roof help?

[dr0591]

Hi guys,

I'm working on a project where I just can't get a shed dormer roof to work out right. I don't know if it's me (highly possible) or if the architect just didn't draw the plan correctly.

This architect only draws by hand, so I'm working from his pencil-drawn plans and elevations (no roof plan).

The problem is that when I draw the shed dormer the way it looks in the plan and elevations, the windows disappear into the lower roof. If I raise the windows to the right height in the exterior wall, they disappear into the ceiling inside.

I'm wondering if the plan as drawn by the architect just can't work, or if I'm missing something important here. The back hip dormer worked out just fine.

Thanks for any advice or help. If you need to look at my Chief plan or any other information, let me know and I'll post it.

[Jay M]

That is not a design by an architect but a designer. Where is his / her cross section. I see a lot of problems as far as real world building code issues (winders a point, enough ceiling height over bathroom fixtures)......Bottom line...you need more information.

[David J. Potter]

What are the ceiling heights for each floor?

What is the platform thickness for the second floor?

The elevation he drew does look incorrect or just sloppy (the front does not match the back in terms of apparent ceiling height, the second story windows are out of alignment?).

I do not think it is you, rather you just need more accurate data from your guy.

DJP

[dr0591]

Thanks, guys. I played around with it some more, and it seems like the front shed dormer needs to move forward and down the main roof plane by about 5 feet to accommodate the windows and normal ceiling height.

I've sent an email to the client asking her to consult her builder. I hope this was just an oversight and doesn't reflect the quality and attention to detail that the home building project will receive from this builder!

[gawdzira]

This is a fine example of why we should not drink and draw.

[David J. Potter]

This is a fine example of why we should not drink and draw.

Amen Brother Alan!

[Jay M]

This is a fine example of why we should not drink and draw.

Drinking and drawing leads one to assume an impairment of skills from drinking......I see no skills there.

[moak]

I believe Alan meant that drawing will impair your drinking ability.

[joey3032]

For what it's worth...the north elevation windows may not be in perfect alignment as far as header heights go, but it has nothing to do with ceiling heights. The lower window is in the stairwell and is most likely aligned with a landing and not the floor platform. But it does appear the dormers are off from front to back, but it may not be a mistake.

[Jay M]

I believe Alan meant that drawing will impair your drinking ability.

Especially at the rates drawing has fallen to the past few years.

[DMDz]

It also seems the drawing (floor plan) shows the wrong amount of windows per the elevations provided. This job reminds me of the countless reasons why I got into the design business. I just did not understand the drawing...!:Sly:

Dave

[perryh]

I see nothing here that can't be fixed, I get these all the time and just make them work. That's what they pay me to do.

[dr0591]

The client says the designer is a long-time builder of high-end homes and she has confidence in him -- but maybe he's one of those "I'll know how to build it when I see it" kind of guys, not so good with the paper drawings though.

Anyhow, there are definitely some discrepancies between the plan and the elevations. She just pointed out to me that there's a door at the base of the stairs on the north wall that doesn't appear at all on the elevation!

She thinks that the front windows may in fact be high clerestory-type windows, so the way it's drawn may actually work. She's meeting with him later this week to confirm.

[Jay M]

I see nothing here that can't be fixed, I get these all the time and just make them work. That's what they pay me to do.

I was a structural designer for three years and unfortunately I saw these type of *plans* come across my desk on an hourly basis. To quote the venerable Casey Kasem......"ponderous man, ponderous"

[dr0591]

OK, the dormer questions on this project have been been resolved for now. Turns out the windows on the front dormer are supposed to be small, clerestory windows. No indication of that on the plan, however. :-(

But I'm faced with a new conundrum: Why is my foundation so funky?

I don't understand why the two foundations walls on the right are slanted in that strange way. I've never seen this before. The plan has some terrain stuff going on, but does that affect the foundation? Anyhow, I selected "flatten pad" in the terrain dbx -- shouldn't that, like, flatten the pad? There's a porch right there (floor 8" lower than main house) and these slanted walls make it look funny.

Any suggestions welcome.