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Detailed Scheduling and Estimating with Concept Stage SketchUp Models

Many people read the news last week about Trimble acquiring SketchUp from Google. We see this as an exciting move because more and more General Contractors are using SketchUp to create models, and as many of you already know, Vico already has an Importer for SketchUp models. The Importer allows us to take in these models and quickly perform a quantity takeoff. But did you know that we developed a more precise methodology for deriving the 4D schedule and 5D cost estimate at the Concept Stage where SketchUp shines?

We’ll describe our new quantity mining and ratio-driven workflow in this Fridays with Vico webinar.

What:	Detailed Scheduling and Estimating with Concept Stage SketchUp Models
When:	Archived for your convenience
Where:	A free online webinar
How:	Use the form at the bottom of the page to download the archived webinar

Vico has developed a new best practice for conceptual stage scheduling and cost planning which combines the traditional square foot cost ranges and past project ratio-driven bills of materials. We believe that mining your past projects for quantity ratios can provide very accurate conceptual estimate and schedule input, even at this very early stage model and even as labor and material prices fluctuate.

The process starts in Vico Office by mining past project quantities from three or more similar BIM models. This is facilitated by Vico Office’s database structure – since each project is its own database and simultaneously structured as part of your Vico Project Server. Calculating ratios will generate forecast/statistical bills of materials and resource requirements ready to accept unit costs. We then refine the Cost Plan with project specific details and roll up the systems to produce draft Target Costs per system. (Note that the driving quantity ratios will become more and more accurate, per building type, the more models (or quantities per program area) that are analyzed.)

The conceptual stage design input can be simply a basic massing model (we will demonstrate the process using SketchUp, but you could do the same workflow with ArchiCAD, Revit, or other BIM tools) created in a few hours with indicative program areas. The conceptual stage outputs will be detailed forecast quantities married to today’s unit costs and combined with historical productivity figures to create a baseline schedule, resource demand curves, and cashflow.

That’s a heck of a lot of information from a conceptual model in SketchUp!

This webinar is for you and your team if:
• You want to provide more precise information to the Owner and design team even if
  you only have the most basic design to start with;
• You want to incorporate past project statistical data, harnessing current pricing and
  productivity data;
• You might be interested in picking up a copy of SketchUp now that you know how to
  turn a conceptual model into real 4D and 5D project deliverables.

What:	Detailed Scheduling and Estimating with Concept Stage SketchUp Models
When:	Archived for your convenience
Where:	A free online webinar
How:	Use the form at the bottom of the page to download the archived webinar

See highlights of this Fridays with Vico episode on the video clip below. If the content is meaningful to you and your BIM Team, please use the form at the bottom of the page to download the entire webinar.