FSNut01

Got it. Thanks. Guess I need to go back and re-read the manual a few more times.

Eric, I've been working on this on and off for the past several days and the struggle continues. I have managed to get as far as "pull the roof over the dormer". I can't for the life of me figure out how to do that. I am assuming I need to use the break tool but no matter what I do I don't get anything but the entire edge of the upper roof plane. LawB10, thanks for your approach. I have been trying to work out Eric's approach on my own but I am starting to feel like no matter what I do I may never get the hang of this software. I am about ready to take the plan you provided and use it as a starting point and make some modifications to it to get it where I need it to be. I have been using 2D cad programs for over 30 years but this one always gets me at what seems like should be simple things. I can get 90 percent of what I want to achieve but the last 10 percent stops me cold. I also have a pretty good grasp of Sketchup and could probably have done most of this in that in far less time. You guys make it look easy but I feel like pulling my hair out sometimes. I guess I need to just spend some time experimenting with this without the pressure of an actual project getting in the way.

Thank you both for the suggestions. Jo Ann, I looked at the dormer articles in the knowledge base but it never occurred to me to look at story and a half articles. I have already found a couple that are of relevance. I worked through the one about creating a large shed dormer and can see where that may help. Eric, I will change my attic to a second floor and try again. I think with that and what I learned from the knowledge base articles I may have more success. It helps to have these kinds of suggestions when what I was searching for may not have had the correct terminology for what I am trying to do. I'll may be back with more questions but this will get me pointed in the right direction at least.

I have been struggling to complete the exterior of our barn plan so that I can begin a project of adding lean-to roofs to both sides of the barn this summer. I think I managed to finally get the roof correct but can't seem to get the dormers right. I get almost there but something or another never looks right about them. Rafters poke through or there are holes where they shouldn't be or the roof planes don't line up where they should etc.. I have read and re-read the manuals regarding dormers, watched videos until I am dizzy and experimented over and over but still can't get them to my satisfaction. I would like some advice please. This barn is 5 years old. The upper floor is called an attic but I am wondering if I should approach it as a second floor in Home Designer. The upper floor is finished as a rec room and at some point I would like to model it as such for space planning purposes so is calling it an attic going to throw me off in the future and would it make creating these dormers easier? The roof pitches are 12:5 and 5:12. The front wall of the dormers should be continuous with the walls below and the roof of the dormer is even with the upper roof. I have tried auto dormers, floating dormers and manually creating the dormers. The only one I had any luck with is the auto dormer tool. When I tried manually creating them they would appear in the plan and in a 3d view until I added the roof and then they would disappear from the 3d view but still show in the plan view. I also can't get the software to cut the walls at the roof inside. Attached is the plan I am currently working on and a photo showing what the dormer looks like. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Barn 2017 w Dormers.plan