“Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility. A BIM is a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life-cycle…”, this is the definition from Wikipedia.
Although this is a single definition of BIM, there are many levels of BIM that can be provided depending on the project requirements. Many companies promote having the highest level of BIM Coordination for all projects. There are some complex designs that require this kind of detailed coordination and Jigsaw Solutions is happy to provide that level of service.
After looking careful at the BIM Execution Plan provided by the General Contractor and reviewing the project with the contractor I am partnering with, we have determined that often that level of coordination is not necessary. While challenging projects may require this high level of detailed coordination, applying this level to every project can result in unnecessary:
- Added project cost
- Delayed construction starts due to Coordination efforts exceeding budgeted time
- Frustration for all involved – Design Team, Construction Team, and the Owner
Obviously, the more quality information we can include in the model, the more valuable it becomes. In planning with the BIM Coordination Team and my clients, many times we can modify the BIM scope to make BIM Coordination possible even on smaller less complex projects. Utilizing multiple levels of BIM, based on the needs of the individual project; we can be sure that every project, no matter it’s size, can reap the benefits of BIM Coordination.
Contact Jigsaw Solutions to see how we can make BIM work for your project.