Living area calculations

[Tim Schrock]

Hi all,
I'm thinking this should be an easy one, but I can't find it. It seems that Chief calculates living area to the inside of the walls. Is there an option for me to calculate from the outside main layer?
Thanks!

[lbuttery]

Tim:

not that I know of...

Lew

[sutcac]

I haven't done a lot of testing of this calculation, as I find just using closed polylines is more flexible to find out certain information I need. But the Help section says-

"Living Area is measured from either the outside surface or the outer surface of the Main Layer of exterior walls (not the inside). When walls separate the living area from exterior or hybrid room types, it is measured to the wall center line."

Doing an exterior room (perimter) polyline and just adjusting that to your needs to get the area you're looking for is pretty quick and simple.

[Tim Schrock]

It's easy until you have complicated decks, porches, etc. It's not hard to calculate that way, but when we have an automatic calculator, it would seem easier to let the program do the calculating.

Unfortunately, on the plan I'm working on, I can prove that living area isn't going to the outside, in the basement level anyway.

[BREEZE WOOD]

Living Area seems always an issue, whatever CA is calculating should be highlighted for quick reference in case of user error in designation....CD - 2D fl pln low priority for efficiency is often disappointing, without knowing the difficulty to visibly display what is being calculated.

[sutcac]

Is you basement on Floor 0 or 1?

[Tim Schrock]

Basement is on floor 0. It's easy to prove because there is little else in the way, and I can easily draw a polyline around it.

[Allen Brown]

On upper floors LA is calculated outside of framing to outside of framing, except where the garage meets the house, it is calculated in center of framing.

I don't recall how it calculates basements.

[perryh]

Never use it because I just don't trust it to give an accurate answer.

[Glenn Woodward]

You can find the setting in Defaults...Floor...General tab...Main Layer or Surface.

[dshall]

You can find the setting in Defaults...Floor...General tab...Main Layer or Surface.

He did it again! Glenn Woodward who knows all! I bow down to his greatnesss. By the way I do know that you can select a room and either include or not include in the area calculation and that setting is in the ROOM DBX.

[dshall]

You can find the setting in Defaults...Floor...General tab...Main Layer or Surface.

What would be nice is if this also controlled the MAKE ROOM POLYLINE TOOL, so instead of getting a pline that represented the area to the FINISHED LAYER, the pline would represent the area to the MAIN LAYER of the building. You got an answer for that Glenn?

[sutcac]

Well, a simple test seems to work regardless of the Floor 0. Perhaps you can post your plan and give more specific examples of your problem?

[Glenn Woodward]

What would be nice is if this also controlled the MAKE ROOM POLYLINE TOOL, so instead of getting a pline that represented the area to the FINISHED LAYER, the pline would represent the area to the MAIN LAYER of the building. You got an answer for that Glenn?

D. Scott,

My answer to that one is to use the standard room polyline and then Concentic drag onto the wall layer you want.
Only takes a second.

[Steven M]

I think the answer is in the text macros, not sure can't check not at my office.
try %room area%

Steve