SCRUG

The 1/16/14 South Coast Revit User Group Meeting focused on the use of BIM in construction cost estimating.
Beside the usual attendees (US CAD, Kelar Pacific, Microdesk, architects, students, engineers) there were two estimators. Presenting were Clive Jordan – civil engineer and western region rep for Trimble, and Michael Smith BIM Manager for CW Driver.
•Trimble has taken the tact that their estimating software includes scheduling
o Each version of a model is exported to Vico and then the software can highlight the changes in 3D
o Some information can be pushed back to the modeling program
o The goal is to avoid creating a new model for estimating and construction purposes
o The estimators database needs to be input into Vico and costs are connected to geometry
o One should be able to determine what levels of detail is required to get the estimate to determine the budget, it can help one manage the design and construction team
•Autodesk has added estimating to their Navisworks product
o Any 3d program with parameters can be used to build an estimate
o You can hide items as they are estimated or assigned to a category
o As versions of models change you can compare what changed – it will list savings or increases
o You can add notes as a “virtual” estimate
o The “items” can contain “resources” for example, “concrete slab” can contain “concrete”, “rebar” and “formwork”
o Once you have created “items” you can drag and drop geometry to the line item to assign them to an “item”