Ledge Spandrel

[HJohn1]

I am new to Revit and there many things I still don't know.  I need help understanding how to create a custom beam (spandrel) family.  I started with the Metric Structural Framing - Beams and Braces template, which it seemed to me to be the appropriate one.  I modified the extrusion profile to suite my needs by importing the spandrel profile from AutoCAD and adding the required parameters as shown on Spandrel-1 and Spandrel-2.  I thought the intersection point of the beam was going to be the intersection of Ref Level and the vertical axis, Spandrel-2.  However, my problem is that once I import the family into my project Spandrel-3 I have no way of controlling the section as I thought I could.  I thought the insertion point of the family was going to be at the intersection of my project Level and the grid line, the top blue dot on Spandrel-3.  I thought that once the beam was created on the project I could adjust the parameters bottom, offset and Height to get what I wanted, see Spandrel-4.  I don't know why it is not working, what I made wrong or  what I don't understand clearly.  Can someone help me to get this right.  I will really appreciate your help.

Spandrel-4Spandrel-3Spandrel-2Spandrel-1

[HJohn1]

OK, may be I am asking the wrong question. 

What is the best template to model a precast spandrel? 

I am not sure but, it seems to me that beams are not supposed to go above the level plane.  I can not find more information on how each template works, but trying other type of beams I couldn't make them to be above the level plane.  Please help.

[ToanDN]

Beams can certainly to be above the level plane, either by changing the z offset value for each end, or moved up or down in a section/elevation view (untick Constrain, tick Disjoin on thr Option bar).

[HJohn1]

I have been working at this for two days and I still can't figure this one out or find information on how to do it right.  Please take a moment of your busy schedule and look at this issue and see if you can give me some direction, tips or suggestions. It could be something really silly for you but for me it is driving my nuts.

All I need is to create a custom spandrel beam family in which I could control the location of the bottom from the floor level, the offset of the outside face from the grid line, the height and thickness, please see Spandrel-1 picture above.  

What I can't understand is why when it is placed on the project (on the floor plan) the section is confined to below the floor level? See Spandrel-3 above. 

I have tried everything I can think off, the extrusion works fine.  When I test the family by itself, it works fine and all parameters do what I expect.  Only on the project it behaves differently and I don't know why.  Please help.

[HJohn1]

For anybody new to Revit and dealing with the same problem.  The solution of my problem is a very simple one.  In the project select the family.  In the property palette change the z Justification to Origin.  Done.