Room Area & Area Area

[The Sweg]

I'm wondering if this can even be done - so far I seem unable to do this.

We calculate the overall square footage of our homes by using the 'gross building' area plan for each floor (usually two floors). However, for the area of the second floor, we subtract the area of anything that is two stories tall, like a two story foyer or great room (using the inside dimensions of the rooms). This information is put on all our sheets in the titleblock. My dilemma is that when I try to make an area schedule, I cannot seem to use the area information from rooms for a calculated value, say, area minus room area, or something along those lines, because room area is not available when making an area schedule.

I tried to do this solely with area boundary lines, but they are difficult to control, and don't behave with the precision that we need. I can control the exact size of my rooms, so I create rooms on the second floor for these two story areas, and can calculate from there, but it's all manual, since I can't combine the two types of areas in a schedule. My thinking is that area is area, even though one comes from a room and one comes from an area plan, they should still play nice together. Right?

If I can get this to work properly, I can have an area schedule that I would place on my titleblock, that would do all the calculations for me.

Any ideas, or am I missing something obvious. Thanks in advance for any help!

[Scott D Davis]

On your second floor area plan, why do you not have the normal sketch for the gross area, and another sketch inside of that defining the "hole" where the 2-story volume is? Revit will automatically calclate the value of the "donut" (for lack of a better word). Place this value in your schedule.

[The Sweg]

That's a good idea, Scott, but when I tried that (great minds obviously think alike), Revit would not 'see' the 4" thickness of the wall and bypassed it altogether. If I can somehow get this way to work, I would certainly try. Area boundary lines don't seem to be as 'flexible' or easy to use as drawing room separation lines. I wish they were.

[greg.mcdowell]

They're the same thing... just one for rooms and one for areas. If you're having issues with them uncheck the box that applies rules to them (which are based on BOMA btw) and draw them by hand.

[patricks]

Either just draw the area boundary lines manually, or use the pick tool but make sure that "Apply Area Rules" is unchecked. Then you should be able to place them where you want.

doh! greg beat me to it.

[aaronrumple]

Area plans are the tool to use. It sounds like you may be just having problems with its correct use..

A. If you pick walls the line is associated with that wall. They will adjust automatically to center or outside depending on the area scheme (gross or rentable).
B. The lines will not adjust to the outside face until the area is closed.
C. You may need to deselect some outer walls to define the two story areas. This may require splitting some walls in plan. Or drawing the boundaries manually.
D. Revit doesn't care if the boundary lines intersect or cross - stop trying to be so accurate with the linework.

[The Sweg]

Well, once again, it appears that I have failed to look up at the options bar while executing a command.

I even test drove your suggestion (just in case-by some slim happenstance of fate you all might be wrong), and it worked! Like magic! I love this program!

You guys have saved the day. You have no idea how lazy this will make me once I get this schedule to work!

Work smarter - not harder. I need to remember that.

Thanks, all!

[christo4robin]

I almost always sketch the area boundary lines manually - works much better for the precise placement of the lines with edges of floor, core boundaries of wall, etc.