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Best Autocad Package for Drawing Buildings


SAA84

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It's another newbie question from myself I'm afraid.

 

Through work I have access to a few Autocad packages - Autocad 2006 (which I tend to use as I work with 2D and am familiar with the layout), Autocad 2010, Revit MEP 2012 & Civils 3D 2012.

 

As above I do 2D stuff regularly and am good enough at it, however I'm looking to broaden my horizons and do some 3D stuff. One of my regular jobs is doing layouts of substations. Standard brick buildings (which will be done by the civils dept) which we then populate with transformers/switchboards/battery chargers/dist boards etc.

 

I'm going to use a project we worked on a couple of years back as a basis and attempt to draw the substation - complete with the electrical equipment, cable ducts and maybe some HVAC - in 3D.

 

The building is single story although it will have a suspended floor (they'll be electrical cables and traywork underneath) and a suspended ceiling (concealing the HVAC ductwork).

 

My initial question is which is the best software package to use? I want to get used to BIM aswell, although as i understand it all dwgs can be brought together using a BIM package.

 

They'll be plenty more questions I'm sure.

 

Thanks.

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Just get the Building Design Suite Premium. With it you get AutoCAD, AutoCAD Arch, MEP, Structural, 3D Max and Revit. With this you can use your dwgs while preparing to go the BIM route.

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Revit 2014 hands down is the best application for building design and BIM. Anything DWG based just doesn't cut it anymore, and AutoCAD is a dying application for the AEC engineering industry in my opinion.

 

Link: http://www.autodesk.com/products/autodesk-revit-family/overview

 

Cheers, I shall have a play around.

 

Being used to layers and blocks it'll take some getting used to. It also feels a bit (for want of a better word) easy to draw walls - almost as if it's too easy to be accurate.

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Just get the Building Design Suite Premium. With it you get AutoCAD, AutoCAD Arch, MEP, Structural, 3D Max and Revit. With this you can use your dwgs while preparing to go the BIM route.

 

I have most of those packages separately spread between 2010-2014 - I assume that I'd be able to use them in conjunction with one another rather than having to purchase a complete package?

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Being used to layers and blocks it'll take some getting used to.
This is true, but it's a good transition. Welcome to the parametric world of CAD. :)

 

It also feels a bit (for want of a better word) easy to draw walls - almost as if it's too easy to be accurate.
It is so easy it's laughable when compared to AutoCAD. But it's accurate.
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I have most of those packages separately spread between 2010-2014 - I assume that I'd be able to use them in conjunction with one another rather than having to purchase a complete package?

 

You should contact your reseller as you get a better deal in a suite.

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