Newbie home design (snafu?)

motogroove

Hello folks,

I've been lurking on and off as I slowly teach myself SketchUp. I'm a 47yo carpenter/craftsnut/artist/dirtbiker/eclectic. Found in the unfortunate position of being a creative control freak who yet must answer to others' desires and needs, I have turned to SU rather than continue purchasing the good intentions of architect friends. While this certainly hasn't added speed to the project, I'm enjoying some newfound skills thanks largely to you folks out there.

Anyway, as an offering with no specific question, here's the latest incomplete idea that I've been working on (after probably a hundred discarded models). Obviously there's lots of work to go. I am bound tightly by zoning regulations, so I'm designing from the outside in. In this compliant scenario I am bound to this very specific 20x40 footprint. I am allowed 28 feet height measured at the midpoint of each of the sloping roofs. The cupola/penthouse can not exceed 10% (80 sq.ft)and can not exceed 50 feet in height (!!). Roof overhangs, bay windows, etc may not protrude more than 24 inches. If I stick to those rules I will comply with zoning and will not need to try (again) for a variance. <insert flames regarding Zoning Board of Appeals>. I think I can get away with a railing on the roof deck without violating height rules. Seasonal/partial views of Long Island Sound to my south from the deck and hopefully from the master suite.

I have played with materials (undecided on siding) but keep trying to return to the basics of the design before I start having too much fun and cluttering up the file. Many elements are oversimplified as I keep catching myself getting caught up in the details and fixing rookie mistakes. Obviously, this needs to evolve and refine considerably. Anyway, any critique, advice (about my SU strategy or the design), ideas, rules for a design contest , etc are more than welcome.

Here's a question or three: The thickness of the siding will need to be added. In the real world, this comes after the windows are installed. But in SU would you side it first and then add windows? I know Kolbe windows provides much of their catalog for SU use. Any others, or caveats?

You can get a good laugh out of the tree.
Run the animation from scene 1 and that's sort of what it'll look like driving home through the neighborhood here.

I have not tried any Ruby tools or imported materials, etc. yet. Any tips for file management there might be helpful. I survive by keeping my machine clean of extra stuff when I can. Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get me.

I'm fumbling through but having fun.

Thanks for looking and best wishes for the new year.

-Dean
2001 GasGas xc300

Dean Hyman 2008

Double Espresso

motogroove,
I went through variances from hell when I built my house and feel your pain.
It's difficult to assess your design without windows etc., however, my first impression is that it feels a little too convoluted. My suggestion would be to simplify the roof designs and take a look at the staggered blocks on the entry side, perhaps, a 'silo' that includes your stairs and becomes the roof access could work. It would give you a featured entry, look great constructed from local stone, and a widow's walk on the top would provide an awesone 360 view.
As far as cladding goes... my suggestion would be cut all window openings, add windows then cladding.
There are also lots of trees you can import.
Good luck,
DE

jessejames

Well, i will offer some constuctive criticism.

1.) First of all you have way too many layers in this model, making transversal a real PITA. I usually have a layer for each floor and/or group each floor, but that is all you really need IMO, especially if interior detail is low(no furniture, cabinets, etc...)Also your scenes do not have descriptive enough names IMO. I try to stay away from layers as much as possible. There are times when there usage is paramount and others when it is problematic. Good grouping, component instancing, and a few layers is most all you will need.

2.) The first thing i noticed was a lot of your normals(face direction) are backwards, which may not be a problem now, but will cause havoc when/if you decide to render this model. And exposes you as a rookie modeler to others. This is an easy fix though. Just right click on a white face and choose (orient faces). This usually works to correct all faces, but if you happen to get a few that are still blue just select them (rightclick-> reverse face)

3.) Your question about windows or siding first is invalid in the modeling world. I am a builder myself and can tell you, throw out standard building procedure when making models. You are in the virtual world now. It also seems from your words you actually intend to model the siding, which you can do, but using a texture is really all you need. Actually modeling a sidings profile will create too many faces and slow down your computer unless you have the Google mainframe at your fingertips. Of course you can do it, and i have in the past, but a good renderer can make almost any siding/cladding material look 3d life-like.

i think your model is fine, your modeling habits are just complicating your SU experience. If you want i will update this model and submit it to you the way i would do it, not that you are wrong, or i am right, I just want you to have fun, thats all I hope i did not offend you, that is not my intent.

That's my 2 cents

motogroove

Thanks to DE and JJ for their replies.

DE, yes I have done a few models with the stairs in a single stack, which is of course the most efficient use of space. The big vertical element was giving me too many bad ideas about expressing my feelings sculpturally to the neighbor who opposed my variance . After seeing many of those models I tried this staggered plan that looked fresh if nothing else. I sort of like the way it breaks up the monolithic face and might play with bays mocking it on other faces. Or I might end up back with a tower/silo thing. Convoluted rules apply and the tower can't extend all the way to the ground for this little loophole, which looks funny on a tower.

I found a nice tidbit yesterday at town hall that gets me two more feet of compliant height (now 30 feet maximum at midpoint of sloping roof). I may split that between some added roof pich and a framed first floor deck instead of the slab on grade (Crawlspace only here, water table is way too high for a full basement).
Either way, the widow's walk is a nice idea.
Thanks for your feedback.

JJ,
Thanks

Grouping vs layers - I need to go watch those basecamp videos again. There was one guy who worked one way and another guy promoting the other way. I think the difference is pretty subtle and I need to figure out which is best when and why. As you know from carpentry, there is often mre than one correct way to do things, so the key is to figure out which way is best when, and which time the other way is better. At my rookie level they seem like two tools that do almost the same thing. I think I should watch those basecamp vids again. perhaps there are big long threads about this her in the forum's past.
In any case you are right that I have too many layers simply because it gets to be a PITA scrolling the list and trying to make it fit on the page,etc. Since you offered, I'd certainly be interested to see any changes you or anybody else wants to share.
Thanks for mentioning the face directions thing. I cleaned that up and was sort of amused and bewlidered waching what the "orient faces" did and didn't do to the various faces - wondering why some faces are associated with the command and others aren't. I guess it makes me wonder how I got the face directions backwards in the first place. There was plenty of tearing down and rebuilding as this model evolved, so maybe that explains. Simple enough to fix though. And now I'll keep my eye on it so I am not exposed in that fashion and I can make more sophisticated errors.
You are right that I need to remember it's only a virtual building. I think I sort of stick built a lot of stuff that I could have push/pulled more easily, especially in the beginning, for example.
I should probaby just pull the walls out to represent the added thickness of the siding. I'm just trying to get the dimensions correct so no officials are surprised. Actually, the sheathing should be overhanging the foundation ... <mumbling noises>.

Anyway, thanks again for the input. No offense taken JJ. Quite the opposite. I did my time in art school so I view constructive criticism as a helpful benefit of being in a creative community. Thanks to everybody here who shares their knowledge and creativity.

Have a great day.
-Dean

jessejames

OP: Grouping vs layers - I need to go watch those basecamp videos again. There was one guy who worked one way and another guy promoting the other way.
*Absoultly, use the way that best fits your needs and modeling style. Just a suggestion

OP: Since you offered, I'd certainly be interested to see any changes you or anybody else wants to share.

i will have to see about that now due to time restraints. During the holidays i had time on my hands, but now things are starting to get rolling again

OP: and was sort of amused and bewlidered waching what the "orient faces" did and didn't do to the various faces - wondering why some faces are associated with the command and others aren't.

SU has to guess as to which faces should go out and which faces should go in. For a human that logic is simple to evaluate, but to put that into an algorithm and have perfect results every time is quite challenging. The only info available to the program is the faces normal(vector3d) and the surrounding objects. I suppose it could be made perfect, but the compute time might take hours

OP: I should probaby just pull the walls out to represent the added thickness of the siding. I'm just trying to get the dimensions correct so no officials are surprised. Actually, the sheathing should be overhanging the foundation ... <mumbling noises>.

i would create the thickness using the [PP] tool and just "paint" it with a texture. That way those "sadistic" officials will get what they need. . Then you can pull it over the foundation quite easily. In this case you really DO need to apply the window afterward.

Good Luck, come back any time