A typical work package we take on is converting a point cloud to a Revit model for an existing building. You supply the survey data and we build the model from it. We model the load-bearing structure, floors, facades and whatever building services components need to be shown. We do not carry out surveys ourselves, because our work starts with the data you supply.
In Revit we place the cloud as a reference and trace the elements over it. Where components repeat, we build parametric families, so a variant does not mean new drafting work.
The model then goes back to you in Revit format, with sheets and views if you ask for them. We deliver in stages and gather feedback after each one. That way the setup is fixed before the bulk of the work goes through. Our large, variable team scales with each project, from one modeller for a small job to as many modellers as the project needs. You will hear from us within 1 to 2 working days of a new enquiry. We then go through the project with you in a meeting.
Cable tray routing in the model, built with parametric families that carry the material schedule with them.
When it pays to outsource point cloud to Revit model work
Outsourcing pays off as soon as the modelling work is predictable and comes in volume. A building with four storeys that are largely alike is a good example. That work demands precision and persistence, but rarely the attention of your own senior staff. We take those hours off your hands, so your own team can stay focused on design. We also often receive catch-up work on several buildings at once. In those cases your firm simply cannot add more people. There are situations in which your own team is better off keeping the work in-house.
If the translation involves a lot of design freedom, that decision belongs with the architect. We model what is there; we do not fill in design. We also leave engineering to you, including calculations and structural considerations. If the model is small and full of project knowledge that is written down nowhere, handing it over costs more than it yields. We will tell you so plainly in the first meeting. A third consideration is the level of detail. A model for facility management needs something different from a model for a renovation.
We set that level in advance, because otherwise we end up modelling components nobody uses. That is the most expensive mistake in this kind of work. Where we achieve the greatest return is in repetition. Window frames, openings, pipe fittings and valves recur dozens of times in a building. We build those as smart components and then place them in a single action. In a building with many identical elements, that cuts a considerable part of the lead time.
The cost of a point cloud to Revit model
Hourly or per project at a fixed price, either is possible. Which suits you depends on how clearly the scope is defined in advance. For a well-defined building with a clear level of detail, we quote a fixed project price. If the quality of the supplied data varies, hourly billing is fairer for both sides. We only bill actual working hours. If someone steps away for five minutes, the clock stops. That keeps the timesheet verifiable and any discussion afterwards short.
Costs are further driven by three things. The first is the agreed level of detail, because every extra level takes modelling time. The second is the quality of the data supplied. A dense, well-aligned cloud means less investigation than a set full of gaps and noise. The third is the degree of repetition in the building. We handle repetition with parametric families, which sharply reduces the number of actions. In comparable work in greenhouse construction, this approach saves at least seventy per cent of the time.
There, a valve in 90 and in 110 would otherwise be drawn by hand every single time. With us you pay no ongoing payroll costs. If someone is off sick or on holiday, we replace them and the work simply carries on. We do not work with prepaid hour bundles or an hours subscription. We tell you in advance how many hours we expect per floor or per component. That keeps the estimate easy for your project leader to follow and check. A small first package is also possible, for example a single floor.
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.
Who we convert point clouds to Revit models for
Our clients at OutsourceCAD are engineering firms, architecture practices, contractors and manufacturers. Around the table sit managers, team leaders and owners with the same problem. There is data for an existing building and nobody is free to turn it into a model. At architecture practices this often comes up around a renovation brief. The design team wants to start, but the existing model is not there yet. We supply that basis, so the design can build on it. At engineering firms it is more often about building services in an existing situation. What counts there above all is whether pipes, ducts and openings are in the right place. Contractors ask us for a model that supports construction and can later serve as an as-built. Manufacturers are more interested in components and assemblies than in a complete building.
The trigger is almost always the same for everyone: capacity. Too little time, too few modellers or a peak your own team cannot handle. We also come across half-finished models that have been left untouched. Someone started, priorities shifted and the rest is still outstanding. We pick up a model like that, sort out the setup and finish it. If the existing family library is very messy, we discuss whether rebuilding is faster than repairing. Our clients are based in the Netherlands, and that is where our focus lies. We do the work itself entirely remotely from our own office. You are welcome to visit, and we are just as happy to drive over to you. That usually happens at the start of a larger project.
From supplied point cloud to delivered Revit model
It starts with a meeting in which we go through the building and the purpose of the model. We want to know what the model is for and what level of detail goes with that. We then receive the data, often together with existing drawings that need revising. We first check whether the supplied set is complete and whether the alignment is correct.
If part of a floor is missing, we report it before we start. Next we agree on the setup, including the templates, families and naming conventions to use. We work to your standard, not to one of our own. We then model a first section, usually a floor or a facade.
We present it to you so you can check the setup before the rest follows. We incorporate your comments, after which the next section follows the same pattern. We match the frequency of our check-ins to the urgency, from every two days to weekly. Files go back and forth by email. On larger projects we use software you can log into to follow progress. Each section passes through at least three review layers before it leaves the office.
A modeller builds, a second team member checks and Sam, our team leader, then reviews it. Barry, our project manager, takes a final look, which in practice keeps the number of errors to a minimum. On delivery you receive the model in Revit format, plus the agreed sheets. The intellectual property is entirely yours. We can start as soon as the data and the agreements are in place.
Frequently asked questions about point cloud to Revit models
Let us build your Revit model from point clouds
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.