(1) Project Investment Decision-Making Stage
BIM (Building Information Modeling) technology significantly enhances construction personnel’s efficiency while reducing their workload and complexity. Construction teams can use BIM to virtually develop multiple design options in a 5D format—combining 3D models with time and cost elements. Once the building information model is created, the entire construction process can be intuitively simulated and analyzed, allowing for more informed engineering strategies.
Additionally, BIM enables effective model-based experiments that clearly illustrate the entire cost process to all stakeholders. Project quantities can be calculated quickly and accurately. After quantifying the project, related pricing and other building information can be accessed through the corresponding manufacturing systems. During the design budgeting phase, this approach helps minimize changes during construction and reduces resource waste.
BIM makes full use of initial mock examinations to avoid discrepancies in quantities caused by re-establishing calculation models, providing a reliable foundation for investment budget preparation. This greatly improves both the efficiency and quality of the work performed by budget planners.
(2) Cost Management During the Project Design Phase
Cost management professionals create a data model representing the design phase, which visually presents design outcomes. For example, collisions between pipelines and structural components—undetectable in 2D drawings—become evident in 3D BIM models. This model offers a solid basis for cost personnel to compare information and reference design costs.
In the preliminary design stage, BIM primarily supports inspections of building structures, floor plans, elevations, and sections. Using BIM data collected at this point, project costs can be accurately calculated. This approach results in more precise and reliable cost management during design.
During construction drawing development, BIM also provides professional auxiliary design support, enhancing the scientific rigor of drawings, minimizing design changes, and ensuring stable cost management throughout the project.
(3) Cost Management During the Project Bidding Phase
Accurate quantity calculation is a critical aspect of cost management in bidding. BIM technology enables rapid and efficient quantity takeoffs. Bidders can quickly obtain precise quantity data from BIM models, which allows them to develop better bidding strategies compared to relying solely on quantity lists in bidding documents.
This capability also reduces consulting expenses for cost advisory firms and creates more room to optimize bidding approaches. Because the quantities calculated via BIM digital models are more accurate and reliable, project losses due to quantity miscalculations are effectively minimized.
Additionally, construction teams can use BIM’s visualization features to evaluate bidding schemes, improving transparency and ensuring the feasibility of proposals.
(4) Cost Management During the Construction Phase
During construction, BIM’s simulation capabilities are used to optimize and plan construction activities. This technology provides a platform for communication with contractors, monitors construction progress, and visually reflects completed work within the model, allowing for intuitive progress comparisons.
Before construction begins, the process is simulated and key considerations are identified. For complex construction nodes, various methods are tested virtually to find the most efficient, fast, and effective approach. This ensures control over investment and maintains project quality.
(5) Cost Management During the Project Settlement Phase
BIM plays a crucial role in cost management during project settlement. Through data processing and model establishment, BIM enhances transparency, data accuracy, and efficiency in settlement tasks.
By creating a visual data model, both parties achieve transparent settlements, enabling timely adjustment and storage of cost information throughout the project lifecycle. This facilitates verification at each stage.
Since construction quantities are already integrated into the BIM model, it can generate settlement drawings and visually confirm that the settlement model aligns with actual results. This guarantees accuracy and standardization of settlement data, improves cost management efficiency, and helps reduce economic disputes during project closure.
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