I was recently reminded about Revit LT.
Really, for the cost of Revit LT suite (why wouldn't you buy the suite?) it's a fantastic program.
If your new to Revit, or a sole operator or even if you run a small design firm with maybe 4 or 5 users this program is great value.
There are some limitations but for around $5k cheaper than a full version I'm sure you can work around them.
Here is a comparison Matrix from the Autodesk web site.
AutoCAD LT®
|
Autodesk®
Revit LT™ |
Autodesk® Revit®**
| |
Would you rather spend more time designing and less time manually coordinating construction documentation?
|
|
|
|
Do most of your projects require you to simultaneously work in the same project file with others on your team?
|
|
|
|
Would using 3D models help you communicate your design intent to project stakeholders?
|
|
|
|
Do you require the ability to create high-quality 3D architectural renderings to express your designs and market your firm?
|
|
|
|
Awesome!
Sc
I was also attracted to this new suite, and bought 2 licenses!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I thinks it's a great deal and value for $$ especially if your a smaller outfit like a residential home designer or a smaller Architectural firm...
ReplyDeleteDear Revit Jedi. . . . .I am an architect with a small firm. We've nursed along ADT 07 for as long as we can. . . I dare say we are the Revit LT target audience. Our jobs tend to have some complex complex geometry in wood frame, concrete and straw bale. A typical drawing set is about 50 pages. The price jump between Revit and Revit LT is staggering. One could certainly tolerate some workarounds for that money. I am a little concerned that working around some of the "knocked out" features in LT might undermine some of the fundamental value of the switch for us. Our consultants need us to output .DWG for them. We use trusses--it's hard to imagine that the work around for that will be pretty. Our primary motivation for moving to revit is in house: automation of drawing coordination and schedules to reduce the amount of "change chasing" we have to do. I know we will have a high initial investment in learning to use revit properly--however, it seems that once we have our standards and libraries put together, we could really make some productivity gains. So, do we take the $$$$ upgrade path from ADT 07, or ditch that and give LT a shot for next to nothing, knowing that the upgrade path from LT to full revit is more expensive should we need to move up later. Thanks in advance for any reply. It may seem odd to be asking a blogger these questions, however, most of the sales people I have spoken to are not users of either product.
ReplyDeleteHi Peter, thanks for your comment.
ReplyDeleteBefore Revit I was a power AutoCAD Architecture user for many years so I understand where your coming from.
Revit LT would be a good starting point for you, it’s affordable and a great introduction before investing a large amount of $$ on upgrading. The biggest hurdle I can see would be the lack of being able to have multiple people work on a project at once using a Central file and Worksets. Linking separate Revit files could be a workaround similar to x-ref drawings in ADT.
Here are my thoughts on your transition to Revit.
You need to move to Revit… even if you don’t you’ve nursed ADT along for long enough and at some point you’ll run into a major issue and not be able to use it again…. (such as OS not compatible, Autodesk not supporting ADT 07 etc…) Don’t put yourself in that position, be proactive not reactive. You’ve certainly got your $$ worth out of it.
Think of software similar to a Builder and his tools, he dosent mind spending a lot of money on tools that help him build a house. For us the software is our tool and for us to do our job properly we need the right tools…. And yes you can create what you are producing now with ADT… just like you can build a house with a hand saw and a hammer but really wouldn’t you rather use a skill saw and a nail gun? Even if it does take you a little while to learn how to use the new tools.
Once you start using Revit you can easily export to CAD, we use to do the same and the consultants were surprised when they found out we were using Revit.
Once your consultants know your using Revit, and the other Architects they work with are using Revit it will only be a matter of time before they go to Revit…. If they don’t… get new consultants.. really, don’t let them hold you back. It becomes a decisive factor when selecting project teams for us!
Some things to take note on:
Don’t get hung up on “This isn’t how our drawings traditionally look” don’t complicate the program and process because you want a “Non Standard” font…
Use it out of the box and work how Revit works not try to change the program to work how your process works.
Give your users permission to learn! This may seem like a no-brainer but really your tech’s have it In-grained in them to be productive and efficient. Learning new software will frustrate them but if you encourage them to keep at it and to move forward it’ll pay off.
Start small and allow time. Remember “don’t over model”, if it’s complicated for the level of user, detail it in 2D (but in Revit).
Have a Revit Champion, select someone who is eager to learn and take on the challenge.
And finally (actually I could go on and on and on…..) It will only succeed if it is encouraged from the top. Your guys will come to you saying “I can do this faster in CAD” don’t let them slip back, the benefits with sticking with it will pay off 10 fold…
It took years for you to fully learn ADT, don’t expect to learn Revit in a couple weeks….
All of the above mentioned will make it easier for you to succeed, and succeed you will.
Connect with me on Linked in and I’ll send you my email address so you can let me know how it goes.
Check out my professional profile and connect with me on LinkedIn. http://lnkd.in/uvCNiC
Revit LT has one fatal limitation: it is not for sale in Australia. You can buy it in the US, Canada, Europe or UK, but not in Australia or Singapore. According to the Autodesk website there aren't any other places.
ReplyDeleteYou can even buy it from Amazon! But it chokes on the delivery address. I believe that buying it in another country and then using it in Australia would be a violation of the EULA.
I wonder why Autodesk hasn't released Revit LT in Australia! Doesn't make sense to me! And yes you would be in violation of the EULA... have you read that doc! wow...not many people do!
DeleteRevit LT 2014 has now been released in Australia.
ReplyDelete