Revit Tutorial - Shed Roof High Eave Detail

Shed roofs are simple to create in Revit but lack a very important ability: creating a square cut perpendicular to your roof at the top of the shed slope.  Previously, I illustrated the options that Revit gives you when it comes to a roof's eave.  Unfortunately, the same options don't exist for the high side of a shed roof...

Continue reading to view a video tutorial demonstrating how I work around this issue...

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Revit Tutorial - Calculating Cut / Fills Using Building Pads

Pablo, my colleague and friend from sunny San Diego, emailed me one day asking about cuts and fills in Revit. This was his email:

"Hey I got a question for you. I have placed a few building pads on our site and I am trying to find out if there is any easy way to get the excavation volume of the void left behind from the building pad? I have scoured the internet but all references to volumes of excavation refer more to the cut/fill tools in Revit (which I can do but am too lazy). I just thought that there might be some property related to the building pad that would tell me how much topography is being imprinted with the building pad..."

Continue reading to view my response and discover how to calculate cuts and fills in Revit...
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The Top 5 Family Creation Tips ... From the Pros!

In honor of BIM After Dark - Volume 3 releasing next week (March 17th, 2016) I wanted to create a new free eBook with Revit family creation tips.  Instead of trying to think of my favorite tips I thought it would be fun (and valuable for you) to include some tips from other Revit superstars!

I reached out to some of my Revit idols (Steve Stafford, Paul Aubin, Michael Anonuevo, and Brian Mackey) and asked them for their top three family creation tips.  Be sure to follow all of the bloggers mentioned above if you aren't already.

From there, I narrowed them down to 5 short, simple, and extremely powerful Revit family tips!  Continue reading to download this FREE ebook today...




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Revit Tutorial - Parametric Pendant Light (Start to Finish)

To close out the launch of BIM After Dark - Volume 3 a couple weeks ago I held a live webinar (happy hour).  The event was fantastic with well over 150 people attending (live)!  You guys rock!  I wanted to post a recording of the event here on the blog for those of you that missed it.  In the video below you will learn how to create a parametric pendant light fixture (that looks good rendered) in less than one hour!  Continue reading to view the tutorial...


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Revit Tutorial - Parametric Table: A Revit Family Introduction

In my previous two posts I discussed the topic of downloading bad Revit families and allowing free content to dictate your design.  These are two major issues in the Revit community and we are all guilty.  

What can we do about it?

BIM After Dark - Volume 3 is live.  Volume 3 focuses on family creation.  From the basics (as demonstrated in the tutorial below) to advanced techniques (like adaptive repeaters and complex formulas) this volume will give you all the skills you need to build your own Revit families.

Keep reading to learn more about Volume 3 and view the tutorial...

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Don’t Let Free Content Dictate Your Design…

How many times have you been asked about why you used a specific family in your project?  

How many times was your answer “because it’s all I could find”?

Frank Lloyd Wright is turning in his grave.  A man that custom designed everything from a desk chair to a drawer pull.  Imagine the horror on his face if you told him that you threw your design intent in the trash for the simple reason that there was no model available.  The time has come for you to stop settling for what is out there and build your own Revit families...

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