HOW DO SMALL FIRMS WORK?

[Anonymous]

I work in a small firm (5 people). There are two principals who do not use ArchiCAD, and three of us, myself included, who do. We do a lot of residential work and some commercial/institutional.

What I am trying to figure out is how most firms around our size work in ArchiCAD. Do you do all 3D, or a combination of 2D and 3D? I will explain how we work and you can tell me how far behind the times we are...

We do all our floorplans the standard way, using wall composites, library parts, etc., but we do some lines on the floorplans to show ceiling lines, wall type markers, etc. (I think this is a given). We do make sure wall heights, slab/roof heights, etc. are all correct so we can show clients a nice 3D model, so for the most part we have tight, accurate 3D models.

I think where we are "behind the times" is when we get to elevations and sections. These we do all as line drawings. We use the model as a backdrop to make sure we are on track and walls, etc are where they are supposed to be, but due to the level of detail our principals like to see, we find that making line drawings with fills are more detailed than anything else we know how to do.

I know we should look into the complex profiles/profile manager tool, I admit that we are usually too busy and the principals don't allow much time to further our knowledge in ArchiCAD, just enough time to do the project. We have explained that we can increase productivity by learning more, and now we have a few hours a week dedicated to "messing around" in the program. We don't add footings to basement walls, for example, because we just draw them in 2D in the sections.

So summarizing the questions:

1) How you do work? All 3D sections/elevation? Line?

2) What tools do you use?

3) What tools/methods would you recommend using to be more 3D (thus more efficient)?

[Rick Thompson]

Basically, with a few additives:) This is an auto generated section, and the only things added are white fills for the plates and rim joist in section.. and some, but not all, insulation fill.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't look that bad at all! Sometimes we like to put some DWG files in it (like windows), we use our own elevation markers (very helpful if there are 2 different levels on one story) etc. which obviously we wouldn't be able to do, but I'm surprised at how well it looks.

Did you buy any library parts or do you use all stock?

[Rick Thompson]

I'm not sure what all is not stock... the porch lattice, the porch columns.. well they are from an object I "commissioned" that Frank Lazar make (and he did a great job.. call something like "bungalow column" on Objects Online.. very versatile)... that's probably about it. The ridge vent is a custom profile, a very good tool to get to know.. also the half round gutter/fascia is a custom profile.

You really shot yourself in the foot procrastinating not developing full 3D model skills... at least in the long run. As Napoleon Dynamite said, you got to have skills. It might be quicker to avoid it at first, but once you get into it, and develop a good Favorite menu, you'll speed along with relative grace:)

[Anonymous]

It's not that I am procrastinating, if I was the head of the firm I would have done it a long time ago. We have not really been given any time to do R&D with the program. Maybe if business slows for us, but until then...

By "stock" I mean the library that comes with ArchiCAD. We are currently working on our favorites menu, complex profiles, etc. I'm guessing that in 3 months or so we will be well on our way to a more 3D method.

[jbArch]

Rick wrote:
This is an auto generated section, and the only things added are white fills for the plates and rim joist in section.. and some, but not all, insulation fill.

Rick, do you mean that the wall plates, headers, and rim boards are just white fills with a heavy outline pen? Or do you model in some of these items?

[Rick Thompson]

Correct.. I actually keep a favorite called "white fill" for easy clicking, and I generally keep a template file open on another monitor that has some of the basic framing combinations (and auto text) already placed in a section for copy/pasting.. like headers/plates/rim joist etc. So, really all I have to "normally" do is paste them and drag into place.

[Rick Thompson]

Steven wrote:
It's not that I am procrastinating

Sorry, I shouldn't have worded that quite like that.. that's a projection from my personal history However, the people in charge would be best served to get that going... IMHO

[Anonymous]

No offense taken.

Rick wrote:
However, the people in charge would be best served to get that going... IMHO

YES!

[Jere]

Rick wrote:
Correct.. I actually keep a favorite called "white fill" for easy clicking, and I generally keep a template file open on another monitor that has some of the basic framing combinations (and auto text) already placed in a section for copy/pasting.. like headers/plates/rim joist etc. So, really all I have to "normally" do is paste them and drag into place.

Couldn't you just incorporate that into the complex profile or are the exterior walls just composites?

The more I see of your drawings, the more i'm tempted to use the insulation fill. Normally i'll just draw the insulation using the library part.

[Rick Thompson]

Yes you could use profiles, but most of my plns originated before that was an option, and you would still need to add rim joist, etc.