BIM technology has effectively addressed the current cost management demands in construction projects. Its advantages in controlling construction costs are mainly highlighted in the following aspects:
(1) Cost Planning Stage
The cost planning stage is crucial for managing expenses in construction projects. It involves making reasonable and effective arrangements for personnel, materials, machinery, and subcontracting. Based on available resources, construction plans and goals are formulated, ensuring that limited human and material resources, as well as time, are properly allocated to prepare an accurate cost plan. BIM technology offers the following key benefits during this stage:
① BIM consolidates all influencing factors across the entire construction project lifecycle into a comprehensive control model. This allows all stakeholders to easily access historical data anytime and anywhere, reducing reliance on experienced personnel as seen in traditional projects.
② Using BIM models, quantities of building components can be automatically identified. Once resource needs—such as labor, materials, and machinery—are determined according to progress and construction plans, cost calculations can be swiftly generated by linking with pricing data. This enables precise allocation of costs over time and location dimensions.
③ Prior to plan execution, BIM’s pre-simulation optimization feature allows users to simulate and evaluate proposed schemes. This helps assess plan rationality and make necessary adjustments to balance resource utilization across different construction phases.
(2) Cost Execution and Feedback Phase
This phase involves the actual implementation of the project. Accurate execution of plans and effective feedback mechanisms are essential for controlling costs. BIM technology provides several advantages here:
① Cost data analysis is performed on various project aspects during control, establishing a unified approach to cost management based on real physical data.
② BIM calculates resource demands at each project stage by monitoring actual progress and conditions, enabling dynamic resource tracking and timely procurement scheduling.
③ BIM integrates physical building information with process data. Throughout construction, progress and cost information from different phases are fed back into the BIM system according to the relevant building components. BIM’s powerful calculation capabilities detect deviations between planned and actual costs, facilitating prompt corrective actions.
④ When engineering changes occur, BIM quickly calculates differences in quantities by comparing model versions before and after modifications. This allows the schedule to be updated in real time, accelerating response times and reducing costs.
⑤ BIM serves as a collaborative platform for all project participants. Supervisors review the project using the BIM model, owners monitor progress and funding in real time, and general contractors communicate efficiently with suppliers and subcontractors via the platform—improving overall efficiency and cost control.
(3) Cost Analysis Stage
The cost analysis stage is vital for understanding project changes and the underlying reasons for cost fluctuations. It provides valuable insights for forecasting future project costs and guiding cost control efforts. BIM technology offers significant advantages during this phase:
① BIM’s visualization capabilities allow the entire project to be broken down by time cycles. After each cycle, progress, resource investments, and arrangements can be visualized and reviewed through BIM tools. Although construction is irreversible, this analysis helps project teams and cost controllers gain a clearer, deeper understanding of issues and make improvements in subsequent cycles.
② BIM supports multidimensional analysis. It enables thorough consideration of all influencing factors, allowing for detailed cost evaluations at sub-project and process levels. This in-depth comparison helps identify potential areas for cost savings and provides a solid foundation for ongoing cost control measures.
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