Have you ever wished to give an apartment a full renovation in the Sims 4? This is only partially possible in the game. Build outside apartment cheats and mods allow you to do anything you want to your apartment, inside and out. Continue reading to discover how!
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Build outside the apartment cheats and mods for Sims 4: Why do we need them?
While we can renovate, build and change the exteriors and interiors of homes in Sims 4, we can’t do the same for the apartments. Apartments in Sims 4 are editable to a degree. While we can play with interiors and furnishings, editing exteriors, doors, and windows is an impossible task, as the game doesn’t allow such changes. For instance, we can’t do much about the exterior walls, the balcony, or the entrances.
Luckily, thanks to the build outside apartment cheats and mods, we can do anything we want to apartments, and even change the outside walls. So, let’s see what tricks and cheats can help you create condos of your dreams, shall we?
More on SnootySims: All you need to know about the updated apartment mods available for the Sims 4!
What do you need to start editing apartments?
There are a few things that will help you beautify or demolish apartments in Sims 4. One, you can make changes using special build outside apartment cheats, and two, you can use mods. While using cheats or mods alone can do a lot, only the right mix of cheats and mods together will give you total freedom in renovating, inside and out. This is because even though cheats let us move and play with objects in a way that the game typically doesn’t allow, there are still things we can’t do unless we use mods.
How to activate Cheats for editing apartments?
Before we start using any cheats, we need to activate them first. To do that, press SHIFT+CTRL+C on your keyboard if you are on PC or Mac, type testingcheats true in the dialogue box, and hit Enter to confirm. If you are playing on PlayStation or Xbox, just press and hold all triggers to open the dialogue box. To get the most out of the build outside apartment cheats, we will be using a set of two key cheats.
Use bb.moveobjects to freely move objects around
Once the cheats are activated, we’ll start off our edit apartments journey by activating the bb.moveobjects. What this cheat does is move the limits of your usual building area in the game. For example, you can now move and place any piece of furniture anywhere you want in your apartment, even stack objects on top of one another. You can place things through the wall, make them levitate in the air, and organize the furniture any way you want.
To show hidden objects and place them in and outside of your apartment, you can also activate the bb.showhiddenobjects cheat to unlock various hidden items.
Another cool cheat that will help you decorate the exteriors, especially the balcony, is bb.showliveeditobjects. This build outside apartment cheat will make available all objects you see in the open world and your environment, allowing you to fully customize your apartment space. This a great way to add some extra greenery and make a green paradise on your balcony!
These cheats won’t enable you to remove or properly place objects like doors and windows, or edit fixed objects. For that, you will need to get the T.O.O.L. mod to edit apartments.
Why do you need a t.o.o.l mod?
One of the most frustrating things about apartments in the game is that we can’t change how the building looks, or change entrances or balconies. If you take a sledgehammer tool and try to delete doors, windows, and walls in an apartment, you’ll notice a red pop-up message that informs you there is “Nothing to delete”. This is because these objects are fixed objects in apartments and can’t be edited. Luckily, with build outside apartment cheats and the T.O.O.L installed, you’ll be able to not only fully edit the interior of the apartment, but also customize the hallway, and the external walls, as well as build outside the apartment box.
Learn the intricate details of the T.O.O.L mod by reading our guide below!
How to delete and move unwanted objects?
To edit apartments with T.O.OL., you’ll need to be in live mode. So, to start, go to the live mode, and lift your walls so that you can easily see all objects. Shift and click on the object you want to edit or delete, and choose T.O.O.L >Toggle Active Object. If everything works as it should, your object will show as selected and be green. To move and delete a fixed object, double-click anywhere inside the apartment, and click on the object to un-toggle it. Once this is done, you can easily use the sledgehammer tool, as you usually would, and delete the object. You can use the same method to place a new object on the wall and even use an object you’ve previously unlocked with build outside apartment cheats.
Alternatively, if you also have the Better Build/Buy mod, you can open the T.O.O.L. extension by pressing Shift+T. This will show you the main options available for the T.O.O.L. that you can use in the build mode. Then, simply click on the window, and use this extension to manipulate any object you want, move, scale, delete, or replace it. You can manipulate one or more objects simultaneously, which is a great time saver.
What can you do with the mod?
For apartments, all objects that connect the outside with the inside of the apartments are regarded as ”off the lot” objects. In other words, anything that is placed outside apartments, be that the common hallway or the balcony is ”off the lot”. Pre-made walls, entrances, windows, the mailbox, the decor in the hall – all of those things are outside your reach by default, meaning you can’t edit apartments beyond the exterior wall.
One of the things you can do with the mod is move objects from the ”off the lot” space into the grid space of your apartment. This will make them editable, allowing you to manipulate them the way you want to. You can also use the common space to extend the apartment a bit, add a small balcony, or split the bigger apartment into smaller condos. You can go beyond the limits of the lot grid and decorate the space around the building, too. All objects within that space will become useable, so if you want to nap on a sofa on the balcony, feel free to do so!
how to place windows and doors in apartments?
If you are new to the T.O.O.L. extension, the most precise way to edit apartments and place a brand-new set of windows or doors on your apartments is to build a random wall inside your apartment. Try to make it parallel to the wall and build it one block away from the actual wall where you’d actually want to place your windows or doors of choice. We’ll call it the ”help wall” and this is technique is our build outside apartment cheat. Go to the build/buy, find the desired windows or doors, and place them on the help wall.
Working with the T.O.O.L. will require some practice. So, don’t be frustrated if you can’t place the object on the wall perfectly straight. If you don’t like how they are placed and they seem to be weirdly placed, just readjust them by using the Move tool and Gravity Pull feature from T.O.O.L.
The mod allows you to do the following: Move, Rotate, Elevate, Scale, and Toggle Active Objects. This means you can fully customize not only the position of the objects outside and inside of your apartment, but also make them as big or small, and place them as high or as low as you want. To move them up or down, just use the Elevate feature, and experiment with positive and negative values.
You can use this for any other object inside or outside the apartment if you want to, not just doors and windows. To select more than one object and edit apartments, just press and hold the alt key while clicking on objects.
where to get the T.O.O.L. and the Better build/buy mod?
T.O.O.L. & Better Build/buy mod are made by the same creator – TwistedMexi. They do wonders when installed together, and will work better than any build outside apartment cheat alone. While you can work with T.O.O.L. only, you can make the whole building process neater with Better Build/Buy. To get the T.O.O.L., go here, and to get the Better Build/buy, go here.
Check out SNOOTYSIMS’ detailed guide on the Better Build/Buy mod by TwistedMexi!
conclusion
You can do a lot with mods and build outside apartment cheats that the game doesn’t allow you to do. While there are some space limitations in terms of extending the apartment space, you can do a lot with moveable objects, demolish the walls within the editable grid, stack objects on top of one another, and really push the boundaries. Try it out yourself!