The task of adopting Building Information Modeling (BIM) can be very daunting for small architectural and construction firms. In a difficult economy, small firms tend to concentrate more on their core competencieswhat they know and how theyve done it in the pastto get by. Resources, like money, time and in-house Information Technology expertise, are scarce at smaller firms. Change itself can be unsettling, and the team members may be skeptical of new methodologies. The time and investment needed to implement BIM can seem risky and costly.
So why do it? First, there will likely be negative consequences for not doing it. Small firms who dont conform are facing the prospect of missing out on a way to survive and thrive, especially as building owners in the municipal, academic, health care, and institutional segments move towards BIM requirements for new buildings and substantial renovations.
Second, there are opportunities to improve your own practices. Building Information Modeling offers the potential to work smarter and more collaboratively, with fewer mistakes. I won't say faster, as you may not see improvements in time right away.
Third, the technology is evolving to have a democratizing effect on the design industry. Despite initially being a market differentiator between large and small firms, Building Information Modeling can be used to reduce the perceived capability gap between firms of different sizes. A great team at a small firm, coupled with the right technology, can take on larger, more complex projects, and possibly compete with larger firms for commissions that used to be out of reach.
So where does one start with BIM implementation? Despite being written about on a large scale, BIM is actually practiced on a more fragmented and disparate scale when it comes to smaller architecture and construction firms. Sure, the term BIM has been around for awhile, but in practice, BIM is still in its infancy and is still weighted heavily towards the front end of building design and construction. Much of the BIM legwork to date has been pioneered by larger firms and academic researchers.
The high-level strategies of BIM can be easily agreed upon, but the practical application varies quite a bit. There are no generally-accepted processes to be followed. There are very few BIM consulting firms to help you in the right way applying their skills and practical knowledge of BIM application.
Small architectural firms should adopt BIM process and BIM tools to differentiate themselves from their competitors. But before migrating to BIM, they should prepare a list of expectations from BIM modeling and implement BIM step by step. Just starting to draft in BIM software (Revit, ArchiCAD, Bentley, etc.) without knowing it properly is the biggest mistake and the worst return on investment. BluEnt BIM is a leading architectural drafting and BIM consulting firm in USA. BluEnt BIM collaborates with small and medium architectural and construction firms and helps them to implement the BIM process and BIM software, developing integrated BIM model; integrating BIM model with the project construction schedule and planning. BluEnt BIM manages your urgent project needs and Revit construction documentation work. BluEnt BIM helps streamline the entire BIM process and makes you use BIM to save cost, time and improve quality.
