Any architects in the house need some help

[whatsupdoc]

Ok so we are looking to build a new home and the wife purchased a plan online and received a CAD file.
The file gets sent to the builders architect to make some changes and the architect claims the file is useless as it cannot be modified.

The architect contacted the company that provided the plans/file directly and the final word was.
"The architect worked with them through a few different options and nothing worked".

The plans would have to be redrawn by the architect and he does not have the time to do that.

I have no clue about cad files and what the problem is so can someone shed some light on why this would be.

 

[El Cid 92]

Ok so we are looking to build a new home and the wife purchased a plan online and received a CAD file.
The file gets sent to the builders architect to make some changes and the architect claims the file is useless as it cannot be modified.

The architect contacted the company that provided the plans/file directly and the final word was.
"The architect worked with them through a few different options and nothing worked".

The plans would have to be redrawn by the architect and he does not have the time to do that.

I have no clue about cad files and what the problem is so can someone shed some light on why this would be.

This smells like a "brush off". They don't want to fuck with a job of low/minimal return.

I'd suggest you try another architect and see if the "problem with the file" gets solved.

Andrew

 

[Bullfrog08]

Maybe the CAD file was created by a newer version and needs saved down to an older version. Happens a lot. Creator used a newer version than your architect has?

Did you get a .dwg file?

 

[acudaowner]

an underground gun range and tennis court ? a swimming pool that stretches under your neighbors house maybe ? that would be fun .

 

[Trigger Monkey]

Even if you bought them you don't really own them to the extent that you can do what you want with them. The architect or group that made CAD drawings owns them and can lock them so changes can't be made. A client I worked with once found that out the hard way when they thought they could direct the architect to turn over the CAD files because they paid thousands of dollars for them, the architect said no, we own them. It could be that your architect ran into this issue and the originator of the document wasn't open to changing what is essentially their product. It sucks, but it's one way firms protect themselves from someone making changes that are outside of the design and potentially having liability come back on them.

 

[HiDesertELR]

Send me the CAD files, I'll take a look

 

[Charger442]

Even if you bought them you don't really own them to the extent that you can do what you want with them. The architect or group that made CAD drawings owns them and can lock them so changes can't be made. A client I worked with once found that out the hard way when they thought they could direct the architect to turn over the CAD files because they paid thousands of dollars for them, the architect said no, we own them. It could be that your architect ran into this issue and the originator of the document wasn't open to changing what is essentially their product. It sucks, but it's one way firms protect themselves from someone making changes that are outside of the design and potentially having liability come back on them.

refusing to give them over is one thing, modifying them or locking them is another.

Most files can be simply converted between formats. i would bet this is a software compatibility issue.

but in case you didnt know, architects suck. they are worse than lawyers in most cases. i pity anyone who has to work with them often.

 

[missed]

More than likely is protected.

Different revisions or software can cause this also.

Or your architect just does not like the methods that they have used. Layers, wall styles, architectural components may be different.

I know when we moved from Autocad Architecture to Revit it was a nightmare.

Finding an Architect is tough. I am not myself, but we have some in the group and its industrial only. When we built our house I had hell finding a residential one. When I talked to one and said we were going 2500 sqft he asked where our vacation home was going to be located. Seems like all the decent Architects around here only deal with the people that are writing blank checks.

 

[Maggot]

refusing to give them over is one thing, modifying them or locking them is another.

Most files can be simply converted between formats. i would bet this is a software compatibility issue.

but in case you didnt know, architects suck. they are worse than lawyers in most cases. i pity anyone who has to work with them often.

^^^^^

Not worse than lawyers but in the same category. As a stonemasonry contractor, on occasion I got plans for stonework that Id have needed a sky hook to do. When I pointed this out the the Architect they acted like I had done something wrong.

 

[tomcatmv]

Even if you bought them you don't really own them to the extent that you can do what you want with them. The architect or group that made CAD drawings owns them and can lock them so changes can't be made. A client I worked with once found that out the hard way when they thought they could direct the architect to turn over the CAD files because they paid thousands of dollars for them, the architect said no, we own them. It could be that your architect ran into this issue and the originator of the document wasn't open to changing what is essentially their product. It sucks, but it's one way firms protect themselves from someone making changes that are outside of the design and potentially having liability come back on them.

This ^^^ having been in commercial construction for 45 years the liability thing is HUGE. If you are allowed access to their CAD files even on a "one time" basis and you make a design change that may effect structural or other integrity of the building and you have a downstream failure, they could be held retroactively liable as they allowed you (a non-licensed/certified architect/engineer) access to modify their design.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

BTW I'm bigoted towards architects in general, fuck them, those pompous fucks.

The latest batch of project managers working for GC's arent getting to be much better. Most of them are 2/3rds a retard coming straight out of college with little to know field experience but they "know what they're doing". Get fucked.

Sorry, having a day...

 

[tomcatmv]

^^^ This I've always thought an architect or a GC project Mgr. should have to spend at least two years pounding nails or raising iron before they can do jack shit in they're ultimate profession. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to tell them you can't build this, at least without an unreasonable amount of money.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

^^^ This I've always thought an architect or a GC project Mgr. should have to spend at least two years pounding nails or raising iron before they can do jack shit in they're ultimate profession. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to tell them you can't build this, at least without an unreasonable amount of money.

THIS is what should entail the FIRST YEAR of schooling, at the very least. OR, at least 1-2 years of experience IN THAT FIELD should be a pre-requisite for entering the school to begin with.

They gotta know what they're talking about, when they start telling/dictating/deciding for others.

 

[Charger442]

This ^^^ having been in commercial construction for 45 years the liability thing is HUGE. If you are allowed access to their CAD files even on a "one time" basis and you make a design change that may effect structural or other integrity of the building and you have a downstream failure, they could be held retroactively liable as they allowed you (a non-licensed/certified architect/engineer) access to modify their design.

meh, its possible, but mostly electronic transfer waiver and disclaimer prevent this from happening.

no one is really suing architects off of what is in their CAD design files. its the signed and sealed drawings that rule every time in those instances, and its because a CAD file can have a datum jump or dimension changed just by one CAD monkey opening it up and zoom-panning.

 

[Whistlepigs]

If you can, send me the cad file and I will take a look at them and see what I can do. Been doing this for a long time and have never seen a architect or engineer that would not share cad files. Also, all the architects I work with know when they draw house plans for someone that the cad files belongs to the client that paid for them, at least in my part of the world.

 

[MtnCreek]

I think in this case op purchased a license to use the plans that came with prints or pdf's and some type of limited function cad file (dwf?).

 

[whatsupdoc]

I think in this case op purchased a license to use the plans that came with prints or pdf's and some type of limited function cad file (dwf?).

Yes the plans were purchased with supposedly the ability to make changes.

 

[whatsupdoc]

If you can, send me the cad file and I will take a look at them and see what I can do. Been doing this for a long time and have never seen a architect or engineer that would not share cad files. Also, all the architects I work with know when they draw house plans for someone that the cad files belongs to the client that paid for them, at least in my part of the world.

@Whistlepigs Thanks I PM you the file.

 

[whatsupdoc]

Maybe the CAD file was created by a newer version and needs saved down to an older version. Happens a lot. Creator used a newer version than your architect has?

Did you get a .dwg file?

Yes I received a .dwg file.

 

[whatsupdoc]

From the web site we bought the plans.


CAD Files ELECTRONIC FORMAT
A CAD file is a set of construction drawings in an electronic format. The CAD file can be used to make minor or major modifications to our plans. The CAD files come with a copyright release so you can customize the plan however you like. CAD files can also be emailed to avoid shipping costs. Most plans can be emailed same business day or the business day after your purchase. Requires a CAD program to open the files by a design professional.


The entire point was "The CAD file can be used to make minor or major modifications to our plans."

 

[Slash0311]

I've done AutoCAD for years on a mechanical side, mainly for stone countertops. A dwg file is a root file for AutoCAD. So that's a good start. If your guy still can't access it, my guess is it was last saved on a newer version. I ran into tons of issues like this dealing with different fabricators over the years. I find it odd that they couldn't out a solution.

Hopefully you can get things figured out.

 

[HiDesertELR]

From the web site we bought the plans.


CAD Files ELECTRONIC FORMAT
A CAD file is a set of construction drawings in an electronic format. The CAD file can be used to make minor or major modifications to our plans. The CAD files come with a copyright release so you can customize the plan however you like. CAD files can also be emailed to avoid shipping costs. Most plans can be emailed same business day or the business day after your purchase. Requires a CAD program to open the files by a design professional.


The entire point was "The CAD file can be used to make minor or major modifications to our plans."

It's editable, they just set it up to be a little tricky to mess with. Check our PM for more info.

Pretty standard, nothing out of the ordinary.