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Bob

I think this is the first post in this forum so I guess I will get things started. This is a long post but I want you all to know where I am coming from...

My name is Andy Melaragno. I am a residential designer in Columbus, Ohio. I design custom homes and renovations and I work alone. Most of my new homes are 3,500 s.f. and up in size and $700,000 and up construction cost. The renovations I work on are usually pretty substantial in scope and price range. I have been using 2d AutoCad for the last 25 years to create my design drawings and construction drawings. I started using AutoCad right out of school so I never really worked very long "by hand". I remember, back in the day, the seasoned architects and designers preaching that one could not design on a computer and that they would never learn to design or develop plans in that fashion. I vowed to never take on that attitude. So, here I am today, in the middle of my career years and I see the world of residential design start to change around me. I am seeing more and more 3D modeling being used in residential design and I think it is awesome! The value of showing a homeowner a complete 3D model of their home is priceless! I want so badly to jump on a system that will let me do that! I have reviewed, trialed and even purchased many "3D BIM" programs over the last 10 years but most of them fall short for me in one way or another. I like to add a lot of unique or authentic details to my projects, I have found that most of the programs out there don't do unique very well. They are great for production houses but not high-end custom. I have also found that the rendering output of most of these programs look like cartoon drawings. The only programs that I have seen produce drawings that I would feel comfortable to show my clients, is Revit and SketchUp. I tried Revit when it first came out, it came packaged with AutoCad for Architecture, I didn't like it. I felt that it was too stiff and playing "what if" seemed like a chore. I have always told myself that I would not compromise a design because it was too hard to make the software do what I wanted it to do or to make change on the fly.

I started playing around with SketchUp about 10 years ago. Back then, everyone thought of SU as a "conceptual" tool that couldn't produce construction drawings. I have been using SU for massing models and exterior conceptual designs and have gotten fairly good at it over the years. I have actually produced some decent models of homes I have designed, and I actually have a lot of fun using it. I feel that with SU, if I can think it, I can draw it, just like in 2D AutoCad, but in 3D. Getting a workflow down to where I can create CD's from my models is another thing.  I have been scrapping my hollow concept models and then starting over in AutoCad to create my 2D floor plans, Elevations etc. for my  CD's. It pains me every time I do it! I have been on a quest over the last 2 years to make SU my main design and construction drawing software. I have purchased Michael Brightman's two books and I subscribe to ConDoc tools. I have read Nick Sonder's and Matt Donley's book. Now I have purchased John Brock's book. I have also subscribed to an SU add-on called PlusSpec. I have hit a wall...I am so sick of creating 2D drawings the fashion way in AutoCad, but I am scared to death to get too far with a project in Sketchup. I want so badly to take all of this information and run with it.  The main thing that is stopping me is the fear of getting stuck in the middle of a project and getting myself in trouble with time. I know SU can produce the drawings I want, I have seen Nick's work and it is something to strive for. I have purchased PlusSpec because it creates walls, floors and roofs with structural elements and I like the fact that you can peel away at the model and see all of the structure. I like to show all structure in my building sections so I like the idea of having the plates, beams, floor system etc. drawn in the model. I have not read John's book yet but I want my models to have the same level of detail as his. I come from a construction background so I am confident that I have the knowledge to build a house like he does using SU.

My question is this: How do I start? I think I like Plusspec (I haven't played around with it enough to know for sure), I like the Condoc process to get to Layout, I love the drawings that Nick Sonder produces and I really like the models that John Brock creates. What is the best way to take all of this information and make it work. Do I need Plusspec? I I already have Profile Builder 3. I start to get overwhelmed when I think about it. 

I have been wanting to get all of that off my chest for some time now and talk to someone about it but didn't know who to ask or where to ask. I am kicking myself for not biting the bullet and going to 3D base camp.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw John's post on LinkedIn announcing this site. This site is a great idea! I hope that more people like myself will join so we can collaborate, commiserate, bounce ideas off each other and work through this transition together. I feel like I can't be the only one in this position. Sorry for the long post,  any input would be greatly appreciated.

-Andy