BIM Basics: Accurately Quoting Completion Times
If you have been following along with the last couple of posts, you know that we are focused on addressing the questions to ask and the information to know before starting a BIM Model. Let’s go deeper into a few key topics and how they affect a project's completion time.
By completion time, we mean the time it takes to complete a project. In this industry, we have tight budgets, but more often we find that our clients are more concerned with the length of time it will take to complete a project. At Factory Reality we are often brought in alongside firms as their “additional capacity”, meaning our clients need help to complete their projects by a certain date.
Manual For Now!
Since the BIM modeling we do is all computer-based and virtual, it’s assumed that building a BIM model is simple. However; the work of converting physical structures into virtual reality is still a manual process. It takes time to do it well. As technology advances, there will be more ways that artificial Intelligence supplements manual labor. For now though, industry experience and industry knowledge cannot be substituted for machine learning.
The Size of the Structure
So what factors contribute most to how long a project will take? As you might assume, the size of the structure plays a very important role. However, a smaller space doesn’t always mean less time. That being said, the square footage of the space to be modeled is very important.
Level of Development
Another factor to consider is the Level of Detail/Level of Development. LOD refers to the amount of detail to include in the BIM model. For example, do you simply want to know that there is a wall or do you need to know if that wall is a brick wall? Do you simply need to know that there is a round object in the kitchen or do you need to know that the round object is a table? Going up the scale of LOD can exponentially add time to a project.
Elements to be Included
Similar to but separate from the LOD are the elements of the structure to be modeled. The Revit software we use allows you to model almost anything. If the client wants to see all the furniture in the house, we can model that. If they want to see all the lighting fixtures, we can model that as well.
2D Deliverable?
There is also added time for the types of deliverables provided to a client. If the client needs 2D plans created from the BIM model, then that adds time to the project.
Quality of the Scan Data
One factor that can be overlooked is the quality of the scan data we receive. The point cloud data acts as a reference point and guide in building a 3D BIM model. If the scanned point cloud data is off in some way, that can affect the accuracy and reliability of the BIM model. If the point cloud data isn’t clean, the modeler is going to spend extra time trying to figure out where to place objects.
Time Spent on QA/QC
No matter how skilled the person working on the BIM Model is, there is still potential for mistakes. Having a second set of eyes to take a look at the work is crucial in delivering quality service to clients. At Factory Reality, we spend 15-20% of our total allotted project time on QAQC and second checks. This has contributed greatly to the trust that we have built with our clients in delivering a high-quality BIM model. As you would assume, this does come into play when considering completion time.
The important takeaway from this is that there is always a balance between speed and quality. Building a high-quality BIM model takes time, and it is a manual process that needs to be completed by skilled professionals. Considering all the factors above will allow for accurate completion times and satisifed expectations required of this industry.