Can I import a PDF of an existing plan so I can work on it in Home Designer?

[mattman2000]

Sorry for the newbie question but I have been struggling trying to figure this out on my own and am getting nowhere

 

I bought plans for my new home and have a PDF file. I am not interested in modifying the plan and building from it-- I want to build it exactly as it is-- but I woud like to import the plan so I can model different materials, colors, landscaping, cabinets, etc.

I have been able to basically trace over the plan and make my own walls, windows, doors, etc and have a fairly good representation but it was a real struggle to do it and now that I have my own walls on top of the background image I would like to turn off the display of the underlying PDF image. That is my first floor.

However, the home has a walkout basement and the basement walls do not match the main floor and I am having a hard time getting them to line up and for the stairs to work-- they are U-shaped (6 down, landing, and 6 more down like what you would typically see in a split level). Do I need to build the basement first and then add the main floor, did I do this in the wrong order?

I'd like to just start over, I just upgraded from Architectural 2022 to 24 and would like a clean slate. Is there a training module (or modules) that show these steps? 

Thanks for any advice you may have!

Matt

[Jo_Ann]

In the floor plan view, select the pdf and delete it or drag it out of the way.

 

The basement walls usually auto build when you draw floor 1.

[DMerc1400]

@mattman2000 not sure about Architectural 2024, I'm currently using Home Designer Pro 2024. Regarding turning off the underlying PDF file/image. Go to Display options (layers) look for layer "Picture/PDF Boxes", if you check/unchek the "Dis" box you can have it not show or show or completely remove it if you no longer need it.

 

You started your project in the right order, tracing the walls from the PDF file. Once you're satisfied with first floor, proceed with creating foundation. Build>Floor> Build Foundation...derive foundation from first floor. This will make foundation walls and first floor walls align. The stairs are placed from basement to 1st floor. In your case you want to use the U-shaped stairs under the stair tools.

 

When searching for tutorials, tips etc I always start with a Google search. Always include either Chief Architect or Home Designer and add any words you're trying to find.

[y-g-m-n]

Why not draw the walls etc. based on dims in the plan you purchased.

This ensure the dims are correct and what you see is actually to scale on pdf.

 

Call it quality control

[mattman2000]

Thank you everyone for your advice, I had to sideline this for a few weeks but will return the project shortly.

 

Y-g-m-n, I tried your recommendation first but I found that drawing everything entirely freehand  and having it match was difficult, it seemed that tracing would be easiest. It may still be that I will need to go that route to ensure that when it comes time to add cabinets and such that they actually fit and that I didn't spend a lot of time creating a model of a dollhouse instead of a full-sized home.

The only reason I bought this program was to model and existing plan, not to design new ones, so maybe there really are no shortcuts to this but I thought I'd ask, at least now I have a better idea of where I stand

 

Thanks everyone,

 

Matt

[Rookie65]

For what it's worth, what I do is import the 1st floor PDF, then use the scaling tool to measure the walls that are known. It's the red arrow in a blue box in the toolbar that will show when the PDF is selected. You can set the dimensions so they scale in width and height. If you have auto rebuild foundations on, like DMerc1400 had said, the foundation will build as the walls do. Then when you are done with that, check the foundation dimensions so they are in round numbers so your foundation builders don't have to deal with little fractions. Then you can go back to the 1st floor and align those walls with the foundation you may have changed. It sounds like it's complicated, yet it really isn't. It's just setting the plan close to what it should be before tracing it.