Process/Workflow for Producing Buildable Plans from Scratch?

[adt2]

It's hard to take...

If you have to ask what is the process for drawing a set of plans...

...any other way. I didn't ask what is the process, I asked what is the workflow in this particular application, as I'm new to the ranks. In AutoCAD or SketchUp I might draw a wall, then stop to detail the base, casings, and crown molding before moving on to the cabinets and doors and windows. Every application lends itself to a different workflow, in my (admittedly) limited experience.

[gawdzira]

Please don't be too offended. I read your post the same way.

Chief makes it pretty easy to produce good construction documents that will serve you well. Not working with Premier will make it more difficult since Premier has a lot of tools that make the work flow much easier. The reference layer sets and the Annotation sets are huge time savers. I am not sure with your version if you can produce the framing? With Premier, you build walls and once you have a room you can describe the base or crown for the room and it is done automatically. The same with door and window casing. You can install corner boards by clicking on a corner in a 3d view.

The cleaner you make your 3d model the easier it will be to produce your sections and elevations.

Layersets enable you to easily make your distinctions on what will show for your various plans. This can be set up through the Annotation sets so that you can make a text note that will be specific for one plan (like the electrical plan).

The long of it is very long. The short of it is that it will take some time to get a workflow going to be efficient. What you may consider is producing your plan and getting the design to where you like it and outsourcing the construction documents?

Alan

[HumbleChief]

adt2 (Still don't know your name?) I'm a lot like you and like to jump in and learn new things even though the curve may be steep. Your question is not a bad one but the answer is very difficult to put into words let alone write on a forum but the first step with Chief, as Alan just alluded to, is to build an accurate 3D model. All things flow from that accurate 3D model. Now if indeed that's true you have your work cut out for you for quite a while getting a good clean, accurate3D model. If you were to accomplish that, with all its associated questions, you're on your way and will be ready for the next step in the process/workflow. What's the next step? Finish the first step, and you'll be that much closer to figuring it out.

[adt2]

Thanks, guys. I think I'm well on my way. I've got all of the interior and exterior walls, upstairs and down, modeled correctly (at least, I think they're correct). I'm in the process of adding doors and windows now, and fiddling with the stair tools, which are a bit tricky. When I've gotten all of that done, I plan to model the cabinets and the roof.

I may or may not mess with the foundation; it has to be engineered, so whatever the application comes up with is likely to change after the engineer is finished with it anyway. When I've got all the structural stuff completed, I plan to go through and add "pretty" stuff - plumbing fixtures, furniture, etc. so we can get a feel for how the house will live before we commit to it.

If any of you see anything glaringly wrong with that list of steps, feel free to shout it out. I'm just winging it at this point.

[Charles Volz]

Number		Title	Duration

5415

The Plan Development Sequence

[adt2]

Thanks, Charles - that's what I was looking for.

[Charles Volz]

Also, the X6 Overview videos show the process while showing more detailed items. A little more to watch but a must for new users using X6.

http://www.chiefarchitect.com/products/premier/overview.html

[mkennedy]

While I agree with others that the answers are myriad and lengthy, as a general case;
I layout a building shell. I like to have a site plan visible, or setback lines, so I can observe my setbacks.
After laying out the shell, I think about the roof.
(I design structure from the top down, roof framing, floor framing, foundation.)
Since you already have a floor plan, you ought to be able to jump into structure very quickly.
Obviously you will want to analyze energy usage\windows and lateral force resisting early on. I do this before I draw my shear plan\s.