Unit Plans Vs. Building Plans

[Sweetshelby]

I am currently drawing a 6 story Timeshare Building that has 6 differnet unit plans. I have drawn the unit plans in their own Revit project and then imported them into level one of the main building file and copied to each floor. There are also 5 more buildings that are all shaped different but all use the same 6 unit plans. So, trying to only make changes once to the unit plans, how can I for example put the 2 bedrrom unit on 6 different titlesheets? Because each sheet has it's own building number (A-E).
Another problem this creates is to print the unit plans we have to open each file (6 of them) and print.

Has anyone done a large project like this before and if so how did you organize it? Basically I want to make sure I am not making things harder on myself if there is a better way to do it.

Now that I have confused everyone totally! :lol:

Thank you for any help you can give me!

[beegee]

If I understand correctly, you have 6 files each containing a unit type. You need to produce 6 buildings. Each building will consist of a mix of the unit types. You also need a site plan.

My approach would be :-

1. Create a file for each of the 6 buildings, by linking the unit types into the building envelope. Use call outs , if necessary, from these files to show the unit types at a larger scale / detail.

2. Link each of these six building files into the the site master plan.


That way, if you want to change a unit, you go back to its original and its then correct in every other drawing.

When you print, you need to print 7 files ( .. the 6 buildings and the site plan )

I do a few medium- density residental projects and face this kind of thing a lot.

[Sweetshelby]

That is basically what I figured I would have to do, thank you for your help. I just wanted to make sure I was not doing it a more difficult way.

If anyone else has any different ideas let me know.

Thanks again,

Jennifer

[Vincent Valentijn]

If I understand correctly, you have 6 files each containing a unit type. You need to produce 6 buildings. Each building will consist of a mix of the unit types. You also need a site plan.
My approach would be :-
1. Create a file for each of the 6 buildings, by linking the unit types into the building envelope. Use call outs , if necessary, from these files to show the unit types at a larger scale / detail.
2. Link each of these six building files into the the site master plan.
That way, if you want to change a unit, you go back to its original and its then correct in every other drawing.

Am I misunderstanding this? :? if I <1> create a file of 6 buildings by linking 6 types into it.. I cannot <2> link such building into a siteplan? I can link a file into another but not into the next, I thought that Revit won't allow linking any further than a single level [as opposed to Xref].. :?:
Please explain, I think I might be missing something.. is 'linking the unit types into the building envelope' something different than actually linking a file? If your method works this might help me out..

[beegee]

Yes Vincent you are right. There can only be 1 link level not 2.

I forgotten about this when I posted. My links are only single file links into a site master plan.

Maybe this will just be historical after November-December. ( Or maybe I'm just getting hysterical ? )

[Vincent Valentijn]

Maybe this will just be historical after November-December. ( Or maybe I'm just getting hysterical ? )

Let's hope so.. oh.. god how I hope for this to become -historical soon- as you call it, this must be my absolute number one wishlist item. I have good hopes for it though since bigger projects, like the one Jennifer described are virtually impossible to handle now.. this is surely a huge weakness that needs to be solved, if only for marketing reasons.

.. Damn.. I had hoped you might have 'discovered' some sort of alternative method. Better luck next time around?? when Revit's evolved to it's sixth stage..

[beegee]

Damn.. I had hoped you might have 'discovered' some sort of alternative method.

Ok, heres an alternative method.

1. Link files U1, U2, U3 ... (Units ) into files B1, B2, B3 (Buildings ). One level link, so OK.

2. Export files B1, B2, B3 to DWG.

3. Link ( not import ) dwgs into Site Plan.

So now, if unit U1 changes, B1 is automatically updated when opened.
Its then necessary to export B1 to dwg again, using the same file name.
When the site plan is opened, B1_dwg is updated as a link, so the site plan is correct also.

[Vincent Valentijn]

Yeah.. that's pretty good! For some of the drawings this a very nice solution, I think I'll try it. Thanx BeeGee, quite inventive :wink:
Alas my main goal was [is] showing the buildings on the site in 3D and to make a walkthrough.. it won't work there.

[beegee]

Can't you just link the building shells into a site plan ( separate file , of course ), without the internal unit detail, and do the walk around from there.

If the walk through is to go from outside to inside, you could splice it at the changeover, using the interior model for that part.

[BomberAIA]

I am producing a townhouse project w/ 2 unit types and building types. I have drawn the the units in different files and linked them to a building file, then copied the units to assemble buildings. I'll let you know how it comes out.

[beegee]

It's only a problem if you go to the next level.

You can link a A file into a B file. You cannot then link that B file into a C file ( without loosing the nested A link ).

[Vincent Valentijn]

Can't you just link the building shells into a site plan ( separate file , of course ), without the internal unit detail, and do the walk around from there.

If the walk through is to go from outside to inside, you could splice it at the changeover, using the interior model for that part.

Yes, that's true.. it's an option. Though I really don't like the idea of creating a multitude of partially undressed, re-linked, de-linked etc.. files. It's not so great for clarity.
In the -how to make it despite Revit's resistance- department, your idea really works though.. :roll: it's more work than you'd ideally expect from such software, but it won't show in the quality of the final results if I use the method you propose.. I guess... thanx!

[bud]

we have done serveral building complexes with "units" A-B-C...... lately. :x

we tried to draw each unit in individual projects then link into a larger project. after several attempts we have decided to draw a single project and use call outs to show individal units.

being a builder i look at the building the way it will be built, the contractor does not build the units, but a single foundation is built, a single exterior, and a single roof. the only people that use the "units" would be electricians, plumbers and such.

so far we are having better luck using this thinking when "building" our projects in Revit. :lol:

[BomberAIA]

I am also trying toput together a townhouse project and tried linking the plans into another building file. Works great until you try to put a roof on the building. Now I am making separate files for each building type and calling out the unit plans. This seems to work better until I have a revision on a unit. Revit needs to update the multifamily process.

[beegee]

Works great until you try to put a roof on the building. .
One way is to have the unit interiors in the linked files. The building shell must be constructed in the main master file of course. This is only advantageous if you have a reasonably large number of units, and they are still going through design development with your client. Otherwise its more efficient to build the whole thing in the one model and look at grouping to cover changes. ( This despite groups being a bit buggy at times )

[Innamae]

I am creating a seniors residence with 100 units, and have found the only way is to use groups for the individual units. There are 6 to 8 units, and this varies per floor as the occupants care needs vary. I emailed Brant F (he taught a revit course I took) on this forum and asked him which was the better way to go. The only problems I have encountered are the furniture is coming in at = or - 11'-0" - why? and you can't change one group to another without the system crashing. If you add a group it fine, but when you change from one to another I get fatal errors. The building is beautiful though and if i add the furniturre last - it works. So this is a solution - just buggy.

Innamae

[beegee]

If the floors are not included in the group, you could experience problems when copying groups.

But yes, despite the bugs, I'm also coming to the conclusion that groups are the better way to go.