New Product - Archicad Residential Released!

[archislave]

I can't believe no one has spotted this but a new product from Graphisoft has been released for the US market. Here is a link to the Cadwire.net press release: http://go.cadwire.net and http://graphisoftus.com/

The cadwire press release indicates that it will only be available for windows initially. As a Mac user this has me worried unless they are waiting for the Tiger Mac OSX 10.4 release.

I hope it will be available for Mac since a residential solution is what I need!

[Rick Thompson]

I have mixed feelings about this. As a Mac user I hate knowing the Mac focus seems back burner, especially considering how strong Apple is coming on these days. But as someone who has made a living for many years doing just what they are targeting, I honestly have not read anything that I am interested in.

When I first started transferring my plans to the computer (AC 4.5) I was combining multiple options into a base plan. With Quickviews and the Publisher that potential is enhanced. However I now completely avoid this for many reasons. I don't even combine the basement version with a crawl version. File space vs file size is a non-issue, and the more complicated you build the option capacities, the greater the potential for human errors. It is just too easy to copy a file and create a different version. If you are in the field of marketing stock plans, you would not want to give away alternates B, C and D in the base file, and to extract that info from a file would be a pain. I charge extra for a basement if they want both (the stock plan industry as a whole does), so having them as 2 distinct files simplifies that. There is much less complexity having (as an example) the basement plan separate from the crawl file. Sure, you can Quickview the differences (as an example) the floor 1 plan having stairs to the basement, different elec plan, and a different building section etc... than the crawl foundation version, but why bother when it is cleaner to copy the file, make the changes and keep it clean.

So, I'm sad the Mac is left out, but it does not seem like any big loss to me. I sell plans every day. I sell CAD files regularly. I have been doing this since the early 90's. I have yet to have a customer say they are on Archicad, so I doubt this new feature is a big loss for my business.

I personally wish GS had put the resources elsewhere, like the Calculate function. I think it could be a nightmare trying to pull off a usable material list if one file tries to do too many things. It's just too easy to work with multiple files.

I once watched a demo of AC at the Home Builders Show. I was blown away as to how misleading the presentation was. A builder watching would come away thinking that in a very short time (hours) they could use AC to do their business. They were even shown a 3D fly around as if it was done in AC. I challenged someone about it and they confessed "well, yes, that model was done in a high end modeling animation program". It had many trees with many leaves and they flew all over the place... it was beautiful, but not done in AC. My feelings are more along the lines of GS should stop trying to win over the spec builder. They want use AC in any large numbers anyway. That's why God made Chief Architect.

[Anonymous]

Let's give the reason for ArchiCAD Residential some context. According to the US Dept of Commerce...
The Value of Construction Put in Place in the US for 2004 is:
Residential - 568 billion
Non Residential - 464 billion

Notice that Residential work generates more revenue than Non Residential? For the most part, Graphisoft with its "Architectural" software focus, has really only serviced nonresidential work. Why should'nt Graphisoft begin to tap into this market?

Architects represent a small portion of this Residential number and the homes that they do tend to be semi-custom or custom. The real volume ,or "lion's share," of this Residential work is produced and built by small to large Volume Builders. (Volume being: small@at least 25 homes/year...large @ up to 1000+ homes/year)

ArchiCAD, as designed, does not provided the full functionality required to woo this incredible potential new user base...And yes, Volume builders, tend to use Windows exclusively, hence the lack of initial support for Mac Options Manager. If someone is aware of a Volume Builder using the Mac Platform, I'd be interested to know about it.

Rick wrote:
...When I first started transferring my plans to the computer (AC 4.5) I was combining multiple options into a base plan. With Quickviews and the Publisher that potential is enhanced. However I now completely avoid this for many reasons......and the more complicated you build the option capacities, the greater the potential for human errors.

I completely understand why you "completely avoid" it. I've been doing "optioned" plans for a number of years as well and have never devised an efficient method of layer management or reference files to achieve the options...its just not realistically possible with plain ol' ArchiCAD...This is where Options Manager fills a definite useability void.

Rick wrote:
Sure, you can Quickview the differences (as an example) the floor 1 plan having stairs to the basement, different elec plan, and a different building section etc... than the crawl foundation version, but why bother when it is cleaner to copy the file, make the changes and keep it clean.

The reason you should bother is that options tend to have many dependencies that are difficult to control in one file or multiple copies of the files. A simple extended family room could modify the foundation plan, framing plan, electrical plan, roof plan etc.,etc.,etc...What happens when you need to adjust a design based on a problem you find in the field? Are you satisfied with having to coordinate that simple change in multiple copies of the plan?

Also, in your multiple file technique, you open the door for the possibility of too many errors/variances. The more volume your company does the more inefficient it will be.

Options Manger allows you to better handle these dependencies and variances

Rick wrote:
So, I'm sad the Mac is left out, but it does not seem like any big loss to me. I sell plans every day. I sell CAD files regularly. I have been doing this since the early 90's. I have yet to have a customer say they are on Archicad, so I doubt this new feature is a big loss for my business.

Its not a loss if your satisfied with the status quo in your current operations...but, what if your customers could select options via a simple form on your website that generated a text file. And then, what if you open your fully "optioned" plan, import this text file and it toggles on and off their specific requests. Now save the plan, update your pre-linked Layout book...print the PDF..and your done! This is a "customer specific" or, in Volume Builder terminology, a "site specific" version of the plan. If you only offer limited options this might not see all that impressive...but if you offer the plethora of options typical US builders do these days it is!

Rick wrote:
My feelings are more along the lines of GS should stop trying to win over the spec builder. They want use AC in any large numbers anyway. That's why God made Chief Architect.

Surely you're not serious. OK, so "Joe builer" who runs his business out of the back of his pick-up truck might not ...but, I can assure you medium to large Volume Builders will stand up and take notice. The builder market represents a very lucrative and currently untapped opportunity for Graphisoft...what's good for graphisoft will be good for all ArchiCAD users.

[Steve Jepson]

Please! You are wasting your breath. ArchiCAD Residential is not a new program. It is nothing more that a silly name given to a group of add-ons that are no more Residential specific than Spell Checker.

Key notes- big deal, i have a better way of managing notes already.

Profiler - we already have this, it is a little better now, good.

Framing Manager - we already have a similar add-on for wall framing, this one is better. Great, I plan to get it.

Options Manager - this is new a new way of showing options but it offers nothing I can't already do, in spite of what Dan says.

None of these options are Residential specific!

There is no such thing as Residential specific!

ArchiCAD Residential is nothing but smoke and mirrors marketing, and you fell for it.

[Anonymous]

Steve wrote:
Key notes- big deal, i have a better way of managing notes already.

Steve,
Can you please share some info about your "better" way of handling keynotes? We might all benefit from it

Thanks,
Dan K

[Steve Jepson]

My template for Residential house plans has 10 sheets. Each sheet has the 90% or more of the annotation needed already in place. General notes, border, window and door schedules, title blocks, detail markers, legends, etc... in additon the template has several groups of parts, objects, and notes for each sheet just outside the border if I need them. Some on the top some on the sides, some on the bottom. When I open the sheet for the Foundation Plan for example, everything I need to create a foundation plan is already available to me with out having to search the libraries for anyting. I have a selection of footings, stem walls, details, and notes. Its simply a matter of draging what I want into place. For notes like room names on the floor plan I have zones defined with the room names already drawn in a little square that I drag into a room and update to fit. It takes less time to add a room name and all of the other information you can get with a zone faster than I can type the word. Its only one click. You can drag different parts of the information generated into pre-made schedules. I use this for the notes in my title block that list the heated area, building footprint, etc...Leave the fill or zone where it is and drag the note into a box somewhere. When you change it or update the zone it will change the note in the title block or schedule automatically. In ArchiCAD 9, Favorites is a good place for keeping typical notes and groups of notes too.

Keep in mind that it takes very little effort to type a note too. There really isn't a huge amout of time to be saved by automatic annotation for a house plan.

On some sheets I have notes with numbers and just drag a copy of the number to desired location and delete the notes I don't want.
I have my templates set up where each sheet is on a different story. All of the sheets are in the same location for easy edit-copy-paste to any sheet.
Ghost stories and layer combination are how I show multiple options for floor plans, elevations, roof plans, notes etc...options are easy to keep track of on a separate story or drawing a fill over an area and bringing it forward or backward to show the options i want. A little edit-copy-paste and you can assemble the desired parts you need for any option. I am working on a project now that has 4 optional arrangements of 2 basic house plans, on 9 lots. Five of the house are build now.
I dont have any trouble managing the options with out the Options Manager.

[Rick Thompson]

Dan... yes, my Chief Architect was intended humor... but not without some truth, in my opinion. I think GS already services residential work, at least it does for me. My practice could not exist the way it does without it (or some other similar software of course). While there aren't many add-ons that want aid someone out there, these don't really seem to me to make life easier for residential work. I know how much time I have spent developing templates, developing the database for material list etc. These are the things I think GS could offer that would be more enticing to the residential market, if they are trying to get spec/custom builders to buy AC.

Also, in your multiple file technique, you open the door for the possibility of too many errors/variances. The more volume your company does the more inefficient it will be.... A simple extended family room could modify the foundation plan, framing plan, electrical plan, roof plan etc.,etc.,etc...What happens when you need to adjust a design based on a problem you find in the field? Are you satisfied with having to coordinate that simple change in multiple copies of the plan?

That's not really what I am referring to, sorry if it was not clear. There are several issues. This is why I find it best not to make the model try to do more than produce one design. If someone wants plan XXXXA, but wants to extend the family room, then I copy the plan file and make the changes. If a field adjustment comes up, I open the plan under their file name and adjust it, so there is no need to "coordinate that simple change in multiple copies of the plan". I have many floor plans that have different "looks". This is where I think GS is trying to help the residential users. I started out trying to have all variations in a single file. This is where you can get into trouble and it is so much cleaner to copy the file, change the porch, roof, and few windows.. whatever, and be done with it. If you keep variations in one file you can very easily loose track of you database for material take offs, plus you end up spending more time making sure you have the right options on the right quickview etc. I just don't think an option manager would help my work, and since I deal with hundreds (thousands) of builders and know the market demands, I feel qualified to say if GS wants to package AC for residential users then they need to spend time making it simple, not more complex. If a builder, or residential designer watches a presentation at the National Home Builders Show and sees templates that would allow them to quickly build a model and generate a material list, then they would have something. Chief Architect does a much better job of this. But, Chief Architect is like flying a piper cub and AC a high-tech jet.

but, what if your customers could select options via a simple form on your website that generated a text file. And then, what if you open your fully "optioned" plan, import this text file and it toggles on and off their specific requests.

It's a nice thought, but not realistic for my work. If I take one of my plans (as an example) and open up say 10 files of that plan being modified, there would be very little in common with the changes. It's not like ordering a car. Sure, you could spend hours developing such options to turn on and off, but the return on the investment would be frustrating. If you are a high volume contractor and you have a list of priced out options, then it makes sense, but that's a small percent of the industry and can already be handled easily. Marketing plans is different than marketing homes.

IMHO a well thought out templet system linked to a well developed database would be a better marketing package for GS to target the residential builder/designer. But first they need evolve the calculate functions into something much much better.

[Anonymous]

I find this thread most interesting. You guys have really come up with ways to adapt ArchiCAD to the way you work and I salute you.

At the same time I hear a discussion on whether or not some new tools being offered might or might not be of use but see no reference to anyone having actually seen them?

You can get a fairly good idea of what Options manager can do at http://www.gscne.com/softwaredemos/default.htm and a fairly (but not as clear at the moment) idea about the Cadimage tools at http://store.cadimage.co.nz/home.php?page=products&PHPSESSID=363a2cddf508dfa257440c0e53fc3808

Woody

[Rick Thompson]

thank you for that link Woodster. After reviewing the demo I am impressed as to how it works. I have a few plans that I send out with a few options (kitchens mainly) and having this would be nice, but since I work on a Mac it might not be an option, just a useless manager (for me and my Mac). I would not change my way of making plan variations (roofs, porches, columns... etc) by modifying an existing plan file (and making a new plan# for resale) but it is very interesting and I am sure it would have a good use. I think for many users it could be very helpful. I would be interesting to see how you could organize it into material take offs, which in my opinion the #1 need for improvement to help residential users. I like it, it's very nice, but it's pretty far down the list of what I think would be the most useful. It's absurd to have to use Excel to organize a material list properly.

Nice demo, and they even have a download for viewing it on a Mac... dud? I really don't get how GS thinks the typical Mac AC user on this forum would not be just as interested... it seems more versatile than just marketing to "residential" design/builders????

[aahatimo]

Rick wrote:
Dan... yes, my Chief Architect was intended humor... but not without some truth, in my opinion.

IMHO a well thought out templet system linked to a well developed database would be a better marketing package for GS to target the residential builder/designer. But first they need evolve the calculate functions into something much much better.

rick,
i agree with you on all your major points. i was a chief user for 9 years. it is a still great tool for many users.
a well thought out series of templates specifically for residential construction in addition to the existing ac templates would be great and could bring converts from chief, adt and other cad programs. templates for remodels and additions, 'builders sets', and high end custom homes would be a good start. i realise it is possible to work with consultants to set up one's own, but why is there not a basic option for these supplied by gs?
easy to use schedules and materials lists relative to each of those templates are a must.
a demo tool, not dependant on work arounds, is still missing from ac9, unless i have missed that feature.
woody, thanks for posting a link to the demos! the options tool does look like a very interesting new tool. it is just not accessible to some of the user base.
i guess i also do not understand why some of these new optional items (key notes, profiler, framing manager) are not included with ac9. since as steve says they are already there, just improved.

[Anonymous]

"Rick Thompson" wrote:

Chief Architect is like flying a piper cub and AC a high-tech jet.

Hello
Interesting post,Project Building is much like a sausage factory,the ingredients go into one end and the product comes out the other?
They dont need complex processes and jet pilots but they do need a good lab for analysis and people to crank the handles.Its a very interesting business and your right huge profits for those that get the processes and recipe right.
Good Luck