Greetings from New Zealand,
Wow This SU Plugin looks the bomb!
I would like to know if i would be able to add custom flashings and other stuff to Roof, Wall, Window and doors.
I am assuming for example: I draw a wall and my custom flashing an other stuff is added.
The reason being depending on cladding type construction methodology changes.
EG:
The New Zealand Building Code Clause E2 External Moisture for timber framed homes requires the building to under go a weather tight assessment by way of a Risk score: An aggregated numerical score for
a proposed building as defined by the department of building and housing Acceptable Solution. The risk score is determined by completion of the risk matrix. bla bla bla to cut a very long story short the score determines if a cavity is required over the frame or cladding can be directly fixed or a combination of both.
James Hardy have very good specs for their products sold in NZL clearly demonstrating an Acceptable Solution of Clause E2 External Moisture.
The hard bit is making all this compliance stuff site specific, this is a huge burden on us all.
I am really interested in steel framed homes and will be building one for myself.
Steel Frame fabricators take timber framed specs and convert to steel specs.
In this house i am going to be using 50mm foam sandwich wall and roof cladding, these panels come in 12m lengths x 1m wide.
This cladding will be fixed to 45 x 18 H3 cavity battens behind the battens is a 10mm thermal break sheet layer which is connected to the steel framing.
I would love to convey this using Plusspec.
Hi jgh, yes you can create what ever you like and you can still customise. If you were adding in a special flashing you can draw what you like and then use the BIM :bim-tool: to write in what you want it to read as and where you want it export to (eg Flashings layer).
Steel framing we will be adding when we get a sponsor and as a work around you could use timber and then simply add the thickness of the plate to the lineal measurement. In saying that if you know of a steel stud manufacturer who like more brand recognition and orders coming to them please give them our contact details.
In the next version you can create you own materials yet for steel stud there will be a few things that will not be perfect.
I will try and get a couple of screen shots added to this post if that will help?
Can you add a screen shot of the type of work you are doing? I may be able to help more.
Go the Anzacs and the Wallabies.
I am not sure if you are aware we are running a layout competition which gives away some cool prizes as well.
Here is the link plusspec.com/blog/wp-admin/ … ction=edit
Does this mean when i use for example the window tool, my desired flashings will come into my drawing with the window?
I draw flashings as a single line, spaced 2mm away from other surfaces to reduce Z- fighting.
A little bit about me:
I am a one man band Jobbing carpenter with the equivalent of an Australian open builders licence.
Occasionally building a spec house, But mostly i do odd jobs at a charge up rate.
I have mostly use sketchup pro to satisfy myself ( visualize) that the job i have undertaken will work out.
I would consider myself as intermediate SU user and a junior in Layout.
The main commercial opportunity i see for myself with using Plusspec is having the ability redraw proposed consented building plans to create a schedule of work and takeoff.
From a design point of view:
Us little guys are been pushed out cause we cant afford the flash presentation tools and layers of organization the big guys have, I am hoping BIM will be for everyone soon and level out the playing field.
I will see my Steel frame fabrication about getting on board
With this methodology, you will need to add your custom flashing after you have drawn each window. If you make a BIM component, as suggested above, you will simply be able to draw your window, add the flashing and then quickly re-size to fit (and although this is a manual process, it does not take long).
I’m torn between plusspec and a few other options and was hoping you could answer some concerns:
My major worry is that I won’t be able to create customer components within plusspec. My understanding of the above is that I would have to create custom components independently of plusspec and then BIM them to add metadata - question is, is the metadata saved for future models or do I need to do this each time?
1b. Same goes for custom baths, furniture etc.
Custom roofs - are hipped roofs the only options? How would I go about adding a flat dormer, barn hipped roof etc. And how does the plusspec framing system handle intersecting roof types?
My major worry is that I won’t be able to create customer components within plusspec. My understanding of the above is that I would have to create custom components independently of plusspec and then BIM them to add metadata - question is, is the metadata saved for future models or do I need to do this each time?
When you create a custom component and then use the PlusSpec BIM tool to add metadata, that metadata is saved for future models. Whenever you insert that component into a new project, the metadata will come with it. And you can always edit the metadata, if required.
1b. Same goes for custom baths, furniture etc.
If you use baths, furniture, or anything else (from the SketchUp warehouse, for example) as long as you use the PlusSpec BIM tool, you will be able to add the required metadata. As above, whenever you insert that BIM component into a new project, the metadata will come with it. This is a real time saver.
Custom roofs - are hipped roofs the only options? How would I go about adding a flat dormer, barn hipped roof etc. And how does the plusspec framing system handle intersecting roof types?
PlusSpec allows you to create very complex roof types. You can create hipped roofs, skillion roofs, flat roofs, etc. For very unique/complex roofs, you can also use a combination of the PlusSpec and SketchUp tools to quickly and accurately create it (whilst ensuring that you quantify it for your take-off).
PlusSpec uses the best of parametric, BIM modeling (PlusSpec) and free-form modeling (SketchUp), which gives you total design freedom. Unlike other BIM software, you are not constrained by our tools.
We truly believe that PlusSpec is the solution that you have been waiting for, and we hope that you decide to become part of our rapidly growing community.
Thanks for the comments on the flashing tool, I’ve been listening and creating. I’m sure you will all be pleasantly surprised by how much more you can do with this new tool.
We have created a custom flashing tool that adds generic and custom roof and wall flashings by point:
soaker flashing
Lead flashings
Barge flashings
Parapet flashings
Apron flashings
Fascia and barge
Box gutters
Change of pitch flashings
Barge boards
And more. …
All of the flashings can be changed in angle, size and allow you to change the wastage factor.
You’ll see a new release coming very soon, if you’d like to get involved in Beta testing please call the office.
Oh one other thing we are also working on a project management tool. Adding employees and trades to Plusspec will see a whole new world of functionality being possible.
Yes you can add in dates to tasks.
Hi Andrew, thank you for the quick reply, that’s answered everything I originally had concerns with, and I am also very confident about the customer service I can expect from plusspec!
Should be buying my license shortly.
Edit: Bought my licence and I have a second part to my questions - BIM tool works for a one off price, but I need price per m. How do I go about this? It would be enough if takeoff could detect the length of a custom component as I could then add the price to the excel extract.
Easiest way to have a price per metre is to actually create your own “material.” Take one of the existing materials and click the “Create Material” button. This will open a web browser where you can create your material. Once you have saved this you can place your base material in to Sketchup then use Sketchup Tools to finely tune your shape. If you need a “lineal metre” price make sure you use a material that is priced by metre to begin with or a per squre metre product type for areas.
You need to take a “think outside the square” approach as well… just because you base your created material on say a piece of 90mm x 45mm timber doesn’t mean to say your material needs to remain as timber. For example, before PlusSpec had steel beams built in I created this steel beam by initially starting with a 90mm x 45mm piece of timber. This beam is accurately accounted for in Takeoff BOQ.
I would recommend to do one of two things to get the result you’re after, which I’ve put below.
Create a material in either of the roof tools then apply it to face or component/group that you’ve created. The link below will take you to a webinar we recently had which explains how to do this. Please note you will register to view the video.
Use the BIM Tool to add the geometry and associated information since you already know the area of the panels. With this option you can set an overall price for the panels.
Would you be able to please let me know if either of these work for you?
G’Day,