When you outsource Grasshopper work, the first question is usually about lead time, because a parametric design in Grasshopper often has to flow through to the next phase of the project on a tight schedule. We handle that with our large, flexible team that scales with each project, from one drafter on a clearly defined script to as many drafters as needed when a large job with many variants has to be finished quickly.
Because our team is already in place and knows our way of working, we do not have to recruit or train anyone extra during a peak before the work can start.
We work in Grasshopper and Rhino, and in Revit or AutoCAD where needed, always with the latest software versions. Everyone who works for us has more than ten years of CAD experience, so scaling up does not come at the expense of quality. Outsourcing Grasshopper work becomes more valuable as soon as lead times are under pressure and your own team cannot keep up with the volume.
Cable tray routing in the model, built with parametric families that carry the material schedule with them.
What OutsourceCAD delivers when you outsource Grasshopper work
When you outsource Grasshopper work to us, you get a team that is used to turning parametric definitions into usable drafting for the rest of the process. We deliver 3D modelling when a shape or a series of variants in Grasshopper needs working out, supplemented with 2D drafting as soon as those models need to become construction drawings that can be used on site or in the workshop. Where needed, we add as-built drawings, for example when an existing, complex shape has to be recorded before anyone works on it further, and revisions when a script or model made earlier needs updating to a new version of the design.
In concrete terms, we take a Grasshopper definition that generates a series of similar components and work it out into separate, checkable drawings per component, instead of you having to distil from a complex script exactly what needs to be made. We deliver in stages, so you can check along the way whether the generated shapes match what is practically feasible.
That is particularly relevant with Grasshopper work, where a small change in the logic of the script has major consequences for all the components it produces. So we look not only at the shape itself, but also at what is needed to actually build or manufacture it, and we deliver the output in the format that suits that best. For a revision round, we first look at what already exists, so a change to the script does not accidentally disrupt other parts of the design.
Collaboration and communication when you outsource Grasshopper work
Outsourcing Grasshopper work only works well when communication is clear, because a parametric script is hard to judge without an explanation of the intent behind it. With us, Barry, our project manager, is usually the first point of contact for a new request, after which Sam, our team leader, takes over the technical side and guides the project. For you, this means one fixed point of contact throughout the project, even when several drafters are working on a script or a set of drawings at the same time.
So nobody has to keep explaining what the design is meant to achieve. We agree the rhythm of our contact per client, and it adapts to the pace of the project: sometimes every two days, sometimes weekly, depending on how intensive the phase is. Files usually go back and forth by email, and day-to-day contact runs by email, phone or a short meeting, with us coming to you or the other way round.
On a larger, long-running project we work with software you can log in to and follow progress, instead of only seeing what is there at delivery. We work in our own environment with our own licences, not in yours, which means no time is lost setting up access before the work starts. With Grasshopper work in particular, where small changes to a script have big consequences, regular reviews are valuable, so a wrong assumption does not come to light only after a whole series of partial deliveries.
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.
Ownership and confidentiality in Grasshopper work
When you outsource Grasshopper work, more than just a drawing often leaves the office, because a Grasshopper script contains the logic behind a design and can be almost as valuable to you as the end result. The intellectual property of everything we build, including the scripts, models and drawings, lies with you. So far we have not signed a non-disclosure agreement, because clients have not asked for one before, but we are happy to make room for an NDA if you want one. That is particularly relevant with a unique design or a formal language that is not yet public, where confidentiality weighs more heavily than with a standard construction drawing. Files usually go back and forth by email, or through our project environment on a larger, long-running project, and we handle them with the same care whatever the method of exchange.
If you want an NDA signed before you share scripts or designs, let us know in the first conversation, so it is arranged before the actual work begins. Agreements on ownership and confidentiality are a standard part of our intake, even when a client does not explicitly ask about them. We put those agreements in writing before the first files are exchanged. That way you know exactly where you stand from the outset, both about who may use the scripts and about how we handle sensitive design information throughout the project, from the first concept to the last partial delivery.
How the process of outsourcing Grasshopper work runs
The process of outsourcing Grasshopper work starts with a conversation in which you explain the situation and usually send us existing material, such as an earlier concept, a set of reference images or a script that is partly built. Based on that, we see how complex the assignment is and which components need attention first. We respond to a new request within 1 to 2 working days, so you do not have to wait long before the project really gets going.
As soon as we have enough information, we start on a first part of the work, often a clearly defined component that quickly shows whether our approach meets your expectations.
We deliver that part, after which you give feedback on what does and does not match the intent of the design. We process that feedback before we pick up the next part, instead of delivering the whole package in one go without interim checks. The rhythm of our contact varies per client, from every two days to a weekly moment, depending on how fast the project needs to move and how complex the chosen formal language is.
With a short, clearly defined assignment the whole process stays compact, while an extensive parametric set-up extends over several partial deliveries, each with its own round of feedback and adjustment. In both cases we start from the same principle: first understand what you want to achieve with the design, and only then work it out in steps, with a check on every part.
Frequently asked questions about outsourcing Grasshopper work
Hand your Grasshopper work over to us
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.