The latest Google SketchUp model has arrived so as usual we thought we’d share it with you by clicking HERE (500k)

The model is not yet complete to the new specifications but we wanted to see a before and after, so they’ll be a newer version posted shortly. This will include extra Velux windows, the internal balcony overlook closed up (maybe – opinions please) and the bathroom removed and placed where the 3rd read bedroom is.

We are also changing the design of the master bedroom, and these changes will all be reflected in the final model as we are now close to submitting for final planning approval.

As always this model is free for you to use and chop and change around. We’d love to see what you come up with, but as with all of the download this will be under a creative commons share alike with no commercial use.

Enjoy.

Your rights of use ( please read )
We are releasing this model under the CREATIVE COMMONS rights management. The copyright we are releasing this under is BY-NC which basically means :

This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, and although their new works must also acknowledge you and be non-commercial, they don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.

The model is the first bit of work we have from David who took the previous contractors ArchiCAD drawings and converted it for us so that we could pan around the property and get some sizes etc etc .  In time we will of course release the autoCAD files so you can rip the building apart and redesign the interior until your heart is content.

The idea in the long run is to open the plans up to everyone and run a competition with a cash prize to the design that works the most for us and we’ll then build the house accordingly( submissions will have to be practical people ) .

You already know we are huge fans of the power of the internet and the talent that lays at the other side of the computer screen and we want to tap into that and use the collective creative juices that are out there.

Here is a simple video I captured so you can see the model :

Google SketchUp
The model is in Google SketchUp format.
You can download SketchUp (standard ) FREE for Mac & PC HERE .

Download The Model
The file is 4,1Mb zipped and comes out to 12Mb+ when unzipped.
You can download the model by clicking HERE

Your rights of use ( please read )
We are releasing this model under the CREATIVE COMMONS rights management. The copyright we are releasing this under is BY-NC which basically means :

This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, and although their new works must also acknowledge you and be non-commercial, they don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.

So you are free to change the model,  release your shared work but not for any commercial gain.  We have given this to the community for free and insist this is carried on.

AOB
If you have any problems, questions or comments please feel free to use the comments section below or get in contact with us through the site.

We’ve watched in stunned silence at the way some people have run their renovations, with all the good will in the world and enthusiasm failing to plan has cost people £1000’s or even worse their dream houses.

Project management can be done in many ways of course and using many programs however when it comes to a being Mac user your options initially seem limited. I’m used to using Microsoft Project, it’s extremely powerful, very easy to pickup and of course bloody expensive.

None of that helps me in the Mac user world, and I was starting to worry about not having a Mac version of MS Project.

Let me introduce you to Merlin 2.0
Merlin was super easy for me to get my head around. If Microsoft were to make MS Project for the Mac then surely this would be the outcome of that venture.

The ability to easily input tasks, assign dates to them with critical start and end points and well as very easy task linking ( so you know that item C cannot start until B is complete ) gives you a very clear and quick overview of your critical items on these paths.

Gant charts are a very clean and important way to show you what is happening when and what the impact will be if something clips. The ability to put in critical “End By” dates helps you keep track of your timescales.

A few things I found easier to do in Merlin than in the other packages was assign HOURS to tasks rather than full says or a % of a day. For instance I know the screed in the bathroom should take 3 hours to set and to be able to add “3 Hours” in the time window rather than say 65% of a working day ( normally 8 hours ) was nice. I want to get on with planning – since I’m not Charlie Epps.

Other things that I’m used to that seem overly complex in the other apps I tried was assigning costs to a resource. If I have a plasterer coming in at €150 a day I can put that in the planner again his time and get a report of the estimated or the project maximum costs. Very nice.

Below is a sample snapshot of the Gant chart function that they all do and to be honest this is what I find the most useful function in all these programs.

Fill the items out, see the plan and then print if off in A1/2 or 3 and have it on the wall. This not only focuses me but it also keeps my contractors’ minds on how much time they have set for the work.

Alternatives
By no means is Merlin the only package out there, in fact on the Mac you seems very spoilt for choice and it comes down to personal preference. Merlin is certainly not the cheapest software at $225 out there but I felt it was by far the best of the bunch and while Omniplan was cheaper at $140 but it’s a boxed product that you can’t buy online so as a European user I’m crippled. It appears that I was wrong and have since found a webstore for Omniplan. You can get it HERE

There are also a lot of online programs and my favourite would be Basecamp from the guys at 37Signals, but the total online nature of the program limited the choice since we need to be able to use it offline in the house. If only it used GoogleGears to do some sort of offline mode then we’d switch in a heart beat.

Sharing Plans
As with most of the things we are going to try and do on this renovation we’ll be sharing items with you. We are in the process of creating the relevant plans for the small “tarting up” renovation for March & Aprils and we’ll post those plans online for you to download and examine for yourself.

Links
You can get a trial copy of Merlin HERE

To that end Dawn & I are going to be giving podcasting a go shortly to bring you bang up to date with everything that happened before we started the blog so you get to understand how and why we started this blog.

The main things that’ll be in Episode 1 will be how we found this house (our 2nd choice) and the explanation of the somewhat lengthy process of getting a mortgage from both a French and English source.

Upcoming episode to be expected are:

• Solar – is it really worth it?
• Understanding French planning regulations
• Meet the architect
• Have Wind?

So you can see we’ve got a lot of bits planned it’s just finding time to put them together while doing the day job and the renovation.

It’s going to take us a short while to put it together but we are looking for this to be a regular release to compliment the site.

Keep tuned

______________________________________________________________________
Ad Click Reminder : Help us build our house and keep this blog running.
Please click one of the relevant ads show to the right or directly below this post.

_________________________________

Name: Talking French Phrasebook
Cost: Free
Link: Here
Review: This was the first and only French app I have stayed with. For the grand price of FREE this application will allow you do have basic conversations and will show you the spelling in English & French but the best thing here is you then just push the speaker icon and it’ll say it for you… EXCELLENT

Pros: FREE ( did we mention that )
Cons: Limited amount of words and phrases but it’s FREE

_________________________________

Name: Lonely Planet French Phrasebook
Cost: £5.99
Link: Here
Review: With 600 phrases this is a very strong addition to anyone French speakers armoury. Some users have found the quality of the sound to be poor but we didn’t have that issue. Worthy upgrade to the Talking French Phrase book application after you’ve exhausted the free app.

Pros: Good solid application with a wide range of phrases.
Cons: Phrases are very “run of the mill” don’t expect too many renovation phrases.

_________________________________

Name: iLingo French
Cost: £5.99
Link: Here
Review: We haven’t purchased this application as we were put off by the poor reviews in the app store with “Don’t buy this” always being a sign of a weak app. In fact you’ll find people referring you to Talking French Phrasebook (1st app on this page) .

_________________________________

]]> http://www.montpillard.com/2008/08/iphone-app-review-french-apps/feed/ 0