Starting the next phase from an old Revit project

[patricks]

Our firm did a church several years ago, using Revit. It's a 2003 job number, and CD's were completed in Revit in 2005. That was probably back on version 7.1, MAYBE 8. From what I can recall, that file was a huge mess at the end. Thousands of reference planes everywhere, something like 50+ levels in just a 3 story building. Lots of "shortcuts" and things not modeled correctly. It was absolutely insane.

Now we're starting a new building project on the same church, adding on to what's already there.

What are the suggestions for this new project? Just go with the original Revit file, add a new phase and maybe some scope boxes and run with it? Try to clean up some stuff? Or maybe just copy model elements into a new file? I'm wondering if deleting levels will delete any model elements. I'm about to try it.

[Wanderer]

Hmm, good luck... let us know how it goes.

[patricks]

gee, thanks. :p

I just opened the file. Wow what a mess. The issues I'm seeing right off is that, for one thing, our template has evolved GREATLY over the years, usually to include new Revit features that come out in each release, plus refining project standards and such. This file will have none of those standards, and if I try bringing in details from our detail file, it gets even more messy. This thing has old fonts, old dimensions styles, old everything. This was one of my earliest Revit projects, and while I didn't work on it all that much, I can tell it's all very "loose" as compared to the way I model now.

[jsnyder.68308]

I would build a new model from the CD's. My guess is that won't take nearly as long as trying to clean everything up...plus you can pick and choose your level of detail for existing stuff based on current project needs.

[rosskirby]

Start a new project from your template, insert that old one as a group, and go from there. Keep what works, re-work what doesn't. That's my best suggestion, and it kinda sucks, but it beats working from scratch.

[Valkin]

I would go with what rosskirby said and build a new model from your current template, and insert the old one in as a group. I'd also do some of the things you first said about using scope boxes and phases. You might also want to purge the existing model of all drafting views, sheets, legends, and any unused components.

[ghale]

We've done a few of these for school projects and haven't been able to settle in to a solid process. Some jobs work ok by starting from the last file and just purging all the extra views and families, etc... Some jobs need to be started from a loaded group.

I'm thinking you should start from scratch as well though. The biggest advantage I see is the simple fact that the modeler now gets completely familiar with the project instead of inheriting somebody else's work and old workflows. The best way I see to do this is to link in the old model and override its graphics, then model over the top of it. You can also copy and paste details after doing a little update work on them.

[LP Design]

I agree with the others here. I would link the old model into a new project from your new template. If absolutely necessary, you can copy in or recreate the portions of the existing structure you will be affecting so you can get nice cleanups, etc.

There is a very dangerous mental trap here. "Why should we start over again, what a total waste of time!". Don't fall for it. I don't know about you but I will look back at past projects, shudder, and wonder why the heck did we do things like that? -or- Oh god, I remember that awful detail. There must have been 3 RFIs on that alone. -or even better- Wait, was this done using the old 5-digit masterformat??

Yes, you can save time by reusing and recycling certain aspects of old projects, but IMHO if you really try to reuse the whole thing and just "clean it up", you will end up spending more time than it would have taken to do it right.

-LP

[cliff collins]

It depends on how much or any of the existing building will be included in the new addition. Remember, it's the new part you are focusing on, and the existing is just there as a "backdrop/context" for the new work.

So--I would actually spend as little time as possible working on the existing building--unless there are extensive "intersections of the old/new" which require the existing building to be modeled in great detail.

I would grab all the major elements such as walls, floors, roofs, furniture, etc. and Group them, then Link out as a new model. Open it in your current version of Revit, clean up/purge, then Link into your new project.

[patricks]

This is a church with an assembly space and a 3-floor education wing, separated by a "Grand Hall". The new project consists of an additional education building, and a new admin suite, both of which attach onto each end of the existing education building. There will be some demolition on both ends of the existing education building on every floor, as the new will tie into the existing.

Also there are some minor renovations to the upper floor sound booth area of the assembly space.

We're still in SD's right now and I'm muddling through it with all the baggage of the previous project. I've been updating a few things as I go along like dimension styles and title blocks. My boss wants to keep all the existing model information, but we've already deleted all the old sheets, views, and drafting details from the original project. I'm still trying to decide how I want to proceed.

Another problem I'm running into is that what's in the model, doesn't actually match what was detailed, and neither of those match what is actually built! Brick coursing and precast banding profiles and heights mainly, which is what we're trying to tie into and match. Major pain.

[Wanderer]

Another problem I'm running into is that what's in the model, doesn't actually match what was detailed, and neither of those match what is actually built! Major pain.Welcome to my world...

[Norton_cad]

Copy the levels to a new blank template, then in the origional file in a 3D view copy N paste to your new blank template. Any elements hosted to a level will not be lost. Also although you lose all the anotation, you also lose all unwanted views and temp linework. You can copy n paste the anotation as a second exercise to refine to your requirments.

In the view templates import the Acad details from the archive, and form sheets. That way you lose the legacy of dodgy views from the previous file.

Update the model to "As built" status as a phase, and then phase upwards from there.

[patricks]

Acad details?? pffft we don't do that sorta stuff 'round here :p

All of our drawings have been 100% Revit since at least 2004 or before.