Stair Winder/Contraction

[BN20]

Hi Everyone,

In close quarters, stairs will go past the intended adjacent wall and butt up to walls sometimes 4' +/- away when using winder/contraction. I have used several different measurements in the dbx and have moved stairs, walls and every other setting I could think of, but only get wrong outcomes

Suggestion: Is it possible to have separate control over the contraction/expansion of stairs from one side to the other. I would like to be able to build the stairs like the pictures attached. After hours of trying any possible solution - I believe I or Chief is not capable...

Any other help with my stairs from 1st-4th floor would be appreciated (granted they were a lot better drawn until I tried to get fancy) - I could have physically built these stairs faster than I could build them in chief.

On a side note:
1.what is the best way to create full roof returns over a shed roof/wall connection? (as built on the 1st fl. front/right of the house)
2. same question when there is a double gable on the same wall? (as built on rear left side of house)
3.same question - on gable porch roof? (as shown on front 2nd story porch)
4. There seems to be an additional frieze board on my eave walls that shouldn't be there (see cad detail elevation 1) When I change to "Gable only" it goes away. Yes I checked - there is only one frieze board

please see attached plan

[perryh]

You can control those stairs with invisible walls, at the pantry just put one there. You can also drag the lower wall up to connect with the top of stairs. Some walls are not default height also.

[BN20]

Perry,
Before posting, I was able to use an invisible wall for the 1st floor hallway stairs but that didn't work for the stairs over the pantry. The stairs just pushed through to the kitchen/pantry wall? That was with a 3" contraction. I wasn't able to get any consistent results. I would appreciate if someone could at least post a picture showing it's possible.

How would I get the partial railing in the center? Is that the wall you are talking about pulling up? I was able to manipulate the wall in back clipped view but can' get the railing there. Is the only way to do this is by symbols? Which walls are not set to the default?

I am sorry Perry, I don't get it.

[perryh]

I just opened your plan and put a wall (invisible or regular), worked, not sure whats going on with you though.

[BN20]

not sure whats going on with you though.

Sorry for not getting back to you on this. Thanks Perry. I think.

[dshall]

Link to Brian's stair video, terrible video, I could not do it

http://chieftutor.com/dscotthall/B's...20part%201.wmv

[perryh]

Here is the stair at pantry fixed by just fixing the room def.s and adding a wall. The rest of the plan has many problems that I can see, but cant work on it right now. It could take someone a while to do. Haven't seen the video yet. I'm not exactly sure what you want.

[dshall]

Here is the stair at pantry fixed by just fixing the room def.s and adding a wall. The rest of the plan has many problems that I can see, but cant work on it right now. It could take someone a while to do. Haven't seen the video yet. I'm not exactly sure what you want.

Don't waste your time with the vid Perry, just trying to save you time.......... you get it............

[BN20]

Thanks Guys,

I am sure it didn't help that I stripped the plan down so much that it made it harder to get your bearings. Oops. These narrow lot beach house designs are definitely complicated. (rooms with stairs over them, multiple level stair crammed in to meet hieght restrictions, exterior stair landings) Scott, I am just as frustrated as you were in your video. The pantry below goes all the way through under the steps (so will just make an invisible wall where you and Perry pulled that wall across. As for the stair railing/half wall between flights - I will have to use symbols.

I had another project that had similar situation that I managed to make look right with work-a-rounds. There is just not enough of a need for Chief to make improvements in the areas I need them in. This situation proves it, although I didn't communicate it very well in this post.

Besides all of the above - the graphics card slot on my motherboard went bad and it was time to upgrade. (hence the delays in my replies) Unfortunately, bad timing for the finances. I will be updated my signature soon with the new specs.

Thanks again for the efforts,

Brian

[perryh]

Thanks for being nice to us, we are also learning every day.

[Herb75]

I'm having a nearly identical issue when compared to the one described below. I'm trying to draw up a staircase with winders next to a relatively narrow hallway for a row-house duplex style design, and I can't get a section of the winders to stop expanding to the far hallway wall which is almost 4' away. As described below, I have tried hours of workarounds (which is really unacceptable), and I've been unable to achieve consistent results. If this really is an uncorrectable issue, I can't believe a program as expensive as Chief Architect would have such a major flaw. If anyone has figured out a reliable solution to this problem, I'd be very grateful for the knowledge.

Hi Everyone,

In close quarters, stairs will go past the intended adjacent wall and butt up to walls sometimes 4' +/- away when using winder/contraction. I have used several different measurements in the dbx and have moved stairs, walls and every other setting I could think of, but only get wrong outcomes

Suggestion: Is it possible to have separate control over the contraction/expansion of stairs from one side to the other. I would like to be able to build the stairs like the pictures attached. After hours of trying any possible solution - I believe I or Chief is not capable...

Any other help with my stairs from 1st-4th floor would be appreciated (granted they were a lot better drawn until I tried to get fancy) - I could have physically built these stairs faster than I could build them in chief.

On a side note:
1.what is the best way to create full roof returns over a shed roof/wall connection? (as built on the 1st fl. front/right of the house)
2. same question when there is a double gable on the same wall? (as built on rear left side of house)
3.same question - on gable porch roof? (as shown on front 2nd story porch)
4. There seems to be an additional frieze board on my eave walls that shouldn't be there (see cad detail elevation 1) When I change to "Gable only" it goes away. Yes I checked - there is only one frieze board

please see attached plan

[BN20]

Hi Herb,

I never had much success in fully getting what I wanted between each flight of stairs. Which complicated things even more. No none else that gave it a shot did either. Best bet is to get it to show up in the plan correctly by work a rounds. I gave up on displaying in renderings or elevations. There isn't a project I have done that hasn't had a frustrating challenging road block. Chief is not built custom construction - dare I say it - yet? If more people can voice their requests maybe in time this will change.
Brian

[perryh]

Brian, we could have probably fixed the plan but you had too many other things wrong with it and didn't have the time to fix everything. Those stairs can be done.

[BN20]

Perry, why so sensitive? If you could have (specifically based on the image(s) I provided) - why didn't you? Here's a challenge: forget my plan - build the stairs according to the image. I will be happy to provide additional images of the stairs. If you are too busy. Then you can't actually say it's possible. I don't have the time to chat all day either - that's why I moved on. I was stating my opinion to help someone (Herb) not waste their time. So please, by all means, prove me wrong. Thanks in advance for your always positive and willing helpfulness.

[perryh]

No offence but after seeing your plan, I just didn't have that much time, it was a mess. Too many things to fix. I'm not sensitive, just telling it like it is.