BIM for small practices: what you really need

What BIM is, and is not

BIM is a process as much as a piece of software. A model holds the building's elements, such as walls, floors, doors, structure and services, with information attached, such as materials, sizes and performance. From it, you can generate drawings, schedules, quantities, and analysis, and share it with others. It is not just a 3D picture. A model that is not built carefully gives little more than a drawing.

What it can offer a small practice

• Consistency. Plans, sections and elevations come from the same model, so they agree.
• Coordination. Combining models with engineers helps find clashes early.
• Schedules and quantities produced automatically.
• Analysis, such as daylight, energy and areas.
• Visualisation from the same data.
• Information for the client, including at handover. See A passport for every building.
• Meeting client or tender requirements, which increasingly ask for it.

From it, you can generate drawings, schedules, quantities, and analysis, and share it with others.

What it asks of you

• Time to learn. A good model needs skilled people and practice. Expect a dip in productivity at first.
• Discipline. Naming, standards and modelling rules matter more.
• Setup. Templates, libraries and standards take time to create.
• Hardware and software costs.
• Coordination with others, who may use different tools.
• Judgement. BIM does not replace thinking. A model can be precise and wrong.

Do you need it?

It depends on your work, your clients and your consultants. For some small projects, careful 2D drawings are enough. For others, BIM pays back. Ask:

• Do our clients or consultants require or prefer it?
• Are our projects complex enough to benefit?
• Do we have, or can we build, the skills?
• Can we afford the transition?

Starting sensibly

• Start with one project and a small team.
• Agree a simple standard for how you model, name and share.
• Train people, and give them time.
• Use open formats for sharing where possible, so that you can work with others.
• Agree who is responsible for what in the model, in the appointment and in a simple execution plan.
• Review after the project and improve.

Information that stays accurate

A model is only as good as the information put in it. Keep it checked and current, and do not rely on the model alone for design decisions. See Quality assurance in a small studio.

Combining BIM with hand and physical work

BIM does not replace sketching and models. We still draw, and build physical models, to think. See How we test a concept and Models: why we still build them.

In short

BIM is a useful tool when it fits your work. Learn it, start small, keep it disciplined, and use it to think better, not just to draw faster.

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