All BIM Modeling Services Are Not Created Equally

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As we've discussed in both the McGraw-Hill BIM SmartMarket Report webinar and the Enterprise BIM webinar, there are many paths to get to 5D BIM.  Some companies build up their modeling team first and then encourage supers, schedulers, and estimators to re-use the models for their deliverables.  Along a different path, some companies like to bring in BIM Consulting Experts and do a project or two together.  And still other companies are very aggressive with pursuits and bids and keep a modeling team on retainer.

Whichever path your firm is on, there are several things you should know about modeling services:

1.) You get what you pay for.

2.) Yes, it can be done quickly - even under the constraints of a hard bid.

3.) Don't throw it away after the pursuit.  Winning a $100M job is a tremendous value to your company, and the real advantage of the model shines when it is used as the decision-making machine on the project.

You can issue the same RFP to different BIM consultants and modeling organizations and receive very different pricing.  In some cases the range from low to high could buy a nice car.  So it's important that you ask for the right type of model and ancillary services:

1.) Is the model for visualization only?  Or will the model be used downstream for coordination, quantity takeoff, scheduling, estimating, and production control?

2.) Is every bidder required to "bring a BIM to the bakeoff"?  Would you like your firm to be able to stand out from the crowd by developing an intelligent BIM - one that illustrates multiple scenarios and what-ifs for the Owner?

3.) Will the model be highlighting your firm's understanding of the project - from complex in-wall coordination to cutting-edge curtain walls?

Obviously, you need a deeper understanding of 5D to capture the Owner's attention.  These 5D models can still be built quickly, but they are done with a purposeful rigor that highlight your capabilities with 5D and showcase your complete understanding of the project's challenges.

Our Virtual Construction Services Team has worked on over 350  5D BIM projects around the world.  Seventy-five percent of these projects have been a hard bid scenario.  Yes, BIM and Hard Bid do mix.  But it takes experience to know what to model and when.  That experience is showcased in the Model Progression Specification and the Content Plan.

The MPS is the language that designers, GCs, subs, and Owners use to describe each system and building element to each other.  These descriptions adhere to the prescribed level of detail.  What this means for the modeling team (in-house or outsourced) is that each stage has its own Content Plan telling the team exactly what to model and when.

By following this step-by-step process, the model develops depth and intelligence - the "I" in BIM.  It's by utilizing the MPS and Content Plan that the model can pull in the experience from your firm, capturing the knowledge from your schedulers,  estimators, and superintendents.

Your firm will want to differentiate itself from other contractors on the day of the presentation.  You want to show the Owner the collective experience of your firm and how you can use 5D to improve construction management.  Just like in high school algebra class, you want to be able to show your work: how did you get from the problem statement to the answer.  Iterative cost plans are just the way to do that.  Illustrating to the Owner how you arrived at your schedule and estimate sets your firm apart.  And using the model geometry to derive construction-caliber quantities which feed more precise schedules and estimates is certainly music to the Owner's ears.

You can also coordinate multiple models from the designers and subs illustrating where more work needs to be done at the project team table.  A quick, but thorough, Constructability Report helps show the Owner that you've already examined this project inside and out.  You came to the interview prepared.

The same model that you're showing the Owner will become the basis for preconstruction efforts and on-site production control.  This means that the money invested in the pursuit will be recouped through coordination savings, lower subcontractor bids, and tighter schedules.; not to mention using the model to answer questions. 

The model is updated with the latest construction drawings and coordinated with MEP/FP models.  Subs can use the drawings generated from the coordinated models to assist with detailing.  And since schedules are a function of quantities, locations, and productivity rates, flowline scheduling makes it easier to see conflicts and make adjustments well in advance.  Now the Owner can know exactly what a material substitution will do to both the project timeline and budget.  Now the Owner can see which choices really do matter.

So you see, there is a big difference in the proposals for modeling services that you receive back.  Take the time to understand exactly what you need and why you need it.  Sometimes all you really do need is just a model to spin on a big screen.  But when you need a model to drive the project, then take a deeper dive into the numbers and know what you're getting for your money.

You can go from zero to 5D BIM by many paths.  But when hiring modeling services is your gameplan, be sure to emphasize the service.  Models are approaching commodity status, but peer review professional services can make your firm stand head and shoulders above the rest.

What do you look for in a quotation for 3D BIM Services?  Take a look at The BIM Checklist to see if you're covering all the bases.