HD 2015 - Split Level Headache

[ZoomZoom]

Hi there,

I'm new to the forums.  First, I did search pretty extensively for this specific issue in the forums.  Second, my original college degree was in Residential Architecture, so I'm all the more frustrated having to ask for help here.

 

I have Home Designer Suite 2015.

I have created a floorplan/design for a house that is primarily a very large ranch.  Except for one end of the home.  I attach a .jpg image of the main floor plan so we all understand better what I'm describing.

 

To the left of my Family Room, is the actual "lower level" - I want the floor surface of this room to be approximately 72" below the main level/grade.

When I plugged in a negative 72" absolute floor height, the software had no qualms.  I also want an approximate ten or eleven foot ceiling height on this level.
Above this portion of the home, will be the upper level, and above the primary garage will be a true 2nd story accessed via stairs from the upper level adjacent.  The ceiling height of the upper level may be flush with the 2nd floor ceiling height (which would also extend into the Family Room.

 

I can not figure out for the life of me, the order in which I need to start changing heights/specs to get all levels in sync with each other.  Every time I think I have the upper/lower level heights figured out, HD2015 automatically adjusts at least one user entry despite "default" not being selected and changes it.

Using the software assumptions for actual floor joist heights, ceiling finish heights, etc, which numbers and in which order should I be plugging in these numbers to get the software to make this work?

Thank you tremendously,

ZoomZoom!
-Home Designer Suite 2015

 

[solver]

Is this the idea. Theater room at lower left, upper floor over both the theater room and garage?

 

 

[ZoomZoom]

Hey Solver,

You're close!

The Lower Level (Theater wing) also has a half bath pictured with no door, fixtures, or window.  The stairs going up are dimensional-correct rise/run.
The lower level would have a rough (not including floor/ceiling finish) height of 11' - 0"
Above this level is the Upper Level, ceiling height of 9' - 0"
The adjacent Family Room (main level) would have an approximate 2 1/2" story ceiling height, because
Above the garage, is a true 2nd floor.  Ceiling height 9'-0".  This second floor would be accessed from stairs coming up from the upper level.

I've left space in the original pictured floorplan for a staircase to extend from the Family Room to the Upper Level, and once I get the 3D schematics to work, I'll place a staircase from the Upper Level to the 2nd Floor.

(Hope this makes enough sense to help).

[ZoomZoom]

Maybe this pic helps (or hurts).

 

I made it in MS Paint, so the detail is amazing.

[solver]

Draw what I show above. Place a wall on the 2nd level that is an extension of the middle wall -- the one between the theater and garage. So you now have 2 rooms on the 2nd floor.

 

Go to the room over the theater, and change the Ceiling Below height to match the ceiling in the theater, and change the ceiling height of that Upper Level room to be correct.

 

The software works a bit upside down, in that you control the heights of rooms below, from the rooms above, when there is a room above.

[ZoomZoom]

I'll give it a try.  I knew something was sort of backwards or otherwise not as intuitive with the software, and I've been stuck in a rut trying different versions (re-doing the plan from scratch each time).  I will be sure to let you know how it goes :-)

[ZoomZoom]

Just wanted to provide feedback Solver.

 

Problem is RESOLVED!

I am not positive if this contributed to the errors, but I had my Upper Level (not the 2nd Story) listed as Open to Below in the space specs.  I wanted to tell that to you, in case in your future helps, you encounter this problem again.  After I gave it an included square footage label, strictly focusing on the numbers for the upper level (the odd 16 ceiling height) and paying attention to the numbers for the floor below (lower level Theater), it all worked on the first try.

I am red in the face having tried to make this plan for a 3D presentation, for over a week without success.

 

Thank you!

[solver]

Thanks for the update. I'll usually ask for the plan file because people often change things that don't need to be changed and having the plan makes it easier to find them.