Owners are specifying BIM for multi-disciplinary co-ordination AND they are requesting the contractor to use BIM to do combined services drawings (CSD) at the construction stage using 2D design drawings.
The contractor is therefore responsible for identifying co-ordination issues in the design documents before they build anything. This is great if they have sufficient time to carry out the 3D modelling, clash analysis and resolution. This will require full co-operation from the designers
But, is it too late?
As the MEP coordination is left for the contractor to sort out, the design consultants are not engaging in or using BIM for their design co-ordination. In theory, Architects and Engineers should produce fully considered, detailed and co-ordinated building designs before the contractor commences work.
In reality, their fees are too low to provide sufficient skilled resources and the time allowed is squeezed to a very short period. All too frequently the minimum amount of work is done in the early scheme and tender design stages and the contractor is left to fix the clashes and resolve missing information.
If clients only specify the use of BIM at the construction phase, a lot of the real value in the technology has already been lost. It is a welcome step forward and more has to be done to convince clients, architects and engineers to adopt BIM as early as possible.
We advocate the use of BIM models at all stages of a project. The earlier the process starts the greater the savings for everyone involved.
