When you have BIM modelling done by us, we work in Revit, supplemented by AutoCAD and Rhino and, where needed, Inventor or Grasshopper, always in the latest versions. Revit lends itself well to building information models because components are intelligently linked and a change in one place automatically flows through to the rest of the model.
We also build parametric Revit families, in other words smart components, that adapt to a new situation without us having to redraw them, while the material schedule updates automatically. Our clients are engineering firms, architecture practices, contractors and manufacturers who do not have enough drafting capacity themselves for the volume a building information model requires.
Everyone who works for us has more than ten years of CAD experience, and Sam, our team leader, has more than fifteen years of background in architecture. Every piece of work goes through at least three review layers with us before it goes to you. Our team scales with the project, from a single modeller to a full crew, so a peak in your drawing office does not cause delays. Our focus is on the Netherlands and we work entirely remotely, from our own office.
Cable tray routing in the model, built with parametric families that carry the material schedule with them.
A real-world example from our as-built and revision work
A good example of what having BIM modelling done leads to in practice is a project we ran for Firefly. Firefly supplied as-built material where the existing drawings had been printed incorrectly and were partly drawn by hand, poorly legible and messy. Rather than calling the client constantly with questions about every detail, we worked it out ourselves and still delivered the file cleanly, consistent with the rest of the model. We bring that approach to every BIM modelling job we take on.
A building information model rarely consists of standalone components; it has to be correct as a whole, and that only works if we first investigate assumptions that are not entirely clear instead of adopting them blindly. We have now done more than twenty projects and hundreds of drawings for Firefly, and that volume has taught us where most time is lost on projects like these when nobody asks questions up front. For a deadline that could not slip, we also worked through evenings and weekends, with days of fourteen to fifteen hours, to deliver on time, even during a planned holiday of Sam, the team leader.
We carry that experience into every new project: we first work out exactly what is needed and only then start modelling, so you do not have to manage the loose ends of an outdated file yourself. Without that check up front, we would run the risk of errors from the old file being carried over into the new model.
What we deliver when you have BIM modelling done
When you have BIM modelling done, we deliver a complete building information model, built in Revit and supplemented with work in AutoCAD or Rhino where needed. That might be a new model we build from scratch, or merging and updating existing components into one coherent whole. We also deliver 2D drawings derived from the model, such as floor plans, elevations and details, and, where the project calls for it, as-built drawings and revisions of existing material. For repetitive work, such as a series of similar components or a piping schematic with valves in different sizes, we build parametric Revit families that adapt to the required size without us having to redraw them.
The material schedule updates automatically: if a component changes, the schedule changes with it straight away. We deliver our output in Revit formats and, where needed, in DXF, DWG or STEP, or in virtually any other common CAD format. Our team scales with the size of the model, from a single modeller to a full crew when the volume requires it. Every part of the model goes through at least three review layers before it goes to you, from the modeller who produces the work to Sam as team leader and Barry as project manager, who look at it last.
That way you know in advance not only that we will deliver a model, but also in what form, with which components and with what checks. It makes clear to you exactly what to expect before we begin.
No ongoing payroll costs and no idle staff once the peak is over. If one of our people is off sick or on holiday, we replace them and the work simply carries on.
The delivered set after having BIM modelling done
The set we deliver after you have BIM modelling done is not a standalone file, but a complete model with accompanying drawings that can move straight on in your process. Alongside the Revit model itself, we deliver the derived 2D drawings and, where applicable, a material schedule that updates automatically with the model. For a project in greenhouse construction, for example, we deliver a piping schematic in which we build every valve as a smart family, so the schedule always matches what is actually in the model. We deliver the files in Revit formats and, where needed, in DXF, DWG or STEP, so the set connects directly with the environment you continue working in. We do not work in our own preferred structure, but follow your standard and drawing conventions, including layer structure and naming.
On projects made up of several phases, we deliver in stages, gather feedback and adjust the model before picking up the next stage. Every piece of work goes through at least three review layers before it goes out, from the modeller to Sam as team leader and Barry as project manager, who look over it last. That keeps the chance of errors in the delivered set limited, even for a model that had to be ready quickly. The intellectual property of what we deliver belongs to you, so you can use the model without restrictions, for example for construction, cost estimating or a next design phase. That prevents delays further down the line in your own process.
Working to your CAD standards when you have BIM modelling done
Having BIM modelling done only adds value if the model fits the way you work, which is why we work to the standard and drawing conventions we receive from you. That starts with the layer structure: which elements belong on which layer, how we name them, and how that relates to the rest of your projects. We also set the names of components, families and materials according to the agreed conventions, so our model does not feel like the odd one out among your other models.
With an existing set of Revit families that is no longer clear, we assess whether cleaning it up is enough or whether we can rebuild it faster, depending on how messy that set has become.
If an existing family set is very messy, we sometimes rebuild it faster than we could repair everything piece by piece. We record these agreements in the first conversation, together with the existing drawings you usually supply that need revising. Without that alignment up front, you run the risk that a model that is good in itself still creates extra work as soon as it is combined with existing projects.
We see that difference every day in our work, and that is precisely why we deliberately spend time at the start of a project going through the standard before we model a single component. That way our final model fits seamlessly with what you already have.
Frequently asked questions about having BIM modelling done
Let us handle your BIM modelling
Send us your documents and drawing conventions and we will let you know within one to two working days what we can take on and when.