Create a home plan

Use the Home Plan template in Visio Professional and Visio Plan 2 to draw new house plans or remodeling plans, experiment with new kitchen and furniture arrangements, or draw plans to add a new room to your home.

Newer versions Office 2010 Office 2007

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Create a home plan

1. On the File tab, click New, and then click Home Plan.

2. Choose Metric Units or US Units, and then click Create.

   By default, this template opens a scaled drawing page in landscape orientation . You can change these settings at any time. For more information, see Change the drawing scale.

3. Create the basic exterior wall structure in one of the following ways:

   Use room shapes.

   1. From the Walls, Shell and Structure stencil, drag one of the room shapes onto the drawing page.

   2. Resize the room shape by dragging the control handles and selection handles on individual walls.

   Use wall shapes.

   1. From the Walls, Shell and Structure stencil, drag exterior wall shapes onto the drawing page.

   2. Resize walls by dragging an endpoint ( or ).

   3. To connect walls, drag an endpoint ( or ) of one wall to another wall.

      The endpoints turn red when the walls are glued. Intersections between two walls are cleaned up automatically.

      Note: For walls to join properly, Glue to Shape geometry must be selected in the Snap & Glue dialog box.

4. Create the interior wall structure.

   1. Drag wall shapes onto the drawing page, positioning them inside the exterior structure.

   2. Resize walls by dragging an endpoint ( or ).

   3. To connect walls, drag an endpoint ( or ) of one wall to another wall.

      The endpoints turn red when the walls are glued. Intersections between two walls get cleaned up automatically.

      Note: For walls to join properly, Glue to Shape geometry must be selected in the Snap & Glue dialog box.

5. Add other structural elements.

   1. From the Walls, Shell and Structure stencil, drag structural shapes, such as columns, onto the drawing page.

   2. From Building Core, drag building core shapes, such as stairs, onto the drawing page.

6. Add doors and windows.

   1. From the Walls, Shell and Structure stencil, drag door and window shapes on top of walls.

      Doors and windows automatically rotate to align with the wall and glue to the wall. They also acquire the wall's thickness and move with walls when you reposition them.

7. After you assemble the building shell and wall structure, you can add electrical symbols and dimension lines.

   Add electrical symbols.

   1. From the Electrical and Telecom stencil, drag wall switches, outlets, and other wall fixtures onto wall shapes.

   2. Release the mouse button when a red square appears, indicating that the symbol is glued to the wall. Wall fixtures automatically rotate to align with the wall and glue to the wall.

      You can also drag ceiling fixture shapes, such as the Ceiling fan, onto the drawing page.

   Add dimension lines to walls.

   1. Right-click a wall, and then click Add a Dimension.

   2. Reposition dimension lines and dimension text by dragging a control handle .

      Note: To see a tip about a control handle for a selected shape, pause the pointer over the handle.

   3. If you add a dimension to a wall, you can resize the wall by selecting the dimension shape, typing the dimension that you want, and then clicking away from the dimension shape.

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Insert a CAD home plan

1. On the File tab, click New, and then click Home Plan.

2. Choose Metric Units or US Units, and then click Create.

   By default, this template opens a scaled drawing page in landscape orientation . You can change these settings at any time. For more information see Change the drawing scale.

3. On the Insert tab, click CAD Drawing.

4. Locate the CAD file and click Open.

5. To accept the size and location of the CAD drawing, click OK.

   After you have inserted the drawing, you can resize it, change its scale, or move it. You can also lock the layer that contains the CAD drawing so that you do not accidentally change it if you create a new plan on top.

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Copy an existing Visio home plan into a new drawing

1. On the File tab, click New, and then click Home Plan.

2. Choose Metric Units or US Units, and then click Create.

   By default, this template opens a scaled drawing page in landscape orientation . You can change these settings at any time. For more information see Change the drawing scale.

3. Open an existing Visio drawing.

4. On the Design tab, click Page Setup, and then click the Drawing Scale tab. Make note of the scale setting in the existing drawing, and then set the scale of your new drawing to match.

5. In the existing drawing, select the shapes you want to use in the new drawing and then, on the Home tab, click Copy.

6. Switch to the new drawing, and then, on the Home tab, click Paste.

   Tip: You can lock the existing layers of a drawing so that you do not accidentally change them when you create a new plan on top.

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Create a home plan

1. On the File tab, point to New, and under Template Categories, click Maps and Floor Plans.

2. Click Home Plan, choose Metric Units or US Units, and then click Create.

   By default, this template opens a scaled drawing page in landscape orientation . You can change these settings at any time. For more information, see Change the drawing scale.

3. Create the basic exterior wall structure in one of the following ways:

   Use room shapes.

   1. From the Walls, Shell and Structure stencil, drag one of the room shapes onto the drawing page.

   2. Resize the room shape by dragging the control handles and selection handles on individual walls.

   Use wall shapes.

   1. From the Walls, Shell and Structure stencil, drag exterior wall shapes onto the drawing page.

   2. Resize walls by dragging an endpoint ( or ).

   3. To connect walls, crag an endpoint ( or ) of one wall to another wall.

      The endpoints turn red when the walls are glued. Intersections between two walls are cleaned up automatically.

      Note: For walls to join properly, Glue to Shape geometry must be selected in the Snap & Glue dialog box.

4. Create the interior wall structure.

   1. Drag wall shapes onto the drawing page, positioning them inside the exterior structure.

   2. Resize walls by dragging an endpoint ( or ).

   3. To connect walls, drag an endpoint ( or ) of one wall to another wall.

      The endpoints turn red when the walls are glued. Intersections between two walls get cleaned up automatically.

      Note: For walls to join properly, Glue to Shape geometry must be selected in the Snap & Glue dialog box.

5. Add other structural elements.

   1. From the Walls, Shell and Structure stencil, drag structural shapes, such as columns, onto the drawing page.

   2. From Building Core, drag building core shapes, such as stairs, onto the drawing page.

6. Add doors and windows.

   1. From the Walls, Shell and Structure stencil, drag door and window shapes on top of walls.

      Doors and windows automatically rotate to align with the wall and glue to the wall. They also acquire the wall's thickness and move with walls when you reposition them.

7. After you assemble the building shell and wall structure, you can add electrical symbols and dimension lines.

   Add electrical symbols.

   1. From the Electrical and Telecom stencil, drag wall switches, outlets, and other wall fixtures onto wall shapes.

   2. Release the mouse button when a red square appears, indicating that the symbol is glued to the wall. Wall fixtures automatically rotate to align with the wall and glue to the wall.

      You can also drag ceiling fixture shapes, such as the Ceiling fan, onto the drawing page.

   Add dimension lines to walls.

   1. Right-click a wall, and then click Add a Dimension.

   2. Reposition dimension lines and dimension text by dragging a control handle .

      Note: To see a tip about a control handle for a selected shape, pause the pointer over the handle.

   3. If you add a dimension to a wall, you can resize the wall by selecting the dimension shape, typing the dimension that you want, and then clicking away from the dimension shape.

Top of page

Insert a CAD home plan

1. On the File tab, point to New, and then under Template Categories, click Maps and Floor Plans.

2. Click Home Plan, choose Metric Units or US Units, and then click Create.

   By default, this template opens a scaled drawing page in landscape orientation . You can change these settings at any time. For more information see Change the drawing scale.

3. On the Insert tab, click CAD Drawing.

4. Locate the CAD file and click Open.

5. To accept the size and location of the CAD drawing, click OK.

   After you have inserted the drawing, you can resize it, change its scale, or move it. You can also lock the layer that contains the CAD drawing so that you do not accidentally change it if you create a new plan on top.

Top of page

Copy an existing Visio home plan into a new drawing

1. On the File tab, point to New, and then under Template Categories, click Maps and Floor Plans.

2. Click Home Plan, choose Metric Units or US Units, and then click Create.

   By default, this template opens a scaled drawing page in landscape orientation . You can change these settings at any time. For more information see Change the drawing scale.

3. Open an existing Visio drawing.

4. On the Design tab, click Page Setup, and then click the Drawing Scale tab. Make note of the scale setting in the existing drawing, and then set the scale of your new drawing to match.

5. In the existing drawing, select the shapes you want to use in the new drawing and then, on the Home tab, click Copy.

6. Switch to the new drawing, and then, on the Home tab, click Paste.

   Tip: You can lock the existing layers of a drawing so that you do not accidentally change them when you create a new plan on top.

Top of page

Create a home plan

1. On the File menu, point to New, point to Maps and Floor Plans, and then click Home Plan.

   By default, this template opens a scaled drawing page in landscape orientation . You can change these settings at any time. For more information, see Change the drawing scale.

2. Create the basic exterior wall structure in one of the following ways:

   Use room shapes.

   1. From the Walls, Shell and Structure stencil, drag one of the room shapes onto the drawing page.

   2. Resize the room shape by dragging the control handles and selection handles on individual walls.

   Use wall shapes.

   1. From the Walls, Shell and Structure stencil, drag exterior wall shapes onto the drawing page.

   2. Resize walls by dragging an endpoint ( or ).

   3. Drag an endpoint ( or ) of one wall to another wall.

      The endpoints turn red when the walls are glued. Intersections between two walls are cleaned up automatically.

      Note: For walls to join properly, Glue to Shape geometry must be selected in the Snap & Glue dialog box.

3. Create the interior wall structure.

   1. Drag Wall shapes onto the drawing page, positioning them inside the exterior structure.

   2. Resize walls by dragging an endpoint ( or ).

   3. Drag an endpoint ( or ) of one wall to another wall.

      The endpoints turn red when the walls are glued. Intersections between two walls get cleaned up automatically.

      Note: For walls to join properly, Glue to Shape geometry must be selected in the Snap & Glue dialog box.

4. Add other structural elements.

   1. From the Walls, Shell and Structure stencil, drag structural shapes, such as columns, onto the drawing page.

   2. From Building Core, drag building core shapes, such as stairs, onto the drawing page.

5. Add doors and windows.

   1. From the Walls, Shell and Structure stencil, drag door and window shapes on top of walls.

      Doors and windows automatically rotate to align with the wall and glue to the wall. They also acquire the wall's thickness and move with walls when you reposition them.

6. After you assemble the building shell and wall structure, you can add electrical symbols and dimension lines.

   Add electrical symbols.

   1. From the Electrical and Telecom stencil, drag wall switches, outlets, and other wall fixtures onto wall shapes.

   2. Release the mouse button when a red square appears, indicating that the symbol is glued to the wall. Wall fixtures automatically rotate to align with the wall and glue to the wall.

      You can also drag ceiling fixture shapes, such as the Ceiling fan, onto the drawing page.

   Add dimension lines to walls.

   1. Right-click a wall, and then click Add a Dimension.

   2. Reposition dimension lines and dimension text by dragging a control handle .

      Note: To see a tip about a control handle for a selected shape, pause the pointer over the handle.

   3. If you add a dimension to a wall, you can resize the wall by selecting the dimension shape, typing the dimension that you want, and then clicking away from the dimension shape.

Top of page

Insert a CAD home plan

1. On the File menu, point to New, point to Maps and Floor Plans, and then click Home Plan.

   By default, this template opens a scaled drawing page in landscape orientation . You can change these settings at any time. For more information see Change the drawing scale.

2. On the Insert menu, click CAD Drawing.

3. Under Files of type , select AutoCAD Drawing (*.dwg, *.dxf). Locate the CAD file and click Open.

4. To accept the size and location of the CAD drawing, click OK.

   After you have inserted the drawing, you can resize it, change its scale, or move it. You can also lock the layer that contains the CAD drawing so that you do not accidentally change it if you create a new plan on top.

Top of page

Copy an existing Visio home plan into a new drawing

1. On the File menu, point to New, point to Maps and Floor Plans, and then click Home Plan.

   By default, this template opens a scaled drawing page in landscape orientation . You can change these settings at any time. For more information see Change the drawing scale.

2. Open an existing Visio drawing.

3. On the File menu, click Page Setup, and then click the Scale tab. Make note of the scale setting in the existing drawing, and then set the scale of your new drawing to match.

4. In the existing drawing, select the shapes you want to use in the new drawing and then, on the Edit menu, click Copy.

5. Switch to the new drawing, and then, on the Edit menu, click Paste.

   Tip: You can lock the existing layers of a drawing so that you do not accidentally change them when you create a new plan on top.

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