6 replies to this topic

[Dave Pazyniak]

Good Afternoon,

 

When drawing a new design, I start with the exterior walls, then develop the interior.  Then I draw my decks/porches, but they always align with the bottom of the wall, not 4" below finished floor.  I then adjust them in the elevation view.  Then I place my columns, which usually snap to the decking, then I add my beams, which also tend to snap to the decking.  From there, I fiddle with heights and placements, trying to get it looking aligned.  once I add the roof, it is another round of adjusting heights on the elevation view to get gutters and fascia to align. 

 

I would think there is a better way that would require less tinkering.  can anyone give a quick rundown of their process?

 

Thanks, Dave

[Tom Rogers]

• I layout all my walls, add doors, windows and openings
• Then I add floor.   This will adjust my heights of wall offset.
• Add beams for porches.
• Then I add my roof. 
• add columns, etc. 

Except for columns I usually don't have much to adjust in with regards to heights. 

[Keith Almond]

I think most of the issues are to do with regional methods of construction, and how everyone was trained ...

 

 ... but they always align with the bottom of the wall ...

 

I think you mean the bottom of the floor ... That would be typically how they are constructed here, as the ledger is lagbolted (staggered top and bottom) to the rim joist.

 

... once I add the roof, it is another round of adjusting heights on the elevation view to get gutters and fascia to align ...

 

As long as all the wall heights are correct, and the roof parameters have been set, then there should never be any need to edit the roof heights, they should all be consistent throughout the drawing.

 

Like Tom, typically I find that the only thing that needs to be edited are column heights.

[randolph cohn]

click on HELP at top of softplan

 

at far LEFT click on the HELP icon

 

click CONTENT tab >

go to / "drawing with softplan"

double click on "drawing with softplan"

and

than double click on "steps in creating a residential plan"

 

read it thru and practice everything it says.

 

[D M]

Remember to Offset your deck down ..

 

A deck will 'start' with its lowest element flush with the lowest element of the drawing into which you add it (left of picture)

 

Edit the Deck, .. on the 'Common' tab, .. set your offset down the dimension you require, .. (right of picture)

[Dave Pazyniak]

Thank you all.  One of my big issues was not adding the floor until later in the process...

 

Dave

[Keith Almond]

Even if you add the floor later, CLEANUP should put things right, or even regenerate - if necessary - on the roof, without tedious minor adjustments to everything.