I’m trying to help him do it as cheaply as possible, so I negotiated a pretty substantial price reduction w the architect in exchange for creating the floor plans myself.
He specifically requested the following:
Floor plans
• 1st Floor
• Basement
Reflected ceiling plan
Building section
Building elevations
I was planning on creating a 3D model of the building anyways, so I used a laser measuring tape and built a 3D model. It’s almost perfect in most places, but there are a couple spots that I feel like are up to a couple inches off.
As I was doing this, I came across the original blueprints. Wish I knew they existed before I started lol. I scanned them all using a pretty fancy scanner and uploaded them to google drive.
My issue now is that I need to create the items he requested in 2D dwg format and I can’t tell if I should be trying to do this from my existing 3D model via Layout or something, or should I hand trace/ scale the PDFs scratch?
Here’s a link to the SU file and the Blueprint PDFs.
I’ve spent like 30+ hours on this so far and I’m feeling pretty fatigued and am past my original deadline, so I’m hoping to figure out what the best strategy here would be.
Can anyone point me in the right direction?
IDK if it matters, but I’ll be working w the model in TwinMotion for rendering. Here’s some of the stuff I’ve been doing w it so far
Note: if you’re looking at the blueprints, the air return room that bumps out from the basement was removed, hence the disconnected between the model and the blueprint
After you create a section cut, you can right click on it and “create group from slice”. That will give you a nice set of 2d line geometry that you can lay flat on the X-Y plane and export as a dxf.
IMO that’s the first thing I would try for exporting simple 2d linework of your model. Keep in mind that for the floorplans you don’t actually need to slice the floor itself, you’re not trying to export surfaces or solids, just the relevant lines that show where the walls are, etc.
As far as being off in measurements, that’s par for the course when dealing with blueprints vs as-built dimensions. Best you can do is make a note of where something might not be square if you think it matters. The trades will take up the slack. (that is, the folks doing the carpet or drywall are just going to lay it in and trim to fit, they’re not laser-cutting product to fit before hand).
The drawings he’s asking for are pretty straightforward and the most direct way to produce them is via LayOut from the 3D model. Use the plans as a cross-check for the dimensions that you pull in LO from the model. (i.e. any dimensions that are critical to the renovation should correspond to / be coherent with the original dimensions)
Something to keep in mind is that you don’t need detail for the ‘as built’ aspects that won’t change with the renovations, so there’s no need to reproduce much of what’s in the original plans.
How adept are you with LO and do you know how to set up your scenes and tags / camera views / settings for the various drawings?
Are you clear what a reflected ceiling plan is and is for?
It’s hard to know where to start with more specific advice until it’s clear what your LO experience / knowledge is.
(I downloaded your model but can’t open it since I’m still on SU 2019)
Re-reading your post, it seems like you are asking about two different things.
“Plans” to me means a set of 2d drawings (usually in pdf form) that would be viewed on screen or printed on paper. They’d include dimensions, callouts, other information.
“2d dwg” implies to me you don’t need to muck about with dimensions and such, just need the actual linework for the building structure in a .dwg format so that the architect can import it into whatever program they use and can pull their own dimensions or whatever they need.
How old-school is the architect? Now that you already have a 3d model they might be amenable to just accepting that.
As you have discovered, making as-builts in 3d can be time consuming, especially if you need to do hvac, sprinklers, etc. So you certainly saved the arch some time.
In my profession I’m usually on the receiving end of getting as-builts or 2d plans from clients. An accurate 3d model is a godsend.
I’ve never successfully used Layout. I feel like I keep starting and going down the wrong path as I try to do it. Like I’m at that point where I’m wondering if I have a learning disability cause I just keep putting in more hours without getting anywhere lol.
I just added a 2018 version of the file to the Google Drive Folder
I think he wants the items in the bullet point list in DWG form. I don’t think he cares too much about having the dimensions labeled. Just that the scale/geometry is correct.
In that case (i.e. if it doesn’t need dimensions / annotations, just an accurate .dwg), the most direct path will be to export directly from SU.
For your elevations:
Choose the appropriate view (e.g. ‘Front’) and pick ‘Parallel Projection’ from the 'Camera ’ menu. (This will flatten to 2D)
Save as a scene and label the scene ‘Front’.
Go to the ‘File’ menu and pick ‘Export > 2D Graphic’
Choose ‘AutoCAD DWG File (*.dwg)’ from ‘Format’ dropdown
Click ‘Options’ and choose preferred ‘AutoCAD version’ from the dropdown (ask your architect)
Check the ‘Full Scale’ box (assuming your model is at proper scale)
Choose ‘None’ for ‘Profile Lines’ and ‘Section Lines’
Uncheck ‘Edge Extensions’
Click ‘OK’ at the bottom of the ‘Options’ window to return to the Export dialog.
Name your file: eg. “Warren_Elevation_Front_v1”
Click ‘Export’
Now you have a test .dwg — I would suggest that you send it to your architect to have him check that it is importing properly for him into AutoCAD. If so, repeat for the other 3 elevations.
I would get these to him ASAP, while your working on outputting the floor plans, so that he can get started with them… and start relieving some of the pressure you’re feeling.
