Revit Phasing: Demolition and New Construction Techniques

Learn how to effectively model demolition and new construction in Revit using phasing techniques.

Introduction: Why Phasing Matters in Renovation Projects

Renovation and adaptive reuse projects are among the most complex work an architect or BIM professional handles. Unlike new construction, you are simultaneously managing three realities within a single model: what exists today, what gets torn out, and what gets built new. Miss the boundaries between those three states and the consequences are real — contractors bid against the wrong scope, consultants clash over what is existing versus proposed, and drawings contradict each other in the field.

Revit’s phasing system was built specifically to solve this problem. Rather than maintaining separate models for existing conditions, demolition, and new construction, you work inside one project file and let the phase properties on every element, combined with view-level phase filters, control what appears where and how.

By the end of this tutorial you will be able to:

Understand the two phase properties every Revit element carries and how Revit uses them to determine visibility
Configure a three-phase workflow (Existing, Demolition, New Construction) for a renovation project from scratch
Use and customize the four built-in phase filters to produce accurate existing conditions, demolition, and proposed drawings
Mark elements for demolition using both the Properties palette and the Demolish tool
Model new construction so it connects cleanly to retained existing elements
Set up a full set of phase-specific plan views and schedules
Avoid the common mistakes that cause elements to disappear from views unexpectedly

This tutorial targets intermediate Revit users who are comfortable with basic modeling but have not yet worked through a full phased renovation project.

Understanding Revit Phases: The Fundamentals

At its core, phasing in Revit is a system for attaching time to geometry. Every element in a Revit model carries two phase properties:

Phase Created — the phase during which this element was (or will be) constructed
Phase Demolished — the phase during which this element is removed; set to “None” if the element is never demolished

These two properties, combined with the Phase and Phase Filter settings on each view, give Revit everything it needs to answer one question for every element: “In the context of this view, should this element appear, and if so, how?”

The logic Revit applies is:

If Phase Created is later than the view’s phase, the element does not exist yet — hide it.
If Phase Demolished is equal to or earlier than the view’s phase, the element has already been removed — hide it (or show it as demolished, depending on the phase filter).
Everything else is either existing, being demolished in this phase, or newly constructed in this phase — show it according to the phase filter’s graphic overrides.

This is why setting phase properties correctly on every element is not optional. An element placed in the wrong phase will silently appear or disappear in views where it should not, and tracking down those errors in a large model is time-consuming.

Default Phases in Revit

Every new Revit project starts with two phases already defined:

Existing — represents conditions prior to any work
New Construction — represents the completed, proposed state

For simple projects — an addition with no demolition, for instance — these two phases are sufficient. But the moment a wall needs to come down, or a floor slab needs to be cut, you need a third phase to represent the act of demolition distinctly from the act of new construction.

Phase sequence matters. Revit evaluates phases in the order they appear in the Phases dialog, from top (earliest) to bottom (latest). If your sequence is wrong, the visibility logic breaks. A Demolition phase must sit between Existing and New Construction in the sequence, not after New Construction.

Setting Up Phases for a Renovation Project

Step 1: Open the Phases Dialog

Navigate to the Manage tab on the ribbon. In the Phasing panel, click Phases. The Phasing dialog opens with three tabs: Project Phases, Phase Filters, and Graphic Overrides.

The Project Phases tab shows your current phase list in sequence order. By default you will see Existing at position 1 and New Construction at position 2.

Step 2: Add the Demolition Phase

Click the row for Existing to select it, then click After in the Insert group on the right side of the dialog. Revit inserts a new phase called “Phase 3” immediately after Existing and before New Construction. Rename it to Demolition by clicking into the name field.

The resulting sequence should read:

Existing
Demolition
New Construction

Why does Demolition go between Existing and New Construction? Because phase filters work by comparing a view’s phase against an element’s Phase Created and Phase Demolished values. The “Show Previous + Demo” filter — the one used for demolition plan drawings — shows elements whose Phase Created is earlier than or equal to the view’s phase AND whose Phase Demolished equals the view’s phase. If Demolition were after New Construction in the sequence, that logic would fail to isolate demolished elements correctly.

Step 3: Set Phase Properties on Views

Before you start modeling, assign the correct phase to each view you are working in. Select a floor plan view, open its Properties palette, and look for the Phasing section. You will see two parameters:

Phase Filter — controls how different phase statuses (existing, demolished, new, temporary) are displayed
Phase — sets which phase this view represents

Set the Phase of your existing conditions plan to “Existing,” your demolition plan to “Demolition,” and your new construction plan to “New Construction.” The phase filter setting for each is covered in the next section.

Working with Phase Filters

Phase filters are the mechanism that translates raw phase data into what you actually see in a view. Revit ships with four default filters, and understanding each one is essential before you start modeling.

The Four Default Phase Filters

Phase Filter	Existing Elements	Demolished Elements	New Elements	Temporary Elements
Show All	By Category	Overridden	Overridden	Overridden
Show Previous + Demo	By Category	Overridden	Not Displayed	Not Displayed
Show Previous + New	By Category	Not Displayed	Overridden	Not Displayed
Show Complete	By Category	Not Displayed	By Category	Not Displayed

“By Category” means the element uses its normal object style — no phase override applied. “Overridden” means Revit applies a phase-specific graphic override (line weight, color, pattern) defined on the Graphic Overrides tab. “Not Displayed” means the element is hidden in the view entirely.

Show All is useful for design reviews and coordination — you see everything at once, with overrides distinguishing demolished and new elements from existing ones.

Show Previous + Demo is the correct filter for a demolition plan. Set a view’s Phase to “Demolition” and its Phase Filter to “Show Previous + Demo,” and you will see existing elements in their normal graphic style plus demolished elements with the Demolished override (typically dashed lines or a halftone). New construction elements are hidden entirely, keeping the sheet uncluttered.

Show Previous + New is the correct filter for a construction plan or proposed plan. Existing elements appear normally, new elements appear with the New override, and demolished elements are hidden — contractors see only what remains and what gets built.

Show Complete gives you the finished state. Demolished elements vanish. New elements display by category, as if they were always there. Use this for renderings and client presentations where you want to show the end result without construction notation.

Graphic Overrides per Phase Status

On the Graphic Overrides tab of the Phasing dialog, you can control the line pattern, line weight, and fill pattern that Revit applies to each phase status:

Existing — typically solid lines, normal weight
Demolished — typically dashed lines with a halftone or screened fill; often shown in a distinct color on working drawings
New — sometimes shown with a heavier line weight or a different color to distinguish from existing retained work
Temporary — for elements like shoring or formwork that exist only during construction; dashed or dotted lines

These overrides apply uniformly across all views that share the same phase filter. If you need a view-specific override, create a duplicate phase filter and modify its graphic settings independently.

Creating a Custom Phase Filter

In the Phase Filters tab, click New to create a custom filter. Name it descriptively (for example, “Demo — Halftone Existing”). For each phase status row, use the dropdown to choose Not Displayed, By Category, or Overridden, then set the graphic override on the Graphic Overrides tab. Custom filters are saved in the project and can be transferred to other projects via Transfer Project Standards.

Modeling Demolition Step by Step

Method 1: Properties Palette

Select an element — a wall, door, window, floor, or any other category — that needs to be demolished. In the Properties palette, scroll to the Phasing section. Change Phase Demolished from “None” to “Demolition.”

That is the entire operation from a data standpoint. The element’s Phase Created remains “Existing,” meaning it was always there. It will now be demolished during the Demolition phase. In a view set to Phase = Demolition with the Show Previous + Demo filter active, this element will display with the Demolished graphic override.

Method 2: The Demolish Tool

Revit also provides a dedicated Demolish tool on the Modify tab in the Geometry panel. With this tool active, you click elements to mark them for demolition. Revit sets their Phase Demolished to the current view’s phase automatically. This is faster when you are clicking through many elements sequentially, and it reduces the risk of accidentally setting the wrong phase because it inherits from the active view.

Use whichever method fits your workflow — both set the same underlying parameter.

Verifying Demolished Elements

Switch your view’s Phase Filter to “Show All” to confirm that demolished elements display with the Demolished graphic override (dashed lines or halftone, depending on your Graphic Overrides settings). Then switch back to “Show Previous + Demo” to confirm that new construction elements are hidden. This two-step check catches most phase assignment errors before they reach a sheet.

Handling Partial Demolition

When only part of a wall needs to be removed — for example, opening up a section to insert a new door — you cannot simply mark the entire wall as demolished. Instead:

Split the wall at the demolition boundaries using Split Element (Modify tab, Edit panel).
Mark the middle segment’s Phase Demolished as “Demolition.”
The two flanking wall segments remain with Phase Demolished = “None.”

The same principle applies to floor slabs, ceilings, and roof elements. Split first, then demolish the relevant segment. This keeps your geometry clean and your phase assignments accurate.

Modeling New Construction

Setting the View Phase Before Modeling

Before placing any new element, confirm that the active view’s Phase is set to “New Construction.” New elements inherit the view’s phase as their Phase Created value at the moment of placement. If you accidentally place new walls or doors in a view set to the Existing phase, they will have Phase Created = “Existing” and will behave as existing elements, showing up where they should not.

A practical habit: check the view’s Phase in the Properties palette every time you switch to a new view and start adding geometry.

Placing New Elements

With the view phase correctly set to New Construction, model normally. Place walls, insert doors and windows, add floors and ceilings. Every element you place will automatically receive Phase Created = “New Construction” and Phase Demolished = “None.”

In a view set to Phase = New Construction with the Show Previous + New filter, existing retained elements display by category and new elements display with the New graphic override — typically a heavier or differently colored linetype. This makes it easy to visually audit which elements are truly new versus which are existing.

Connecting New Elements to Existing Structure

Wall joins, floor connections, and roof attachments between new and existing elements work the same way as in a non-phased model. Revit does not restrict joins based on phase. However, pay attention to the following:

When a new wall meets an existing wall that is being retained, use Wall Join to clean up the intersection.
When a new floor connects to an existing floor slab, make sure the floor sketch boundary follows the correct edge of the existing slab. Overlapping floor sketches in different phases can cause unexpected geometry.
New doors and windows cut into existing walls cleanly as long as the host wall’s Phase Demolished is “None” (it is being retained). If a wall is marked for demolition and you try to insert a new door into it, Revit may warn you about the phase mismatch.

Creating Phase-Specific Views

A well-organized renovation set typically includes four distinct plan views for each level:

View Name	Phase	Phase Filter	Purpose
Existing Conditions Plan	Existing	Show Complete	Documents current state
Demolition Plan	Demolition	Show Previous + Demo	Shows what gets removed
New Construction Plan	New Construction	Show Previous + New	Shows new work in context
Proposed Plan	New Construction	Show Complete	Final proposed state, clean presentation

To set up these views:

In the Project Browser, right-click an existing floor plan and select Duplicate View > Duplicate. Rename the duplicate to match your view naming convention.
With the new view active, open the Properties palette.
Set Phase and Phase Filter to the values in the table above.
Apply any view template to control visibility, detail level, and scale.

Repeat for each floor level. If your project has multiple floors, creating a view template for each view type (Existing, Demo, New, Proposed) and applying it across all levels keeps graphic settings consistent and reduces rework when you need to update a linetype or override.

Phase-Specific Schedules

Schedules respect phase settings just like views do, making them useful for quantity takeoffs separated by phase.

Creating a Demolition Door Schedule

Go to View > Schedules > Schedule/Quantities.
Select the Doors category and name the schedule “Demolition Doors.”
On the Fields tab, add Mark, Type, Width, Height, and Phase Demolished.
On the Filter tab, add a filter: Phase Demolished equals Demolition.
On the Properties palette for the schedule, set Phase to “Demolition.”

This schedule will list only doors that are being demolished — useful for scope verification and for contractors pricing the demolition work.

Creating a New Construction Window Schedule

Follow the same process, but filter on Phase Created equals New Construction and set the schedule Phase to “New Construction.” You will see only new windows, which drives material takeoffs and procurement lists directly from the model.

This approach works for any category — walls, floors, ceilings, equipment. The combination of the Phase parameter on the schedule and a filter on Phase Created or Phase Demolished gives you clean, phase-isolated quantity data without any manual sorting.

Common Phasing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Elements placed in the wrong phase. This is the most frequent issue. A new wall placed in a view set to the Existing phase will have Phase Created = “Existing” and will appear on existing conditions drawings. Always verify the active view’s Phase before modeling. Use the Phase property in the Properties palette as a constant reference.

Forgetting to set the view phase before modeling. Related to the above, but worth calling out separately. Opening a floor plan, starting to model, and only realizing the phase was wrong after placing many elements is a painful fix. Set a reminder in your workflow: new view = check Phase.

Phase filter confusion. Seeing elements appear or disappear unexpectedly is almost always a phase filter issue, not a phase assignment issue. Work through the logic: what is this view’s Phase, what is its Phase Filter, and given those two settings, what should I expect to see? If what you see does not match, check element Phase Created and Phase Demolished values individually.

Marking walls as demolished without splitting them first. If you demolish an entire wall when only part of it should come out, your demolition plan and new construction plan will both be wrong. Split the wall at the correct endpoints before assigning Phase Demolished.

Linking elements across incorrect phases. When a new door is hosted by an existing wall that is marked for demolition, Revit may allow the placement but the output is logically wrong — you cannot insert a permanent door into a wall that is being removed. Always confirm the host element’s Phase Demolished is “None” before inserting hosted elements into it.

Not running a phase audit before issuing drawings. Before issuing any drawing set, spend time in “Show All” mode on each level to visually confirm phase assignments look correct. Elements that should be demolished should show the Demolished override; new elements should show the New override; retained existing elements should show by category.

Advanced Tips

Phases with Design Options

Revit’s Design Options system and the phasing system are independent but compatible. You can have design option sets within a phased model, though the combination adds complexity. Phase properties are set at the element level and apply regardless of which design option an element belongs to. If you are exploring multiple layouts for new construction while keeping the demolition scope fixed, apply your design options only to New Construction phase elements.

Phasing in Linked Models

When you link an existing conditions Revit model into a new construction project, the linked model’s elements retain their original phase properties. However, the host project’s phase filter does not automatically control how the linked model displays. To control a linked model’s phase appearance:

In Visibility/Graphic Overrides, go to the Revit Links tab.
Click the linked model name and change Display Settings to “By Linked View.”
Set the linked view to one set to the Existing phase with the appropriate phase filter.

This ensures that existing conditions in the linked model display correctly relative to new construction in the host model.

Temporary Construction Elements

Some elements exist only during construction — scaffolding, temporary partitions, shoring walls. Assign these elements Phase Created = “Demolition” (or whichever phase they are erected) and Phase Demolished = “New Construction” (the phase when they are removed). In a view set to Phase = Demolition with Show All active, they will display with the Temporary graphic override. In a Phase = New Construction view, they are gone. This keeps temporary elements tracked in the model without polluting the final proposed drawings.

Conclusion

Revit’s phasing system is one of its most powerful and most underutilized features. When set up correctly, it collapses what would otherwise be three separate models — existing conditions, demolition, and new construction — into a single coordinated file where every view and schedule draws from the same authoritative source of geometry. Changes propagate everywhere automatically.

The key habits are straightforward: always check the view’s Phase before placing elements, understand which phase filter belongs on which view type, split elements before partially demolishing them, and audit phase assignments with “Show All” before issuing drawings. Once those habits are in place, phasing becomes a reliable foundation for even the most complex renovation scope.

From here, explore how phasing integrates with Revit’s scheduling and tagging tools — a well-phased model can drive demolition cost estimates, material procurement lists, and phased construction sequences directly from the BIM, without any manual coordination.

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Mastering Revit Phasing: How to Model Demolition and New Construction