How to change floor structure


IBBrowning
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I'm new to Home Designer Suite and drawing an existing timber frame home for a remodel and addition. I don't understand where the 12 5/8" floor structure (L) I'm seeing on the Room/Structure edit panel is coming from and why it can't be changed. Help documents say it is shown for reference and can't be changed there, but I haven't found it anywhere in defaults either. I have existing floors supported by beams which are an 1 1/2" thick so the 'floor structure' is an 1 1/2" thick (or 9 1/2" with the beams which I would prefer to draw separately). Seems simple in theory but everything I try ends up changing the 'floor height above' to an incorrect value and puts 12 5/8" between floor and ceiling.

 

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Floor finishes only work for desired floor structures greater than 12" it seems (negative values wouldn't save in Suite 2016)

 

Fairly disappointed that after building my house plan for our remodel I can't get the floors anywhere close to their size. This causes problems with exterior aspects, ceiling heights (secondary cabinet problems with dropping the ceiling) and staircases.

 

I didn't think I would have to dig through the tool to find the gotcha variables they purposely locked down. And this isn't a uncommon or commercial scenario, every home owner remodeling their pre-60/70's house will almost certainly have this problem as the floor dimensions were rarely 12".

 

I read in another thread where defining the room as a court (few other types also) would change the value to 4" but would treat it differently in other regards. Haven't gotten this to work yet but might be the extremely hacky way to compensate.

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Suite is very limited in what it can do with the building structure, but it is documented in the comparison linked in post #5. 

 

I do not understand selling a product with this type of limitation -- what good is the software if you cannot build an accurate model, but then it's also a $100 product that is not intended to use for creating build or remodel plans.

 

You could set your rooms to be a Porch, or other type that uses a default 4" concrete slab, then make up the difference with finish floor thickness as you describe. Not ideal, but it should get you closer.

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Home Designer Suite is sold for $99.00 (you get what you pay for). Home Designer Pro sells for $495.00 and with it you can make the floor platform thickness whatever you wish by default settings. Blaming  the software is not the answer, if you want exactitude, you pay for it or you make due with what you have.

 

DJP

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