Best choice for house design

[richard.carlisle]

Hi all...

Which would be better for house and residential related building design? AutoCAD Architechture or Revit? I'm a GC and looking for the software that best fits my needs. I have some 3D modeling experience in Rhino and I've had my hands on earlier versions of vanilla AutoCAD, so I'm not computer illiterate, but ease of use would still be a factor in the decision.

Also, are ACA and Revit stand alone? I've seen some posts which lead me to believe that AutoCAD is still required. Is that because ACA and Revit are extensions to AutoCAD or is that some just prefer creating finer details in AutoCAD?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Ross

[dzatto]

Hi all...

Which would be better for house and residential related building design? AutoCAD Architechture or Revit? I'm a GC and looking for the software that best fits my needs. I have some 3D modeling experience in Rhino and I've had my hands on earlier versions of vanilla AutoCAD, so I'm not computer illiterate, but ease of use would still be a factor in the decision.

Also, are ACA and Revit stand alone? I've seen some posts which lead me to believe that AutoCAD is still required. Is that because ACA and Revit are extensions to AutoCAD or is that some just prefer creating finer details in AutoCAD?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Ross

Welcome to AUGI and congrats on your first post

You've hit on the age old question; which is better Revit or ACA. The main difference is that Revit is full BIM. Everything is linked and drawn in one file. So if you wanted to change a window height, you could change it on the schedule and it would change in your model, which would change your sections and elevations, etc.

ACA isn't full BIM. It will draw sections and elevations for you, but you have to tell it to update them when your model changes, so there is a chance that the user could "forget" to update the elevations and then your CD's are wrong.

There is a lot of other differences, but that's just a basic synopsis. And yes, they are both stand alone versions. Some people like detailin in CAD, but from what I hear you can do it in Revit if you wanted.

Check out this thread http://forums.augi.com/showthread.ph...ight=revit+adt

If you use the search bar at the top, you'll find a lot of threads on the subject.

[richard.carlisle]

Thanks for the quick reply. It did seem as though Revit was the preferred program. The next question is which Revit version. Architecture or Structure? From what I can gather, it seems as though Architecture would be better for residential home design, decks and designing renovation projects where Structure would be better for commercial building design. What do you think?

Thanks...Ross

[dzatto]

Thanks for the quick reply. It did seem as though Revit was the preferred program. The next question is which Revit version. Architecture or Structure? From what I can gather, it seems as though Architecture would be better for residential home design, decks and designing renovation projects where Structure would be better for commercial building design. What do you think?

Thanks...Ross

That's the main reason I didn't go to Revit last year. I do all my own plans, structural, architectural, MEP, site design etc. etc. From what I understand, there is limited structural in Revit architecture, but I'm not sure exactly what it is. I would ask the question in the Revit forum. They would know better.

How big are your houses? I mean, you can easily do it in ACA. I do custom homes on the side and use ACA for them. I do them in full 3D and they turn out very nice. ACA has pretty nice structural capabilities, but it's not full BIM like Revit is.

The thing about Revit is, that's where the industry is heading. So if you want to keep up with the industry, go with Revit. I may switch one day, but ACA does a great job for me.

[richard.carlisle]

That's the main reason I didn't go to Revit last year. I do all my own plans, structural, architectural, MEP, site design etc. etc. From what I understand, there is limited structural in Revit architecture, but I'm not sure exactly what it is. I would ask the question in the Revit forum. They would know better.

I'm basically doing the same thing although maybe on a smaller scale. Average sized houses to about 2000sq/ft, but mostly just modeling renovations, decks and such. Not very complicated, but the plans need to be of suitable detail to submit for permit approval, which is why I need to use real CAD software and not one of those point and click house design programs.

I'll ask the Revit guys what the structural differences are between that and ACA.

Thanks very much for your help.

[dzatto]

No problem, any time

I know I said to probably go with Revit, but it sounds like that's a lot of software for what you're doing. Sort of like buying a Ferarri to go to the grocery store once a week. It works, but a VW would work just as well.

Also, since you already have some CAD knowledge, it may be easier for you to go to ACA instead. I've heard CAD people have a hard time transitioning to Revit. Just a few thoughts.

[richard.carlisle]

No problem, any time

I know I said to probably go with Revit, but it sounds like that's a lot of software for what you're doing. Sort of like buying a Ferarri to go to the grocery store once a week. It works, but a VW would work just as well.

Also, since you already have some CAD knowledge, it may be easier for you to go to ACA instead. I've heard CAD people have a hard time transitioning to Revit. Just a few thoughts.

Well, I'm not really a CAD person. It's been a while since I've used AutoCAD and that was for mechanical design for machined parts. I really like the Revit workflow from Architecture to Structural to mechanical using MEP. I know it is a lot of software for what I'm doing, but I figure I might as well learn the latest and greatest. You never know, it may be a whole new career path.

[Comach]

Your workflow proposal would actually be better with the Acad products than with the Revit system - partly because you have much more choice with some excellent proven and mature third party products. There is also much better interoperability with the Autocad based products.

Just a quick note on BIM which is actually a project data life cycle process and not a specific function within one particular cad software package, that encompasses all aspects of a project design including procurement, scheduling, vendors and installation as well as post project facility management.

The Revit packages as well as the ACA are COMPATIBLE with the BIM principles they are not BIM.

BIM is the industry attempt to collectively standardise a process of data management and working methodology from design and construction to the post facility operations that has always existed in one form or another.