In the 21st century, Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become an integral part of both commercial and residential construction projects. It allows all parties involved to see the virtual model of the building, involving important details like plumbing options, piping, ventilation, foundation integrity, aesthetic appeal, and much more.
When starting a construction project, investors usually have numerous questions about prices and deadlines. Let’s take a closer look to learn more about the way BIM is priced and how deadlines work.
Prices in BIM
Since BIM is a complex process that involves a variety of stages, pricing it can be complicated. First, costs depend on the project’s scale and complexity. While many companies use similar metrics to estimate cost, each one has its own approach to pricing. That’s why it’s important to share as much information about the project as possible to get a fair approximation.
BIM pricing depends on the following factors:
- Timeline – how much time you have to create a model of your project? Depending on the deadlines, a BIM company may need to involve more than one designer to get the job done faster. This can affect the final price.
- Scale – the size of the project also affects the price. A small residential building is likely to be easier to work with than a large commercial project. Building’s size and complexity affect the price of the services directly. It’s worth noting that it may be tough to estimate the project’s complexity before it starts. So you have to be ready for additional expenses.
- Purpose – the purpose a model is constructed for defines the cost as well. How many details are required? Models for rough quantification are cheaper than architectural models with a high number of precise details.
- Type of project – type of the building also matters. Modeling a warehouse with large empty rooms isn’t the same as planning an industrial facility or a residential home. More often than not, the price of BIM modeling depends on the details rather than the square footage of the building.
- Contract – according to VIATechnik, BIM services company, you could have a lump sum contract or work out an hourly rate. Lump-sum contracts are often more expensive because the company factors in potential issues that may never arise.
- Information – if you have a detailed project plan, it’s much easier to estimate the cost than if you have a rough sketch of your needs.
- Company – different companies have different prices, which depend on expertise, availability, and location.
Keeping all these factors in mind, it’s hardly possible to give an average price for a BIM project. Each one comes with nuances that affect costs. To get a good estimation, you may want to ask the company how much they charged for projects similar to yours in the past.
Deadlines in BIM
How long does BIM modeling take? It’s one of the top questions clients and investors usually ask because it affects the entire project. Deadlines in BIM are important and must be set in advance to ensure timely construction project completion.
Each company can have its own approach to BIM. The time it takes to create a model may depend on the following factors:
- Availability and expertise of team members
- Complexity of the project
- Clarity of the initial information
- Number of BIM specialists on the team
If you need to create a model quickly, opting for BIM service providers who promise instant results could be a mistake. BIM is a complex process that requires a serious approach, which is never quick, or worse, instant.
Be ready to invest some time in BIM modeling in order to achieve top results with your construction project. Mistakes made at the modeling stage could be extremely costly.
The Takeaway
When it comes to prices and deadlines in BIM, it’s hard to give a rough estimation. Too many factors affect these two aspects of the modeling process to come up with an accurate figure without an in-depth analysis.
If you want to get an approximation of how much time and money a BIM project will take, be ready to share project specs in as many details as possible.
