Chief Vs Autocad

[moak]

You can model anything with Chief. Sloping walls can be a bit of a challenge, but some users have devised a way to do it. Chief blows Archicad away.

[RMorrison]

Chief blows Archicad away.

Hmm, I've been using both programs for roughly 15 years, and I would strongly disagree with that statement.

[johnnyprc]

For a "standard" house I would say Chief is much faster to create a quick model/plans. For most large commercial projects and/or non-standard homes ArchiCad probably is the best bet. I realize the term "standard" is relative, but I didn't want to get into all the types etc.

That said, the person who asked the question said they specialize in kitchens and bathrooms. In that case I would highly recommend Chief, as it seems geared to interior design. Just don't expect to draft 2D like you did in AutoCAD. That is a whole different subject.

Learning curve for Chief is probably simple in the Kitchen/bath department - full plans that contain any amount of complexity and I would say Chief's learning curve is a mountain.

[dshall]

You can model anything with Chief. Sloping walls can be a bit of a challenge, but some users have devised a way to do it. Chief blows Archicad away.

I am assuming The Moakster is fairly well versed in both programs, and he would choose CA for 99% of his projects.

Now Mr. Curbudgeon says this,

Hmm, I've been using both programs for roughly 15 years, and I would strongly disagree with that statement.

So the questions to Richard are:
-when would he choose to use Archicad over CA?
-Does he use both to complete a project and if so, why?
-Would he use CA for a particular 3000 sf home and would he choose Archicad for different 3000 sf home?
-What governs his decision to use a particular program over the other?

[jcaffee]

So the questions to Richard are:
-when would he choose to use Archicad over CA?

Say, for this...

http://youtu.be/GGhp_GzB3FU

Lots of complex subassemblies w/killer organ music!

jon

[dshall]

Say, for this...

http://youtu.be/GGhp_GzB3FU

Lots of complex subassemblies w/killer organ music!

jon

Well, that is impressive, but I did not see them put in a handicap curb cut ramp, can Archicad do that?

[moak]

Well, that is impressive, but I did not see them put in a handicap curb cut ramp, can Archicad do that?

Not from my experience, nor can it handle moldings or cabinetry as fluidly as Chief.

[jcaffee]

Well there you go then; for molding and cabinets use CA. For 12th century cathedrals use Archicad. Scott, any chance of ominous organ music in your vids (or at least some Jon Lord)

jon

[dshall]

Not from my experience, nor can it handle moldings or cabinetry as fluidly as Chief.

Okay, but the next time you do a Sagrada de Familia, you probably would choose Archicad, is that a fair statement?

[RMorrison]

Say, for this...

http://youtu.be/GGhp_GzB3FU

Lots of complex subassemblies w/killer organ music!

jon

Well, that was a couple of versions back. It's more powerful now.

[dshall]

................ Scott, any chance of ominous organ music in your vids (or at least some Jon Lord)

jon

Jon, I had already thought of that, but I was afraid it would detract from my own lyrical vocal performance.

[RMorrison]

So the questions to Richard are:
-when would he choose to use Archicad over CA?
-Does he use both to complete a project and if so, why?
-Would he use CA for a particular 3000 sf home and would he choose Archicad for different 3000 sf home?
-What governs his decision to use a particular program over the other?

In general, I use Chief for design (it's faster for modeling) and ArchiCAD for CDs (it's faster for CDs, and no issues with schedules. hehe). For simpler projects (one story or alterations), I do everything in Chief. I would prefer to do everything in Chief, but until schedules and CAD are improved, I'm still going to use the best tool for the job.

[dshall]

In general, I use Chief for design (it's faster for modeling) and ArchiCAD for CDs (it's faster for CDs, and no issues with schedules. hehe). For simpler projects (one story or alterations), I do everything in Chief. I would prefer to do everything in Chief, but until schedules and CAD are improved, I'm still going to use the best tool for the job.

Thanks for that Richard. Maybe one day if people are interested, we could do a workshop, and users can demonstrate how they go about putting a project together. I would be very interested in seeing how architects go about this process. As a designer (not an architect), I am sure my projects do not have the same amount of information as yours do.

Many users have some idea of my process via the vids I do, but I have seen very little from other users. Is anybody interested in doing a workshop to demonstrate the process you go through? I have found these workshops are always beneficial to all the attendees, all you need is one golden nugget that makes the time well spent.

I would love to see how Mr. Curmudgeon, Perry, JPC, JC, Glenn, Andy, The Alan's (there are 3 or 4 of them), Bryce, Jim and a few others go about their business. If you guys are interested, please let me know, and I will put one together, this could be good for all of us.

[johnnyprc]

I think that is a fair and understandable position Richard. If I used anything other than Chief (and Vectorworks) I would use ArchiCad (and probably then wouldn't need Vectorworks). Since I don't usually get a call to do a 15th century cathedral all too often, I don't run into conflicts. I do like knowing the apps I use "could" handle anything, and that is where Vectorworks comes in - it could do that cathedral, but I think ArchiCad is more refined for that type of modeling.

I have an old copy of Archicad - and I've considered upgrading. Part of my issue is that Chief does interior work so well, and its been something I've began to offer more and more. I do wish Chief would get their modeling down where they do what ArchiCAD does and lets the user create a "type" from the object/model they draw/shape - not the other way around.

I want to create a general shape/object and then associate it as column or fascia or slab (type). Not model a slab that is then used as a fascia or column.

[D.Y.D.]

I typically don't do a lot of sloped walls, but my one current project does have a sloped curtain wall in it, its a 3 storey duplex that has a composite slab (concrete over steel q deck basically) for each floor with steel posts and beams. I also do a lot of CD for an architect, and have a lot of designs where we come up with the detail on how we want a door to be built because the architect is a simplest, and doesn't want to see any profile or anything. He also designs lots of bridges in his design, which usually involve a couple of steel beams with a 2x6 or similar deck fastened to the steel beam with glass railing. Anyways, so I have lots of standardized / non standardized construction techniques that I deal with.

I was just hoping if someone has run into an issue with certain designs with Chief, if they could explain what those issues were.

Maybe for the more complex CD I would still need to use AutoCAD. If I did this, would you guys suggest setting up the printed layouts in autocad? or importing the CAD drawings back to chief to do that?

I guess another way to look at it would be, do you find that you end up designing what Chief can draw, or can chief draw and match what your intentions are in the design? Because most of the projects that I personally design are "standard" and I'm sure chief could do for me, however the CD's I do for one architect (lets just say he doesn't consider accepting a project unless he sees it to be an opportunity to be published) can be completely unique.