Creating multiple floor plans and before/after views of a remodeled residence

LayOut
1

Quick question… hopefully a simple one, but pretty impactful to how I approach my first project…

Here’s the scenario: Existing home, two stories. How do I: A) create two viewports, one for the lower floor, one for the upper floor, and B) create two more viewports, one for the modified lower floor and one for the modified upper floor?

Is it best to have one SketchUp model for the existing conditions, and a separate SketchUp model for the remodeled configuration? Or am I supposed to create the modifications from the original as separate layers in the same model?

Regarding lower floor and upper floor plans… I was able to create a SCENE called PLAN in my model, by cutting a plan view SECTION in my model showing the lower floor and saving it as a SCENE… but then when I tried to save a second SCENE, to call it UPPER PLAN, with the goal of cutting a plan view SECTION showing just the upper floor, I found I had to ADD a SCENE, and call it UPPER PLAN… but when I saved the SketchUp model, and then inserted it again into LAYOUT hoping to see an option for selecting a SCENE called UPPER PLAN, none showed up. So, I then created a COPY of my SketchUp model, renamed it. Saved it with the UPPER PLAN as the only SCENE, and inserted it. That worked fine, but I am sure I’m heading full speed in the wrong direction… OR IS THIS CORRECT?

Lastly, I am unable to find these types of basic steps in the tutorials. Am I missing something?

Anyway, thanks for ay help.

2

The answer depends on the overall complexity of your model. If you prefer to keep everything in a single model you could use this kind of approach:

  • Make your model using groups and components.
  • Create three layers and assign the groups and components belonging to the existing state to one, the things you intend to demolish to another and the new things you intend to build to the third.
  • add a section plane for each of the plan and section views you need in the model.
  • for each plan and section view, save a scene with the existing and demolition layers visible and a second with the existing and new layers visible and the appropriate section plane set active.
  • Finally, in LayOut, set your SketchUp viewports to reference the scenes.

Anssi

3

Perfectly helpful Anssi!!!

And I just discovered part of my confusion as well… Previously, I was placing just ONE section in the model, then creating a scene, then just MOVING that section and trying to set a second SCENE. My aha moment just came as a result if your direction… I need to place MULTIPLE SECTIONS in order to save MULTIPLE SCENES. Makes perfect sense.

THANK YOU, kindly.

4

Thank Anssi!
From Viet Nam