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I was hoping someone could lead me in the right direction:

I have a possible project that includes the following.

 

Transfering existing PDF 3 story school (approx 250,000 sq ft.)into vwx and making it a 3-d model as well.

Floor plans, elevations are included in the PDF.  From here another architect will utilize the plan to begin doing proposed and creating CD's.

 

I am well versed in vwx but the question becomes time associated with this project.  All they want is to reproduce the existing and create a model of the existing

 

I am trying to figure out the amount of time associated with this project. 

I know this can vary from project to project and often a touchy question.

If anyone would be willing to provide insight I would greatly appreciate it.

I have typically charged by the hour, however, I have never completed a project this large

 

Thanks

Andrew

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Note about pdf to vwx:

 

The pdf vector geometry may not match the source geometry. Something about pdf internal grid?

source and pdf may not match the as built condition. Best to use the digital source if it’s available . Tracing PDF of hand drawn geometry may be fine.

 

 I recently started a vwx model of a CMU building. Eg tried snapping walls to perimeter and extruding the pdf (or traceings) vectors in some areas. Same CMU throughout. But pdf displayed strange, inconsistent CMU and wall thicknesses, door widths, store window configs. Other dimensional problems, too. Rectangular objects were usually just uncomposed line segments, often not quite snapped together. Pdf was close but I was relieved to finally receive the dwg source files.

 

While working with the pdf I was constantly trying to interpret dimensions or find call outs on different sheets. Lots of time lost in speculation of intent where drawing  unclear or undetailed. Lots of tracing required. Creating the 3d also requires switching among paper sheets, vwx plan, elevations, sections photos,site visit notes, etc to establish understanding prior to or during the modeling work. Often needed pasting/rotating copies of different views or collections of objects into work area as guides , then deleting or moving them out of view, or changing  layer visibility. Totally can be done from pdf, but lots of strategies needed. Result may be more approximate than accurate.

 

Can you make a test model from a small portion of the pdf and extrapolate your time?

 

-B

 

Edited by Benson Shaw
Clear as mud!
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10 hours ago, Andrew Mac said:

IFrom here another architect will utilize the plan to begin doing proposed and creating CD's.

 

If you are not really desperate for work, let the other architect take the responsibility of the existing conditions model, unless the client is willing to pay the real cost, in which case a reasonable hourly rate would be the only sensible way. Also, laser scanning might be necessary, I've not tried the point cloud functionality of VW, it may or may not work (my guess is the latter) , but the survey company should be able to provide a 3D-model as polygons. 

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Andrew Mac,  please see the 2 videos below

(the PHX took me 80hrs to research and model)

 

this is what i tell people who want 3d modeling of anything...

 

1. there is no model that is 100% complete

 

so i work like this..

 

30 hrs to get me to the 1st goto meeting (this means that i will show my model at a goto meeting for review & comments)

(absolutely no making of sheets (sheets estimate 10hrs per) sheets are not part of the 30hrs)

 

another 30 hrs to get me to the 2nd goto meeting (review & comment)

 

another 30 hrs to get me to the 3rd goto meeting 

 

and this goes on forever (so to speak) until someone says "good enough you can stop"

 

this is the only way to do it...

 

 

 

 

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