There is one final issue or missing feature with the polyline stemwall tool and that is brick ledges.  I have been working on the complex roof module this evening but I really feel like I need to address the brick ledge issue before I leave the foundation plugin development for a spell.

Originally my thinking was that a brick ledge option for stemwalls needed to be on a per edge basis.  However, even if this were the case the stemwall thickness and footing size would still remain the same for all of the assembly, even for those segments that do not have brick ledges.

Typically I would assume that a stemwall foundation should have a thicker stemwall and footing for those walls that are supporting brick veneer.  If this is the case then it actually makes more sense to have a global option for the assembly rather than a per edge basis.

Please correct me if I am wrong here.

I guess I need a bit of guidance, perhaps some more more examples of stemwall foundation plans with brick ledges (and some walls without) would be extremely helpful.

Version 1.4.8c - 09.18.2019
- Fixed bugs within the Stemwall and SOG move tools regarding: brick ledges, blockouts, and openings.

This is a critical fix for the items mentioned above and I highly recommend upgrading to this latest version.

Adjusting a Slab on Grade foundation with brick ledges:

[Click on image to view Animation]

Looks like the openings are now behaving properly with the Stemwall move tool:

[Click animated GIF to view]

Version 1.4.8b - 09.17.2019
- Removed the "Draw Slab on Grade" icon from the main toolbar.
- Added the SOG Foundation toolbar.
- Added the "Move SOG Edge" icon to the SOG foundation toolbar.
- Added the "Move SOG Edge" function to the context menu for polygon SOG assemblies.
- Enabled the "Move SOG Edge" tool for polygon/face SOG assemblies.

Tutorial 9 - Moving Stemwall Segments (10:20 min.):

Version 1.4.8 - 09.17.2019
- Added the "Move Stemwall Segment" icon to the stemwall toolbar.
- Added the "Move Stemwall Segment" function to the context menu for polyline stemwall assemblies.
- Enabled the "Move Stemwall Segment" tool for polyline stemwalls.



I think the best way to explain this new feature is to provide a demonstration.  I will be releasing another tutorial shortly showing how this new tool is used.  I think you will find it very convenient.

Note that openings and blockouts are going to need some further adjustment to their algorithms in order to play nicely with this new feature.  I'm already working on the solution.

I'm really enjoying the new parametrics and the blockout functions:



I initially created the (polyline) stemwall foundation then cut out the garage door with the blockout tool.  Then I drew in the slab (polygon) option.  At that point I decided I wanted a man door 4" off the right front corner, so I used the blockout tool again to create this opening.

Then I realized that slab needed to also flow into this opening so I used the "Edit Slab Outline" feature to modify the outline of the slab and, Voila!  Done.

No manual edits and no having to delete and then recreate assemblies, I like this.

View model here:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model/8fa3d473-1bb6-4e54-8217-afe49564340f/Garage-Foundation

Tutorial 8 - Windows and Doors in Polyline Stemwalls (8:31 min.)

Version 1.4.7 - 09.15.2019
- Enabled the "Draw Opening" tool for polyline stemwalls: Windows and Doors
- Enabled the "Edit Opening" tool for polyline stemwalls.
- Enabled the "Move Opening" tool for polyline stemwalls.
- Enabled the "Delete Opening" tool for polyline stemwalls.
- Fixed a bug with the Edit Blockout tool menu.





Similar to the blockout tools this new feature only works with polyline stemwalls as noted in changelog.

If you have a lot of rebar in your foundation walls and a lot of openings in those walls then the plugin will have a lot of boolean subtraction to do in order to trim out the rebar as shown, this will cause a performance hit but should not be unreasonable on an adequately equipped PC or Mac.  For older machines one way around this is to only toggle rebar on as a final step after all of your other edits to the foundation wall are complete.

The proposed parameters for Stemwall Openings (with default values):

Opening Type: Door (default), Window
Opening Width: 36"
Opening Height: 80"
Header Height: 84"
Horz. RO Offset: 1.0"
Vert. RO Offset: 2.5"

The seventh and hopefully final toolbar (at least for now):



This toolbar will allow the user to create, modify, move and delete openings (two types:  doors, windows) within polyline stemwalls.

Once this toolset is added the plugin I think most of my major functionality issues with the plugin will be  resolved.

As nearly I can tell the convention for doors and windows in basement plans is the same as in regular framing, so here is my proposed solution for openings in foundation walls:



Note that the header height is measured from the top of the door or window opening with the RO taken into account. 

So for example a standard 3068 door would have an actual opening width of 38" and an actual opening height of 82.5" (blockout dimemsions), assuming the rough opening dimensions given.  Assuming that a 4" slab is poured on the top of the footing then the header height would need to be 84".  The height of the top of the door opening measured from the top of the footing would be 80" + 4" + 2.5" = 86.5"

Correct me if any of this goes counter to common practice.

However, another way of dealing with the door may be to actually blockout the  foundation all the way to the footing so that the 4" slab extends through the doorway (I've seen it done both ways).  In this scenario you still want the door height (80") to remain the same so that the callout is still given as 3068, however to maintain the vertical position of the door within the foundation wall the vertical RO would need to change to 6.5" and the header height would need to be 80". 

What is the convention for calling out openings (windows and doors) in a basement foundation plan?

Do you list the actual size or is it similar to floor plans where you are using the nominal sizes (ie. 3040, 3068, etc...) but the actual opening is something entirely different?

To be honest, in my neck of the woods I don't see very many basement plans because of our high water table, most everything is stemwall foundations with crawl spaces.

Also would it be useful to have the plugin provide window and door bucks?  If so what should that geometry look like?

As far as the actual window and doors, my plan is to eventually split out the window and door module from the wall plugin so that it can also be utilized to place windows and doors into basement walls.

It just occurred to me that the method/algorithm I use to remove rebar for a blockout can also be used to remove slab rebar or mesh from a slab depression. Now I have a solution for the slab depression reinforcement problem.

The only potential issue I see with this is the shear number of solids (reinforcement) that may need to be trimmed, especially if the user has specified wire mesh. I will give this some additional consideration and see if it will work.

It also just occurred to me that a stemwall opening (door & window) tool is very similar to the tool I just created and I can probably utilize almost 90% of the code I just created to quickly put together a tool for creating openings in stemwalls. So much for a relaxing Saturday evening and Sunday, I’ve got this.

Tutorial 7 - Blockouts in Polyline Stemwalls (8:35 min.)



Unfortunately, I forgot to demonstrate the CMU option with the blockouts, so I will leave that up to the user to try that out for themselves.

If you are using stemwall foundations at all this newest feature is critical in my opinion.  Manually creating blockouts in your stemwalls renders the parametric ability of the plugin mute, hence this latest addition was necessary.