Process to create a floorplan...

[andrewt]

While I'm waiting for a reply to my other post (about not being able to run Model Setup), I thought I'd poke your brains some more.

I recently purchased (and subsequently returned) SoftPlan Lite. I wasn't happy with the Lite version's limitations, and I wasn't willing to spend twice the money to get the full version. That having been said, SP made it pretty easy to draw a floorplan. For those of you not familiar with it, you simply select the wall tool, rough out the sketch, dimension the drawing, and then adjust the dimensions to the exact size. The walls are moved accordingly, and you have a drawing.

I guess my question here is, how do VW users go about creating a floorplan with the software? It seems like a very powerful system, and the manuals are very detailed (if dry). The training CDs are also very detailed (also dry). Do you draw the walls, then dimension them accordingly, then create the 3D views? Or do you create the rooms with 3D objects, and then create walls from the spaces?

Just so we're all on the same sheet of music, let's say I have two projects to complete. The first one is a simple building, a barn. It'll be 32' x 40' with a gambrel roof. I'm going to create it from scratch. The second project is a 4500sf residence, which I'll be copying from an existing blueprint. For that one, I will obviously have all the dimensions, framing details, etc. I just want an electronic version of the paper document. Assume I have no facility to scan and import.

Thanks in advance for any tips. Hopefully somebody can figure out my Model Setup problem, and I can start fiddling with my expensive new toy.

[jfmarch]

its all very easy in both examples. as with any art form, there are certain organizing principles for communications. in architecture, many people consider the plan as the driving force behind any structure. so if you consider the plans as a graphic device, there are many basic drafting techniques to get you started. for me, its always boils down to either grid lines or area polygons (or both), to organize the plan.

for the barn, i would draw a rectangle on the floor layer and size it according to your dimensions. that rectangle can now be used as an area poly and a guide for snapping your walls to. once the walls are drawn adding a roof is simple. i would again draw rectangles on the roof layer, use the roof face command, and adjust accordingly.

for the redraw of the residence, again i would use polygons as floor areas and guides to draw walls, and maybe layout some grid lines too. use the overall dimensions to get you building footprint, and the clip surface or add surface tools for any irregularities in the plan. once thats down, simply start drawing walls by snapping to the poly. you can then use either the move tool, the x-y coordinate input windows and you snaps to place walls on the interior.

its a mighty big effort to redraw existing bluieprints and i would suggest that you have someone scan them to save time and still gain an electronic version. we use scannned drawings all the time as a faciloty management tool. but, if you are planning to reissue this house to a new client, than it does make sense to redraw. hope this helps...

[Kevin]

Jim makes some very good points. I find myself drawing existing blueprints all the time as I do a lot of remodel work. So for me the first thing to do is transfer either my field measurements or a blueprint of the existing into VW.

I have tried using a scanned image. I import it into a base layer and then trace my walls on a separate layer over that. (BTW, a blueprint\reprographics service can do the scan for you. Or you can use a small scanner in a paste up fashion).

I find that using a scan is helpful in having it right on the screen to see and trace, but it really slows down screen redraws.

If you have a dimensioned floor plan as you say, then try using the coordinate input windows as Jim suggests. For me it really goes fast. Be sure that your units are set up to match the units of the floor plan. Then you just read the floor plan dimension and punch it into VW.

[andrewt]

Jim -

So, with VW, am I going to have to draw simple shapes and then snap walls to them each time I want to draw a floorplan? I realize you were answering a specific question I was asking, but I'm trying to look ahead a little.

Put another way, is there a simple way to rough out the wall layout, and then fine-tune their placement to achieve a desired result?

Thanks again for taking the time to help me out...

[jfmarch]

i think the only way you will have to "try to look ahead a little" is to try different ways of drafting. think about how did you draft floor plans in the days of paper and pencil? i'm sure you worked out a way to rough-out plans that was fast, efficient and suited your needs.

the way i initially described to you happens to be the way i draft a plan out. its usefull because i always use the polys for running area calculations or zoning analysis'. you could just draw guidelines and snap your walls to them quickly.

there is also a tool called 'create wall from polygon' which creates walls to follow the shape of your poly. i have not used it but it might be a great timesaver.

you could, though, just start drawing walls and move them around accordingly. the move tool, and the dragging-snapping features are quite sophisticated...

[Kevin]

Andrew;

We may be overcomplicating things here. I suggest you select the wall tool and start drawing. That is the only way that you will get a feel for it.

The wall tool will draw a 3d wall as long as you give it a Delta Z height. You can change the view at anytime, and see the walls in isometric. This may help you understand just what exactly you are drawing, (not just two parallel lines).

I must say that I am quite pleased with the Exterior Wall Dimensioner in VW11. In less than a minute it dimensions my plan for me. Try it, I think it is pretty cool.

Just start drawing and you will quickly get the hang of it.

[Robert Anderson]

andrewt, the Connected Walls feature in VWA is useful for refining the "roughed out" plans. When you move a wall with Connected Walls turned on, you get an Offset value in the Data Display Bar that you can set with the keyboard to get exact values.