Making the switch Revit to CA (mid-project!)

[function9]

Hi all,
I purchased CA some months back and have tinkered around in my spare time with. I modelled my own house as a bit of a test but never sheeted/ annotated it much.
I have a project on at the moment I did in Revit where the client was almost happy with the design (as sprawling as it appears, note: he has seven boys so space/ separation was critical) Anyways, it blew out his budget and he wants to start again from scratch so I'm thinking...Can a newbie like me pull this off by switching over to CA for this second design? My client doesn't care if it visually looks a bit different as long as the necessary info is shown.

This is the original design I did in Revit.

http://function9.com.au/function9/wp...D-11-12-12.pdf

Its only a prelim set. There are some other sheets documenting the existing house and some other sections and details missing but you'll to get the idea.

Question is; Am I taking on too much? I have about 4 or 5 weeks to do it. I'm concerned I won't have enough time to document in CA.
I'm confident with CA in being able to model the walls, floors & roof's. I know how to create elevations and sections. I guess most of my issues will be around annotating and setting up titleblocks/ sheets etc.
Dimensioning & detailing I'm hoping shouldn't be too difficult assuming I can just draft up details in CAD and import if need be?
Toposurface or Terrain as CA calls it I'm not familiar with. In Revit you can import a CAD file (3D) and it will automatically generate the terrain. I haven't played with that yet in CA

I started setting up the design in CA and can post up the .plan file if that helps?

Thoughts and opinions would be most appreciated.
Dave

[moak]

No better time to make the switch then when you have an actual project to work on. This forum will be very helpful when you have questions.

[function9]

yeah I think that always seems to be the way Same thing happened when I started using Revit. I've been lurking on here quite a bit lately and it has been very helpful.

[dshall]

I think I can handle this question. First, nice looking set of plans, you obviously know what you are doing. Love the shadows in elevation, not something CA does easily that I wish they would do for us. Again, nice looking set of plans. I do not know why you want to make the switch, it looks as if you handle Revit quite nicely. That being said, my son uses Revit, and I think he is getting quite good with the program. But I did tell him that I bet I could have him up and running in CA within a month, and being able to provide as much as he does in Revit and more with minor exceptions, like the aforementioned (shadows in elevation). Your choice, it will take some study, but if you have the time to learn, I bet it can be done in your time frame.

[function9]

Thanks Dshall,
Yeah the switch is mostly because I work full time as a designer for a firm and the boss was kind enough to let me use one of their Revit seats after work and on weekends etc for my private stuff but I needed to get my own software and for features (obviously not shadows in elevations haha I chose CA because I think its quite an awesome package. I think I can do this, I'm pretty quick to pick up things. I purchased the SSA with CA so I've been watching the videos whenever I have a free moment.

[dshall]

Thanks Dshall,
Yeah the switch is mostly because I work full time as a designer for a firm and the boss was kind enough to let me use one of their Revit seats after work and on weekends etc for my private stuff but I needed to get my own software and for features (obviously not shadows in elevations haha I chose CA because I think its quite an awesome package. I think I can do this, I'm pretty quick to pick up things. I purchased the SSA with CA so I've been watching the videos whenever I have a free moment.

The videos that CA provides are great, but don't forget the videos at ChiefTutor.com. I have a feeling you are pretty sharp and know what you are doing. The videos I would strongly recommend are the SAM VIDEOS, THE MRLS VIDEOS, AND THE ANNO SET VIDEOS at ChiefTutor.com. Those three sets of videos are probably the most importent for a power user.

[David J. Potter]

My thoughts are you make a decision and then work like mad to make it a success. Your decision and intention to succeed are more important than what you use to do so. It is always the end-user and not the software that make any difference.

DJP

[function9]

Thansk Dshall! I'll check those videos out.

David, Totally agree, very sound advice.

OK, I think I know what to do. I picked a great time of year too

[Mark]

If it is any help I am here in Victoria Ballarat and you can send me the plan and I can help 3d modelling questions my mobile is 0402411843

[function9]

Thanks Mark!
Yeah I might need that.