Phases vs Design Options

[kyurkchiyski]

Good Evening,

I currently work on a project that is nearly completed - all is modeled. We have received a request from the client to issue for building permit only 75% of the developement - the rest 25% are going to be issued at a later stage. So now wr need to decide how to amend the models (alredy fully modeled). I am keen on using phases, another colleague of mine insists on Design Options.

Any thoughts on that will be highly appreciated!

Cheers

Ivan

[mhiserZFHXS]

Phases, as that's what's actually happening. Design options are when there are multiple possibilities, whether its while you're still designing or if there are going to be alternates when the project goes out to bid or for pricing. Design options, while a necessary tool, can be a massive pain as well. I'm not sure why your colleague would be advocating for them if there is another option.

What's a rough description of the project? Maybe there are some conditions that would make me think otherwise, but based on what you've said so far, I'd go phasing.

[kyurkchiyski]

Hi, thank you for the reply.

Short description of the developement: a podium with 3 car park levels underneath. Several buildings above the podium, with levels below the podium as well.

The amendment will be to "hide" a couple of buildings and "cut off" part of the podium (including the car parks below that part).

I don't like design options in general, and harly ever use them, so not really familiar with the drawbacks. Can you give me examples of the potential problems they will come with? I need to convince my colleague that phasing is the way to go (which seems rather common sense) 😶

Many thanks in advance!

Ivan

[mhiserZFHXS]

One of the biggest is that you can't host an item that's in a design option into an element that's in the main model. Like you can't have a door as an option in a wall that is in the main model. You have to duplicate the wall into the design option. That's a bit of a running theme, that design option elements don't interact with main model elements like they normally would. There is typically a way around all of those issues, it just takes time and can be easily messed up.

Phases are easy. Want the wall now and the door later? You can add the door to the next phase.

[curtisridenour]

I am 100% in agreement with @mhiserZFHXS. I cannot foresee why your collogue would prefer to use design options over phasing.

Design options have issues with hosted elements and joining to things that are not in the option. I also feel that design options limit the user from working in them a bit. Having to ensure you are in the correct options to select elements that you can see is less intuitive to me than setting the phase filter to see what I want and making my changes. Also, being able to see and work on both sets of elements at the same time by using phases makes the most sense to me.

I cannot come up with any reasons an individual would want to use design options over phasing unless they are not confident with using phasing. Some people struggle in 3D space. I have found that some people also struggle in 4D space within Revit.

[ToanDN]

Phases.  Period.

[HVAC-Novice]

If for some reason "Phases" tool wouldn't exist, "options" may be a hack to try. But since phases exist, I don't see a reason to not use it here. 

[barthbradley]

I'm pretty much seeing this the way everyone else is here - as PHASES of construction. However, this excerpt from your post sounds like a DESIGN OPTION under consideration:

---

@kyurkchiyski wrote:

The amendment will be to "hide" a couple of buildings and "cut off" part of the podium (including the car parks below that part).

---

What do you mean by "amendment"?  
 

[kyurkchiyski]

Hi,

What I mean by "amendment" is what we need to do to the models so the show only the 75% of the developement at the moment of the current submission. At a later stage there will be a submittal where the outstanding 25% of the developement will be submitted (and the initial 75% will be shown too).

I hope that answers your question.

Cheers

Ivan

[luisPDAN6]

You described stages of implementation. Therefore phases is the correct way of structuring it.