Chief Architect users/ Other Cadd users
I am considering investing in Chief Architect. I’m a small General Contractor but I need to be able to make drawings for clients, show sub’s what I want and expect, and get building permits. I now use graft paper.
I am concerned about the learing cure
Reather are there other programs better suited for me ie. cheaper, easyer to use
Thanks,
Bill
Replies
There are some Chief users here, but far more at the "talk" forum at the Chief Architect site. I would think you might do better asking this in a bigger "room."
Unfortunately for you, and me also, not already owning a copy of the software makes it impossible to post at the site, because registration requires submittal of your license number. I am wondering about the learning curve duration and height, also.
You can ask this question at the Yahoo Groups forum devoted to Chief. Registration at the Yahoo groups site is easy.
I tried to teach myself Chief, years back, using a version that was current in maybe 1997. Having only a printed manual, and no video or DVD "courseware," I failed to progress far. At the time I was a regular user of 3D wireframe and solids modeling programs, with complete "open" configurations as were used for mechanical modeling.
IMHO, the easiest thing to learn that might be useful to you is Google Sketchup, and it is free. The web is full of fabulous video tutorials for Sketchup, which makes getting learning resources easy. Accessed from within Sketchup is Google's 3D Warehouse, which makes it ridiculously easy to populate your model with stuff already done by others.
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"A stripe is just as real as a dadgummed flower."
Gene Davis 1920-1985
Hey guysYou don't have to own the software to post, there are plenty of posts on the site from people contemplating the purchase of chief. The forum is very friendly/helpful. Like all forums try the search function or you might get reminded that your question has been asked 1,000 times...but it will usually get answered again as well.http://chieftalk.com/I don't know how "easy" the program will be to pick up, but any cad program is going to take some time and effort to learn.J
Edited 9/10/2008 4:41 pm ET by jjf1
You don't have to own the software to post, there are plenty of posts on the site from people contemplating the purchase of chief. The forum is very friendly/helpful.
Is there something I am missing in trying to register at ChiefTalk? For at least half a dozen days, I have gone back each day and tried to register, but each time, it tells me I need a valid serial number. I quote directly from the web page:
A required field called Serial Number is missing or has an invalid value.
Being a non-owner and not-user, I have no serial number to plug in. What do do? What to do?
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"A stripe is just as real as a dadgummed flower."
Gene Davis 1920-1985
Gene, I wonder if a link to a message will let you bypass their portal guards. Try this
http://www.chieftalk.com/showthread.php?t=38216
"Is there something I am missing in trying to register at ChiefTalk? For at least half a dozen days, I have gone back each day and tried to register, but each time, it tells me I need a valid serial number. I quote directly from the web page:
# A required field called Serial Number is missing or has an invalid value.Being a non-owner and not-user, I have no serial number to plug in. What do do? What to do?"Sorry Gene, my bad, you are correct (i just tried it). They must have changed it recently (or maybe years ago, what do i know?).J
Here are a few pdf's of some of our chief drawings. Keep in mind ALL my experience is in interior work, so I only utilize a small portion of the overall program.J
jj... you are doing some very nice dwgs with Chief
which version are you using ?
ever go to ChiefExperts.com ?
that's the site dan Bauman has..... lot's of good Chief stuff thereMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Thanks, Mike. I'm on X1...started with v9 thanks to you a few years back. I haven't been over to Dan's site in awhile, thanks for the reminder, I never bookmarked it.J
Gene, you might watch a couple of these video trainings to see how easy it is to use the program. http://indyblueprints.com/Free.aspxor http://www.lfcompany.com/chief_tutorials.phpyou won't be able to play along but it will give you a good idea of how fast some of this stuff is generated.
gene.....you can register as a "trial user"...
i just checked it out
I love Chief..... but some may find "Envisioneer " by CaddSoft to be less money and somewhat easier to learn
we have 3 Chief licences and 1 Envisioneer licenseMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Why so many licenses? you get drunk one night?
we had two stations in the office for a couple years....
and i picked up a third license on one of the promotional offers
i find i use two seats very easily......the 3d is just taking up space
but it is worth more to me to keep it than any money i might get from selling it
i have Chuck set up with Envisioneer & one of our old computers
if he gets serious... i might want to set him up with ChiefMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I bought Chief with the video training set 1 (beyond the basic video set) and found it pretty easy to pick up, so far. It was pretty steep at first but the vids helped overcome that.
You can DL a free trial version that limits you to a 4hr session, no ability to print or save, undo and a few others but you can follow along with their starter video. IIRC I found the ref manual in .pdf format somewhere on their site as well.
If you get it start with the basics. I started with a rectangular garage with a partitioned room then made it 2 story and added stairs progressively making it a bit more challenging.
Exporting to a professional looking layout file is very easy. You can customize your own templates with the data block to your own dimensions, locations and company logo.
I used SU for a while and got pretty proficient at it, but I really feel Chief is quicker at getting you a high quality end product (set or prints). I do use SU to create the things that CA doesn't have , but it's more of a support mode than a primary CAD like CA.
Edited 9/10/2008 5:39 pm ET by john7g
I'm a new user and a general contractor myself. I bought the CA this past winter because I felt like I needed more control over the minor design process. I couldn't afford to contract with architects on every project but I also knew I needed to put forth quality drawings and I also knew renderings would go a long ways toward selling some of our services.
I would highly recommend it, even though it has a steep learning curve. I didn't buy the video instructions because I thought I might be able to work the program because I had worked the Home Architect program sucessfully. There's no comparison between the two but the basic functions work the same. So, I was able to draw houses immediately...create roofs...adjust overhangs etc.
Months later, I'm capable, but the videos would speed things up condsiderably....if I would watch them....which is questionable.
The written manual is useless for all intents an purposes. It might show you how, but not why or what the function are good for.
Heres my latest rendering of a job. The client loved the rendering and immediately approved the design and changes that I was trying to convey.
Jim, I am sure you saw my post about the little Knight-designed house. The thread can be found here http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=109361.1
This little thing has some complicated parts, in that significant parts of the frame are timber post and beam, with some of the joinery seen in timber framing.
Parts of the roof are glazed sections mounted to timber members.
How much work would it be in Chief to do this house, and then have all the necessary drawings to build it?
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"A stripe is just as real as a dadgummed flower."
Gene Davis 1920-1985
I posted that link in the Chieftalk forum. Maybe someone will look at the link and answer. I can't answer because I'm such a novice. My gut reaction is that there are numerous ways to create a post and beam structure. It might be something simple like making the joist size 12" x 12" and having them built 10' oc or something like that. Lets see how that thread progress over a chieftalk.
Here's one of the links from Jim's thread on Chieftalk regarding your question Gene. It links to the company website (not the forum) so you shouldn't have any problem viewing it.I'm sure a lot of it won't make sense, not owning the program, but it should give you a rough idea.http://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/displayfaq.php?faqNumber=517I'm just starting to tackle sketchup, looks pretty neat though.Jay
That link pretty much sums it up. It might seem complicated but most of those procedures are the same procedures that would be used in SU. You essentially create one item, then with a few clicks multiply it. All the components that are one click items can be specified. So, I could make the trusses out of 8 x 8 stock and then specify the strut spacing. Struts can also be manually placed and duplicated like any other item at what every spacing is required.
One comment about those plans. That sheet contains a picture of the framing in 3d. I included it as supplementary information to give the framers a visual of how I was planning on installing the beam to carry the ceiling joist. We all know it's not necessary but since those views can be generated from any angle, it will help them in many ways. I can only wish I had images like that when I was running a custom frame crew.
A 3d shot like that was done in one minute as an afterthought for those working drawings.