AJIsaaks

I imagine this hasn't been looked at for a while nor implemented into new versions of Vectorworks (unless I'm wrong?). I have been doing a lot of research on this for renovation/conservation projects and for making the jump from 2D to a BIM workflow and creating walls is the real sticking point for me. All the projects I have worked on have been very high-spec and to suit existing structures - it's a real pain to have the exact same wall build up (double stud, p'board, skim, paint) to then have to duplicate this over and over again to suit the different spacing between the studs to match an existing wall thickness (100mm spacing? 101mm spacing? 105mm spacing...existing walls are not neat and tidy and friendly). I have always faced the argument of "BIM is great for new builds, but not the renovation"...I always want to argue back but it's things like this that makes me think they're right. Even in new builds, you are all right, we shouldn't be limited to a workflow that assumes that we only require a few types of finishes and walls...The project I am working on currently has 48 internal wall styles! In reality there is only 2x different cores and 3x different finishes and 3x different lining methods. Prior to BIM workflow, we documented exactly as @Tom Klaber explained - a core sandwiched between linings, and then use RDS to specify the wall paint colour or marble type...I feel like it's a bit too much to have to create a new wall type/component/style when the client wants to change from one type of blue to another type of blue...I think RDS or classes can cover that. Another element I would like VW to address is, as I haven't seen a convincing method yet, lining existing walls...Again, majority of projects in all, and certainly 100% of our office's work, is renovation and conservation. A lot of the buildings are listed...elements must be retained. So we have to line existing internal walls to provide better acoustic performance for example, but we want to put a new door in...VW can't expect us to a) duplicate openings to penetrate the existing wall and linings either side; or b) delete a portion of the existing wall and recreate as another wall type. I'm pretty sure Revit has a feature for this where if you insert a door into a new lined wall type, you could extend the cutting path manually... Then finally...you're lining an existing wall that is not straight...it's aged and it's not perfect...so typically we would line with something like a GypLyner and it would be nice to be able to contour a portion of a wall to suit undulations, like Archicad does. This also translates to modelling existing buildings from a 2D survey...how do you draw existing walls that are not uniform thicknesses?...again....multiple upon multiple wall styles, or, model it "dumb" in 3D and manually cut openings where required. I want to love Vectorworks BIM capabilities but it feels like it's forever patching not very good tools rather than just overhauling something that, I believe, is broken.

This one crops up in our office every so often...normally on my computer. We find it happens if computer/Vectorworks does not get shut down that often and just put on sleep. We normally just have to completely quit Vectorworks and re-open, sometimes a computer restart is in order.

I agree with Boh here. If you create all of your wall styles and wall components as defined by class, then they will be represented as existing (grey fill maybe) then when you split up the walls for demo, you can move those to the demo class and that's that. You could use viewport overrides to show all walls as grey fill (existing drawing), then duplicate the sheet and then override the demo class to show those walls as red dashed. Same model, different representations. Then when you're working on the model you can turn off that demo class and you have your blank canvas for new work. I find it is useful to have these on one file for reference, and just incase you need to bring some walls back to life after being sent to the demo class, it's easier. But I also agree that this will require some discipline if you're working in an office to keep the file clean and useable without too much fuss.

Thank you both for the replies. And Wes, I really enjoy your videos so I hope you continue making them. I've done some experimenting with the Wall Tool + Wall Projection: it works well but can be slightly temperamental if you have a double-sided wall, like a party wall (i couldn't manage 2x layers of polygon and a wall core without it acting strangely). For external walls I can see it will work very wall as you would trace the outside footprint with the Wall Tool then fill in the interior using Wall Projection. I'm also having trouble 'releasing' the Wall Projection (i.e. separating the wall from the polygon). I particularly like the wrap options available. The Pillar tool is an interesting one which I never considered and actually works very well - I was worried that the pillar wouldn't recognise as a wall when painting spaces, but it worked. My only gripe is that you cannot place a door/window on the pillar itself but it's a very neat solution. The Pillar method works really well for existing stuff if this were to remain grey/white/black for graphics, but it doesn't inherit the wall properties like the projection method does. I couple more questions which have occurred to me: 1) What is the best method for lining an existing wall/party wall? i.e. stud work as cavity then plaster board to square the room off. 2) What are your (and anybody else's) opinions on Vectorworks and other BIM programs capabilities for renovation work? Is it more hassle than it's worth? Thanks, Adam

Hi everyone, I am wondering what is the best way to model existing walls in VW BIM. I have been researching a lot online through forums, I understand most people get a 'BIM Ready Survey' made...but I was wondering how these are produced? I am newish to Vectorworks but I have used Revit at a previous practice. We always had a dozen or so wall types to represent our survey, usually a singular detached house - some walls are 150mm, some are 155mm, others 120mm and so on...it's tedious but it works. However, I am at a new practice who only use 2D VW and I am putting a case together for BIM using one of our old projects with a measured survey, but the problem happens along the party wall. The wall kicks out in places, there's at least 15 different thicknesses of the wall (and that's only the ground floor). There's chimney breasts as well that jut out but then steps in for the hearth. I've tried 'lining' each side of the wall which does kind of work but I feel there must be a better way. I've tried using the Create Wall Projection/Recess but it's very difficult to use and only works in very simple cases (I find the geometry changes are using the command). The best I have come up with so far is using a Virtual Wall as that has no thickness and still appears in elevations...I would then trace over this with a polygon for the graphics. I would appreciate if anyone can point me to a resource for this topic and to hear how others deal with this issue. My directors always say 'BIM is only good for new builds when it's a blank canvas and the walls are neat and tidy' but I refuse to believe this as a lot of construction projects is renovation...BIM must have a place and I'm determined to exhaust all avenues to see if it is worthwhile. Thank you kindly,