to make my own fence with individual boards would be great especially for estimating since it would give me a good picket count. So now I am having to use other 3d software, autocad/Solidworks/Sketchup etc to design my stuff and then import as library items I need - Real PIA.

Why is it there are some standard Fence panels but no matching gates? Where is the proverbial American WHITE PICKET FENCE and matching gate Opie can walk thru? they have only one with some funky top detail; but it is a panel so it is what it is an you cannot TWEAK it. Also the included rails are some funky size lumber and cannot be adjusted or moved. For landscape design a powerful fence tool would be handy to calc a lumber buy list if the dayum thing was accurate and let me design the fence I want to build. Maybe 6ft privacy with overlap fence boards or spaced with 1/4" gap or 3.5" gaps. Maybe I want 3 rails, bottom 12 inch from terrain, top is 5ft above highest ground point & middle rail 36" Or maybe I want rail on front or back or between posts. Maybe top rail is a 2x4 on side and with another on top on flat for Tee section or ELL section with 1x4 on back. Create a new setup screen Manu box thingy for fences. Base it off of wall menu thingy but include where we can define a custom fence in lieu of using library "PANELS" Let me have some choices for Balusters but call it PICKETS. then have library of them. Rails are like you allow now but make it easier to manipulate them and include the middle rail - Which I still have not figured out how. Define offsets better by adding the FROM box with vert options like others, from terrain or floor or Absolute etc. Horizontal offset should be from Post exterior surface maybe. with option for centered. Post spacing you have but add picket spacing by defining the gap between and gap to terrain and elevation of top or board length so one has choice for crazy ground with many undulations. Just a little tweaking and landscape designing became way easier and better. I mean it would be nice to be able to draw proper fence and then dimension details for fence contractor so they know what to build. Next up would be hardscape, pavers and block/stone/boulder fences. I see where Site says use it for landscape design but really, not a lot of tools for landscape design more just to make a pretty rendering. OK Rant off.

buy or Rent Chief Architect

you need chief architect the pro version where as HD is more for the novice IMHO. HD does have layers you just donot get to create them nor decide what is on each as software does all that ... Their way of doing it in HD but in CA I think you can create your own and/or change items layers like in autocad... HD will never be as accurate as Autocad as for home building where they measure with Tape measure not micrometers. ps way to wake up an olde thread 2016 last post. should read where they all say what you want is Chief Architect

sorry but OMG is that strange... NEver seensomehting like that before.

make new exterior wall and when creating use exterior surface/material you want and color and then use that wall when drawing be it siding or brick. IF existing wall you need to use material paint tool. Click spray can then select material you want exterior wall to be.... Say it is siding and you do not like color... then after chaning to siding shape and size you like then select spray can again. And pic color you like from the paint manufacturers or where ever....and then on bottom of screen lower left you have painting options - select roller looking thing. then spray paint exterior wall you and it will just add that that over top of say sidign to change its color but keep its physical look... play with it.

I do not see a plumbing layer in my 2024 HD PRO see screen shot of layer toolbar thingy

looks like a house with additions over the years which makes it hard to duplicate since if you started from scratch probably would do things differently

24ft is a long span for that depth material.. make sure you read the engineering specs/docs to know max span based on floor load per sq ft based on Center to Center distance and free span. Another note is I-joists tend to need blocking between flanges at ends where they rest on walls to prevent web buckling. your local building codes should state floor loading based on what it is; attic floor, home living area, Commercial office space, etc.

OR make a custom wall cabinet and locate bottom at top of countertop and turn 90 from wall. Then you can either make solid or open it up and have shelves and use that to give to cabinet company to get made.

I would think you would go to: DEFAULT SETTINGS under EDIT tab Then Select FRAMING and click EDIT. And set what ever you want for foundation, 1st, 2nd and I guess 3+ floors if you have them. Walls should not move but since you are adding 2" everything gets taller. PS normal flloor joists are 2x12 nominal (1.5"x11.25" Actual) you list 2.5"x11.875" guess that is some sort of fabricated wood beam or glue lam etc?? 3.5"x14" has tobe glue lam and to use those for floor joists will get real expensive. Also what is under these "BASEMENT" Floor joists as I always though you had a concrete slab poured in basement sitting on some drainage stones packed inside the foundation? What amI missing? Maybe some screen shots of wall cross section showing floor and ceilings would be helpful

Not sure what you are trying to achieve but to locate objects: use manual dimensions. Add a manual point to point dim for the object you want to locate. then click object and the manual dim should go GREY - click the number and change it to what you want the new dim to be and then click return object moves to satisfy the new dimension you typed in. Or the temp dimensions work the same way if they come up how you need them. if you want something 3" from wall, click on object near wall and normally a dim will come up click on the one that locates object as you want and change the number. hit return and it moves...

budget comes to mind before selecting roof material as the difference can be quite large

good deal... Glad I could help some how.

If the upper "dormer" walls are aligned with lower external walls it is not a dormer but a just second story with first floor roof overhang running down the sides. The front wall of this 2nd story room is cut by first floor roof they have option for that too. just a roof detail. you can add with pro using custom roof planes. I think if you look at the HD website and their resource center and training videos you will find one that explains how to do what you have.

another way to do it is: insert a railing type wall all around porch and it will turn into a room and you can then edit the roof features there. Then click on one of these 3 "railing walls" and select open to edit the features. go to RAIL STYLE tab. Select SPECIFY RAILING at the top and select OPEN if you do not have railing If you have railing then adjust what you need to make it as you need. Select NEWEL/POSTS and check POST TO BEAM this wil insert a beam at the ceiling height you chose for that room to support the roof. Then for start of wall syou have post options, none, hlaf or full and same for end. YOu can then select materal for it or color. go to NEWEL/BALUSTERS tab. Set width of posts, offset from edge, spacingof posts (it will round then so adjust as needed to get what yuo want) Pick type of column or go to library to get a fancy one from the library. repeat for other 2 walls and then look at what you have. By doing this you can then drop porch floor as much as you need and have roof auto build correctly (sometimes) I think this is covered in the help or online help thingys. Creating an Attached Porch or Carport (chiefarchitect.com)

when you have brick wall it automatically adds HD's idea of a brick ledge at about 5.5" wide x 3" below slab floor. SO in your example it probably aligned the outside of the studs and then added brick ledge beyond that. If all brick house it adds 11" to overall width and length - no way to adjust other than make adjust thickness in the Wall definition dialog For around where I live HD brick ledge is huge and way oversized for my area and what builders are doing. I think HDpro should allow the brick ledge size be a variable in foundation slab screen thingy.