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Print at Dec 19, 2025, 1:19:38 PM

Posted by ottertooth at Feb 21, 2019, 8:22:09 PM

Basement is not at set negative level
It says in the Guide, on the 'How to design a split-level house' page, "The elevation of a level may also be negative to design a basement or foundations."

I have set the level of the basement at -255. But it's not working. I've included a picture.

After creating a new level, 'Basement', and setting its elevation at -255, I started drawing the walls. I set the walls at 243. I drew 4 walls. Then I looked at the 3D model and saw that the elevation wasn't having any effect.

The 4 basement walls I drew are in front of those stairs in the picture. They appear to be 12cm high.

So to summarize, the basement is at the same level as the main floor, despite basement elevation being set at -255 and the Main Floor elevation being set at 15. What am I doing wrong?

Posted by Mike53 at Feb 21, 2019, 8:53:54 PM

Re: Basement is not at set negative level
Hi ottertooth
Make sure your wall height actually reach's the ground level, try elevevating the basement level and include a floor in the basement.
Check the instructions for showing images, it helps to see the issue.
Mike

Posted by ottertooth at Feb 21, 2019, 9:28:07 PM

Re: Basement is not at set negative level
I am following the procedure to post images here. "Insert Image Hyperlink". That's what I did. I don't know why it shows a broken icon. If you right click on the broken icon and choose "Open image in new tab" you'll be able to see it.

I created a 'room' within those 4 walls. It made no difference. Is there another way to create a floor in the basement?

I have played around with the elevations and had no success.

Posted by VeroniQ at Feb 21, 2019, 10:51:18 PM

Re: Basement is not at set negative level
This thread will help you to post images : http://www.sweethome3d.com/support/forum/viewthread_thread,1886

Posted by ottertooth at Feb 21, 2019, 11:42:29 PM

Re: Basement is not at set negative level

This thread will help you to post images : http://www.sweethome3d.com/support/forum/viewthread_thread,1886

- If you want to share a picture, click the button Image and paste a link to the picture you want to show in the pop-up window. Use the button Preview to check if the picture appears in your post.

I did that. There's nothing else I can do if it doesn't work the way it should.

But it does work, just not intuitively. Right-click on the icon and the image will appear in another tab.

Is there another method of posting images in this forum?

Posted by ottertooth at Feb 23, 2019, 8:07:03 PM

Re: Basement is not at set negative level
This is very frustrating and should not be happening because it says in the guide that you can use negative elevations.

It says so right here: http://www.sweethome3d.com/blog/2018/05/04/ho..._a_split_level_house.html

"The elevation of a level may also be negative to design a basement or foundations."

The answer must be something really simple that I'm missing...

I have raised the entire house and set the basement at 0, because I don't know what else to do. That will probably cause more issues when I have to draw the exterior landscape.

Now I need to draw a pit which is below the foundation, and I can't. Not without raising all the other levels again. I also need to draw drainage and pipes that are underground and I can't do that without being able to enter negative elevations.

Posted by Puybaret at Feb 23, 2019, 8:40:25 PM

Re: Basement is not at set negative level
Did you try to draw a room at the underground level (with the room creation tool)?
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Emmanuel Puybaret, Sweet Home 3D creator

Posted by ottertooth at Feb 23, 2019, 9:45:14 PM

Re: Basement is not at set negative level
Yes, I created a new level called 'basement pit'

https://imgur.com/XhOHz8n

Then I created a room for the pit and made it 'display ceiling' so I can see it when working on the separate 'basement' level. Without choosing 'display ceiling' and adding a colour for the ceiling, it is invisible when I switch back to 'basement'.

https://imgur.com/5O5D7sJ

'Basement' has an elevation of 0. That's the only way I can see what I'm doing and see if it's accurate.

I guess the separate level for 'basement pit', with a negative elevation, is acceptable, because it's a small area. But for the whole basement, I need to see what I'm doing and I wasn't able to do that when I had it at negative elevation.

https://imgur.com/xMnRxlp

See, the pit is in the front left corner in this image. It has negative elevation of -80. The depth/walls don't show up from the side. That's how the basement looked when I had it at -255. Totally flat. No 3D.

Posted by bdfd at Feb 24, 2019, 6:05:13 AM

Re: Basement is not at set negative level
Hi ottertooth,

It's so simple with sh3d.
I created most of my projects with a undeground for the garages or a swimming-pool !

You must create a level with a negative value. wink

E.G. : Elevation = -3, Thickness = 0,001, Height = 3

That's all ! biggrin

.
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Evil progresses when good people do nothing!
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SH3D 7.1 and nothing else - W11 64b in 4K

Posted by dorin at Feb 25, 2019, 6:39:41 AM

Re: Basement is not at set negative level
Surround Your pit with walls.
As I see You have a room without walls.
If You don't want to reinforce the pit than use an invisible box to make a hole in the ground (eventually imported as staircase).
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A computer program does what you tell it to do, not what you want it to do. Murphy's Law
When all else fails, read the instructions. Murphy's Law
If you don't like "AS IS", DIY. Dorin's law

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Dec 19, 2025, 1:19:38 PM