BIM methodology: advantages and disadvantages

Many commercial buildings and projects in the construction industry have many individual services, trades, and systems related to project monitoring that needs to fit within the building and come together at the right time and place. Without proper planning and expertise, any construction project can quickly experience delays and cost overruns, leading to rapidly rising costs and missed deadlines.

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Over the years, numerous technologies have been developed to help avoid such cost overruns, and a well-known one is Building Information Modeling or BIM methodology. In this article, we will tell you what this method is about, its main advantages and disadvantages.

What is building information modeling?

The BIM methodology is a comprehensive modeling process that uses the entire project team involved in the initial design (architects, structural engineers, designers, main contractors, and contractors) to work collaboratively and define all the elements of the construction work, the systems, and components that are expected to be incorporated into the building.

In theory, this should provide powerful insight into the building, structure, M&E coordination, position and size of service gaps, and structure conflict detection to efficiently predict installation, avoiding spatial coordination issues before the project physically begins on site.

However, there have been criticisms of BIM, including the lack of ability to share data with subcontractors who simply don't have or don't want to adopt the technology. There is also a lack of early involvement of subcontractors with the main contractor, while 'commercial' selection is taking place later and later on in projects these days.

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Advantages of the BIM methodology

Although it may seem that the BIM methodology has more disadvantages than advantages, this system can provide construction companies with enough scope for planning and detail to manage construction projects. Below, we share some of the most significant advantages.

1. Better planning and design.

BIM should allow a completed building and all its related services and monitoring systems to be displayed on the screen before construction begins. This information enables better planning and design for the architect which allows available space and resources to be used more effectively.

2. Easy design changes.

The model is shared, so users can create changes to the BIM model. This can be ready at set times for follow-up design team meetings or even in real-time, so everyone is working with up-to-date information and a collaborative workflow can be established.

3. Minimal rework on site.

BIM makes it easy to see potential problem areas and to correct errors by detecting model conflicts before they are physically committed. This reduces the need for costly rework and site revisions, resulting in labor and material savings.

4. Prefabrication. 

The BIM methodology allows contractors and subcontractors to visualize the project, giving them time to more easily and accurately prefabricate work off-site, which can save time and money through better productivity controls in the building environment. manufacturing outside the construction site.

5. Free software is available.

All parties involved at all levels of the project can use the full model, with the use of free "read-only" software. This has been used by large companies to great effect on-site via portable tablets, allowing the supervisor instant on-site access to the model for operations coordination. Viewing a 3D model is much more informative than looking at and interpreting multiple 2D drawings.

6. Lifetime information for the user.

For those who adopt BIM, the model can be populated with a wealth of easy-to-read and easy-to-find data. Each system and even individual component in the model can contain the size, color, vendor, and even maintenance data.

Gone are the days of scanned or photocopied manufacturer data, resulting in low-quality and often hard-to-find generic information contained in ring binders taking up valuable storage space. Undoubtedly, digitization changed this.

Disadvantages of the BIM methodology

Like all software, the BIM methodology has its advantages, but also its disadvantages when the scenario for its implementation is not the right one. Let's see what exceptional conditions favor these disadvantages.

1. Modeling software.

BIM software to carry out construction or changes to the initial model requires a substantial investment in the software, along with increasingly powerful computers to process the vast amount of data required.

2. Training and staff.

Invariably, additional investment in training and education is required with the introduction of new software in a company. Along with the additional staff comes office space and office resources.

The advantages provided by saving time on-site generally make the investment in staff and software worthwhile, but only if many projects use this resource and ultimately the model produced is fully utilized and accurate.

3. Trust and cooperation.

Trust is paramount to any successful BIM project, but a cultural shift in the industry is necessary. The normal routine of bidding, commercial agreement, and project award with a prime contractor must be carefully managed against time and expectations for a BIM project to work as it should.

All parties must be willing to share knowledge and invest, sometimes even before the client awards them the project.

4. Customer commitment.

Often the project specification or procurement framework will require BIM, only to find a user/building occupant who does not see or understand the continued benefits of using the model to its full extent.

Information contained in the finished 'as built' model is ignored, resulting in wasted time and effort on the part of the build team who fills in the model with all manufacturer details and maintenance information in the first place.

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In a few words, the BIM methodology in the construction industry is a very competitive tool that helps to efficiently monitor works within the framework of process improvement technologies by digitally visualizing the finish of buildings. It has the advantage of being quite intuitive and easy to implement, as well as having a free version.