CAD version of house plans

[Gina_Violet]

Hi,

 

We are having our house plans revised by a different architect,  the plans are currently in PDF but if we have them in the original CAD version the cost of the revision will be much cheaper.

 

I cant get them off the original architect, so wondered if there was a way to convert the PDF or a cheap way to get them converted.

 

Thanks

[markc]

A CAD file includes all the precise setting out points and measurements etc. A PDF does not contain all the data required.

 

[Dudda]

Yes you can. With a programme such as Adobe Illustrator you can import the PDF into illustrator and then export it as an AutoCAD .dwg file.

 

Two types of PDF files exist. Vector based and raster based. Vector are lines and text that would be printed from AutoCAD. A scanned pdf or image is made up of pixels and can't be converted back.

 

When converting PDF back to AutoCAD with illustrator you'll lose some of the autocad layers but that's fine as some companies strip this out anyway when sending you the original AutoCAD file. It will also be to a particular scale. eg 1:50 so after you convert it back to .dwg file format you'll have to scale it by 50. Some other annoying stuff happens like hatches are all converted to lines. If used to AutoCAD commands it's the same as everything in the drawing is exploded. This can make hatches difficult to modify. Text is also converted and not editable. 

 

It's all still fine though as you strip out the hatches and text and have all the lines of the house or building perfectly which is what you want.

[markc]

Really? thats good to know. Thank you.

[IanR]

Depends. PDFs can be Vector based, rather than raster.

 

CAD systems can be set up to print to PDF in Vector format. If that's been done then you can convert that into a neutral file format that can be Imported into some CAD systems. "cgm" is a vector plotting format that is good for this type of transfer.

 

To tell if your PDFs are vector based, zoom in and in. Do the lines get thicker and turn fuzzy, or do they stay the same thickness and remain sharp? If the latter, then they are vector based.

[Gina_Violet]

4 hours ago, IanR said:

Depends. PDFs can be Vector based, rather than raster.

 

CAD systems can be set up to print to PDF in Vector format. If that's been done then you can convert that into a neutral file format that can be Imported into some CAD systems. "cgm" is a vector plotting format that is good for this type of transfer.

 

To tell if your PDFs are vector based, zoom in and in. Do the lines get thicker and turn fuzzy, or do they stay the same thickness and remain sharp? If the latter, then they are vector based.

 

Thank you, I zoomed in as much as I could (500%) and it doesn't get blurry, the lines get thicker as you zoom in closer but isn't that because I have zoomed in?

 

If I convert this then, would that be okay for an architect to work from or would they need to do extra work to get it right? They will want to be able to edit this plan.

 

 

[Conor]

@Gina_Violet open the PDF in Adobe. On the LHS you have a layers menu. You'll soon know of it's a full vector file with embedded layers. There should be a massive list with things like def_points, windows, ext_walls, blah blah blah 

[IanR]

1 hour ago, Gina_Violet said:

Thank you, I zoomed in as much as I could (500%) and it doesn't get blurry, the lines get thicker as you zoom in closer but isn't that because I have zoomed in?

 

Actually, thinking about it, line weight (thickness) on a vector print to PDF can be set either way, ie a certain thickness at the scale printed, so that it gets thicker as you zoom in, or fixed thickness no matter what zoom percentage you are at, so that wasn't a good indicator I picked.

 

But the fact it does't go blurry, is a strong indicator it's a vector format. An even stronger indicator if it is a curved/circular "line" that doesn't get blurry/stepped.

 

1 hour ago, Gina_Violet said:

If I convert this then, would that be okay for an architect to work from or would they need to do extra work to get it right? They will want to be able to edit this plan.

 

Unless you are familiar with the CAD system the architect is using, I'd leave it to them. They may have a PDF2CAD plugin that allows the PDF to be opened directly and auto-translated in to their system format. Or they may use a 3rd party system to export the PDF into a format that can be Imported in to their CAD system.

 

Once imported to their CAD system, yes they would be able to edit it, although not as easily as if they had the native CAD files from your original architect.

Edited June 3, 2021 by IanR

[the_r_sole]

First thing I'd  want to do it draw it myself, never trust someone else's cad!

[Gina_Violet]

14 hours ago, Conor said:

@Gina_Violet open the PDF in Adobe. On the LHS you have a layers menu. You'll soon know of it's a full vector file with embedded layers. There should be a massive list with things like def_points, windows, ext_walls, blah blah blah 

 

Thanks there is a list on the left, when I untick them they disappear from the plan for example Furniture or windows.

 

13 hours ago, IanR said:

 

Actually, thinking about it, line weight (thickness) on a vector print to PDF can be set either way, ie a certain thickness at the scale printed, so that it gets thicker as you zoom in, or fixed thickness no matter what zoom percentage you are at, so that wasn't a good indicator I picked.

 

But the fact it does't go blurry, is a strong indicator it's a vector format. An even stronger indicator if it is a curved/circular "line" that doesn't get blurry/stepped.

 

 

Unless you are familiar with the CAD system the architect is using, I'd leave it to them. They may have a PDF2CAD plugin that allows the PDF to be opened directly and auto-translated in to their system format. Or they may use a 3rd party system to export the PDF into a format that can be Imported in to their CAD system.

 

Once imported to their CAD system, yes they would be able to edit it, although not as easily as if they had the native CAD files from your original architect.

 

We sent it to the architect and he said if we get the original files it would be substantially cheaper, as in the CAD files, so I assume from that, they can't convert the PDF themselves.

 

I wish I had just used him in the first place, but hindsight is a wonderful thing, so Im trying to save some costs as I have already paid out for one set of drawings. 

 

 

[Dudda]

5 minutes ago, Gina_Violet said:

Thanks there is a list on the left, when I untick them they disappear from the plan for example Furniture or windows.

 

We sent it to the architect and he said if we get the original files it would be substantially cheaper, as in the CAD files, so I assume from that, they can't convert the PDF themselves.

 

I wish I had just used him in the first place, but hindsight is a wonderful thing, so Im trying to save some costs as I have already paid out for one set of drawings. 

They probably just don't know how to convert it. I'm in an office of 30 architects and I'd say two of us know how to convert them. If you want you can message me the file I'll and try and convert it to AutoCAD for you. 

[SteamyTea]

On 04/06/2021 at 11:24, Dudda said:

If you want you can message me the file I'll and try and convert it to AutoCAD for you. 

Can GIMP or Inkscape convert PDFs to CAD formats.  Not every looked, but they are free.

Edited June 5, 2021 by SteamyTea

[Dave Wright]

Illustrator can convert pdf to dwg.

[Big Jimbo]

I have so much admiration for people to be able to do such wizardy. Nobody can convert my pen and paper drawings to anything of value? (Thats if they had any value to start with)?

Hope you get it sorted.

[joe90]

25 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

I have so much admiration for people to be able to do such wizardy.

+1, my CAD drawings are “crayon assisted drawing”. Seriously tho, I did my drawings on paper in pencil using a drawing board and paid an architect just to put them on CAD (and he still got things wrong ?‍♂️).

[SteamyTea]

7 hours ago, Big Jimbo said:

Nobody can convert my pen and paper drawings to anything of value

Buy a picture frame of me, glue one in place, then take it to an art show.

At least I will get a tenner, plus package and postage.

[Nick Laslett]

I had this problem. I tried a few different approaches, but found this free web base tool was the best. 
 

https://cadsofttools.com/pdf-to-dwg-online/

[Carrerahill]

On 03/06/2021 at 15:10, Gina_Violet said:

Hi,

 

We are having our house plans revised by a different architect,  the plans are currently in PDF but if we have them in the original CAD version the cost of the revision will be much cheaper.

 

I cant get them off the original architect, so wondered if there was a way to convert the PDF or a cheap way to get them converted.

 

Thanks

AutoCAD can import and convert PDF plans, commonly done, you just need to insert the scale details which should be easy if there are scaled dims on the PDF, then you can use that as your scale point.

 

Not ideal but rarely have an issue with it.

[Carrerahill]

On 04/06/2021 at 11:24, Dudda said:

They probably just don't know how to convert it. I'm in an office of 30 architects and I'd say two of us know how to convert them. If you want you can message me the file I'll and try and convert it to AutoCAD for you. 

Madness given you literally drag the PDF into CAD and it will let you import it!

[Dudda]

20 hours ago, Carrerahill said:

Madness given you literally drag the PDF into CAD and it will let you import it!

Yes it will import it... but as a PDF. If you wanted to move a wall or door you can't unless you go messing with wipeouts or a white hatch which is a disaster and very messy. That's why you want the PDF in DWG format.

[ToughButterCup]

On 03/06/2021 at 15:10, Gina_Violet said:

....

but if we have them in the original CAD version the cost of the revision will be much cheaper.

...

And as soon as you do that,  any liability for work done by the architect will disappear. 

 

Discussion about cost may well pale into insignificance if the liability for the design is no longer accepted by the architect. As soon as you alter the design you are no longer acting as a Domestic Client (CDM 2015).

 

 

[Ferdinand]

Is your previous designer so much on his dignity that he won't sell it you for £xxx ?

 

Find out what the extra cost will be to redraw from the new one, and have a chat to the old one.

 

Screwing you for a few hundred more should cause happiness.

[the_r_sole]

if we release cad drawings for a job where they are giving it to another architect/technician we will remove all of our ip from the drawing - the new designer should want to work from their own base drawings too in case there are any errors built into to third party drawings. 

I've said this before on here, but you wouldn't have asked an architect for his pens, drawing board, head and arms before, you'd just take the output from those things. Pdfs are the same as paper drawings and the deliverables from the process

[Ferdinand]

Also, bear in mind that there are different views on here.

As someone who handles rentals I tend to view drawings and ip as part of the building project / documentation.

 

Mr R has a different view.

[IanR]

It does high light the need to get it agreed before you engage your chosen technician/SE/frame designer/architect. For me, native CAD files (or a neutral file format as a minimum) have to be included for collaboration and as the final deliverable.

 

Native CAD files are no different to manually drafted "Originals". PDFs are more akin to the blue-lines and sepia copies of the past.