How to create earth around the object, that goes all the way to the object and get excavation quantities?

[Prvoime]

The image shows how printed result should look. Earth all the way to the walls, and all around the object.
At the same time I'd like to get excavation quantities.

I've come up with a way, but it is less than ideal. To put it MILDLY.

I use phases and phase filters, and three different topos. I have the steps written down because I'd forget the process.

In short:
- Crete three site plans, each with it's own phase.
- In first phase create whole topo.
- In second phase use graded region and building pads to get excavation quantities. This phase is used just for calculating excavation.
- In third phase copy the topo from first phase, and cut it out to building dimensions.

All this while balancing phases and phase filters and three topos. I'm still learning Revit and this seems like it would be a nightmare in a real project.

I created a video, I apologize, it's a bit lengthy (6 minutes), but the process is so convoluted that I'm not sure anyone understands what I even want, let alone how I do it.

Is there a smarter way?

[barthbradley]

Is there a question buried in here somewhere, or are you just looking for affirmation of your workflow?  In order for the workflow to be evaluated, I would need to see how it schedules.  That's the "I" in "BIM".  But graphically, it looks fine to me.  And, even better, it took only six minutes.  That's the length of the video; right?   

[Prvoime]

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@barthbradley wrote:

Is there a question buried in here somewhere  

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Yes, the question is is there a smarter and better way of doing this. It's "easy" with 4 walls, but I feel this workflow would brake apart on a real world project.

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In order for the workflow to be evaluated, I would need to see how it schedules.  

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Unfortunately, horrendously 😞 It's fine until you change something, but changes are a no go.

For example, if I try to make my 4 walls house bigger by moving one wall. Foundations go along with the walls, but pads do not. If you try to edit a pad you get a warning that can't be ignored "A Pad can't extend beyond the edge of a Toposurface". You can edit the entire topo surface, but can't edit those slivers under the foundations that are generated by the pads.

So you have to redo the whole "Excavation" site / phase. Everything, pads that changed and those that didn't.

[barthbradley · Accepted solution]

Align and lock the Building Pad Sketch Linework to Walls. But still, I would save it off to the end of the Project when Arch and Structural have been finalized.  

[Lachlan-JWP]

Toposurfaces don't behave the same way as pads/floors/walls which are all controlled by boundary lines. Toposurfaces are defined by points. If I was doing this I'd use 1 toposurface, 2 building pads, and details elements where required in section. 1 pad under the floor with areas cut out for the pads under the footings. When you draw the outlines for the pads under the footing lock them to the edges of the first footing (this will stop them from overlapping). These 2 pads together will now schedule the total amount of cut required. I wouldn't worry about getting the fill modelled back in afterwards, that would be a nightmare that I think you're well aware of. Use filled regions/detail items to get your sections looking the way you want them. You can add detail items to the footing family if you want to automate this process further.

[Prvoime]

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@barthbradley wrote:

Align and lock the Building Pad Sketch Linework to Walls.

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Oh, didn't thought this would work, but it does!

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But still, I would save it off to the end of the Project when Arch and Structural have been finalized.  

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Yeah, that will definitely be something I do last.