14 replies to this topic

[Mark Gradison]

I draw plans for a company who designs and builds around 30 homes a year.  Up until this point, I have drawn the elevations in line form with paint added.  We are discussing using the 3D capabilities of Soft Plan to have a better presentation for our clients.   I have limited experience and struggle a bit using 3D.

My questions to the more experienced users are how do you handle multiple changes to the plans?

What short cuts do you use to speed up the process of building the house? i.e. I was taught to not draw floor joists/ ceiling joist, etc to save time and just use offsets.  We can have 5 or 6 projects running at one time and between myself and another draftsperson we have a week to turn around the revisions.

Also, are there any users who use SketchUp or another program in lieu of SoftPlan 3D to have faster and more manipulable presentation views?

[Yvon Gonthier]

I never understood the option of not drawing floor joists. I dealt with companies in the past that did that and hated it. In most cases, you can draw floor joists in the matter of seconds. You don't have to go with a perfect joist plan but a basic jpoist plan will set your offsets automatically improving all related items such as stairs, sections, elevations and 3D.

[Mark Gradison]

Yvon,

 

How do you handle major revisions to the floor plans?  Do you just redraw the joists?

[Daniel Zanoli]

Mark, Took ten years off from a upgrade. Drew in version 13 up to 2 years ago. Went to the softplan plus option and would never draw a line drawing elevation again. Plug away at the 3d and your company will never want it any other way. Its just as easy after you fight your way through it.   

[Yvon Gonthier]

Yvon,

 

How do you handle major revisions to the floor plans?  Do you just redraw the joists?

It depends on the modifications. If you move an exterior wall with attach activated or by editing a dimension, your floor system will adjust accordingly. In some cases where it might get to messy, I might erase and redo the floor system.

[Mark Gradison]

Daniel,  What size homes are drawing?  How many projects are working on at a time?   I love the idea of a complete switch to 3D and save the time on line drawings.  What is your advice on the best way to learn 3D - the manual, Youtube, in person training classes ???

[Daniel Zanoli]

1600 to 3500. The tutorials are easy to learn from and now softplan has friday fundamentals which has had 3d classes. I wish I had 30 houses to draw Mark your lucky. I can 3d now just as easy as line draw and I think all these guys will agree, and its kinda fun. Mark if you can draw a line elevation you can draw a 3d elevation. Take that key home (on your key chain )   and plug away. You'll get so good at it you'll have to to put it on coast some of the time at the office.

[Tom Rogers]

Mark:

 

I do all my designs in 3D.  It is easy to learn and once you play around with it you will find quick tricks to make almost everything look what you want.  In the few places that I had a problem I either placed a strategic bush or adjusted my view to hide it.  In reality the more you do it the more you will do it (yes that is my Yogi Berra-ism) meaning you will find yourself playing around to get the perfect look.  Like Dan said it is fun, and yes Dan, on the key chain.  

 

Like I said all my designs are 3D so that when I have to go and do CDs it is very simple because all I really have to do is add a few notes and paint and perhaps clean up a line or two and my elevations are done.  Design takes time but CDs can be done in a 1 to 1-1/2 days. 

[Mark Gradison]

Daniel,

our houses are around 7,000-9,000 sf on average  with 30 houses a year  

[Mark Gradison]

could someone send snap shots of their construction plans please?

[Daniel Zanoli]

Mark you need to go back and look at the older constuction drawings for the builder you work for and use them as a (cheat sheet). Where I live you would need a stamp for a home that big anyways and alot more details...

[randolph cohn]

mark

 

keith almond did a top notch thread on elevations

for your con docs and for presentations..

 

I couldn't find it but i'm sure keith will come around

and post the link.

 

lots of information in that thread.

[PAUL LADNER]

Would love to see Keith Almond's thread on elevations.  Always on the lookout for good ideas, tips and shortcuts..

[Steve and Carla Farnam]

Paul if you do a search for elevations you will find Keiths

tutorial posted 14 September 2016

[randolph cohn]

here's the link to keiths tutorial covering 3d elevations

 

http://softplan.com/.../?hl=elevations