I just installed the US version this morning and have been trying all the tools. I have some input for you, starting with the wall tool. The lumber sizes are correct in the wall tool setup, but when the wall is created the studs are nominal size and not actual size. Can we get a to be actual size? Also I noticed that the headers are just single pieces. Headers should be the thickness of the studs, so, a header in a 2x6 framed wall will be 5 1/2" thick. There will be three pieces of what ever size lumber (for discussion purposes a 2x8) with 1/2" plywood sandwiched in between each 2x8, giving you a 5 1/2" thick header, which is the same thickness as a 2x6 (5 1/2"). Are there plans for adding exterior sheathing, and option for EIFS and the option for Tyvek house wrap for all exterior wall type? I did notice the option for Tyvek on the “external cladding with plasterboard interior” wall type.
I will keep working with it and send notes.
Thanks for all the hard work putting out the US version.
The header size is an interesting one, In Australia we use say a 2 by 8 for a 4 inch wall and then the packer under allows for plasterboard fixing.
It can be done the question is would you not be doing unnecessary work and buying unnecessary material just to pack the head?
We will be adding adding exterior sheathing, and option for EIFS in the coming releases. Question, what does EIFS stand for?
Hey Scott I really appreciate your feedback, my aim is to get it right to save all in design & construction lot of time. I also build and started as a carpenter, the slang is chippy down under. Now I spend more time doing this.
I am not sure if you guys get many tyre kickers over there, if you do I have a great way to charge for a quote that could help you out a lot. Let me know if you are interested. I may do a new post about it as it would be good to see how others limit time wasters…
I see this is an old thread, but I was just wondering the same thing about the headers.
In the US, we definitely need to have full wall thickness headers. (For example, a 2x4 wall might have two 2x6’s sandwiching 1/2" plywood to create the headers. 1-1/2" + 1/2" + 1-1/2" = 3-1/2") It’s purpose is not just to provide backer to screw the sheetrock to. It’s part of the structural requirement, and provides full load support for the studs above it. That’s code, anyways.
Takeoffs won’t be accurate without adding this additional material.
I think the header issue has been brought up before. I am guessing that the software is currently using the stud attributes, then scaling (a component instance of a stud?) or extruding a length, and then rotating it 90degrees. I assume that initially this was a matter of programming “practicality” since the headers are currently on the same layer and grouping as the studs.
I also see that headers are sometimes being constructed of layered plywood/engineered lumber. If the headers are not integrated in the Spec Plus stud data and given their own “category”, then this shouldn’t necessarily require a second header choice or material attribute as the user would be able to enter the appropriate costing information specific for headers. … Just my 2 cents.
John, that’s a good point. I’m also aware of specialty companies who will fabricate headers for you in their shop and ship them to the job site instead of having to fabricate them in the field. Perhaps instead of adding the additional lumber and plywood objects to make a standard header, they could just give the option to have the existing header at least extruded the full depth of the wall for visual purpose. Then, as you’ve suggested, we could add in pricing manually per linear foot or something.
