When it comes to BIM there’s one question that DSG has heard time and again: “Will it save money? And if it does, how do I get my investment back?” It’s a good point. After all, any company implementing BIM will have to spend heavily on IT and training. Money that needs to earn its keep. So how will this investment pay dividends and what does it mean for the contractor’s cost?
The answer is that initial design fees will probably rise because the level of detail needed to create an accurate and effective BIM model is greater than the tolerances that the industry generally works to today. For some, especially architects, this means more time spent during the design phase with correspondingly greater costs. Further down the line the QS may well also have a greater involvement in the verification and refinement of the bill of quantities and cost plans.
However, when clients return for repeat projects of similar buildings the templated and standardised elements that form part of a BIM model will mean that costs may be lower. More importantly the frequently significant charges associated with amends or issues that need to be rectified on-site will be much lower. At the same time there will also be less waste and potentially faster construction schedules as any major issues will have been resolved ahead of the build phase.
This gives the contractor the opportunity to protect their margin and avoid costly disputes whilst also preserving the valuable good will of the client. If the client experiences a relatively smooth and trouble-free project that ran to time and budget they’ll be much more willing to engage with the same contractor as they will see it as a low risk option.
Hence we can see that, although BIM will indeed save money, it’s not as simple as many of the savings traditionally seen through technological change. And for contractors it provides the opportunity to be seen as a trustworthy partner able to deliver on its promises — a powerful selling point in today’s cut-throat industry where loyalty is hard to buy at any price.
DSG has successfully delivered a number of BIM projects via its offices in Newbury, Coventry and Manchester. Its experienced BIM professionals can help you realise the full potential of any BIM project and ensure that the expectations and obligations of all stakeholders are clearly understood.
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