Cost control through BIM technology extends across all stages of a project. In the early phases of construction, BIM offers several solutions to improve traditional cost control challenges:
1) Business Proposal Preparation
During commercial bidding preparation, accurately determining project quantities is one of the most challenging and critical tasks. BIM models feature automatic quantity calculation functions that simplify this review process. When designing a proposal, the bidding party should quickly and conveniently estimate project workload based on a solid foundation to boost efficiency.
This software integrates manual calculation methods with automation, allowing all calculations to be completed digitally and freeing cost managers from tedious manual work. For example, consider walls: the software can calculate quantities more efficiently compared to manual methods.
However, if the bidding party only provides design schemes and 2D drawings, a 3D calculation model must be created based on these drawings, with a detail level down to individual components. Once the quantity calculation is complete, an accurate result is generated, along with a ranking and percentage difference compared to the bidding party’s quoted quantities. This technique produces unbalanced quotations, reserving some profit margin to facilitate internal cost accounting.
The total price discount and cost control scope are supported by detailed data, providing operational flexibility rather than relying solely on past experience.
2) Technical Standard Preparation
Once the project is awarded, the structural content of the bidding documents can include a detailed section on BIM applications during construction. This aims to benefit both the bidding parties and the owners.
When preparing this section, it’s crucial to align with the company’s capabilities to ensure the implementation approach is practical and feasible. This helps avoid issues such as construction impossibility or failure to meet contract objectives after winning the bid, thereby protecting the company’s reputation.
3) Construction Organization Design Preparation
Before construction begins, the scientific validity, rationality, and practicality of the construction organization design are essential. This design, prepared by the construction unit, is submitted for approval to the supervision unit and filed with the owner.
The design comprehensively organizes project construction from both technical and economic perspectives, combining construction technology with management. It ensures that construction activities are carried out efficiently, reasonably, and systematically throughout the project.
The construction organization design includes the construction plan, site layout, schedule, and guarantee measures. It also covers personnel, materials supply plans, and construction machinery and equipment. This comprehensive approach results in a more complete construction plan and a reasonable site layout, with clear design outputs.
4) Cost Plan Preparation
The construction cost plan must also be prepared during the project’s early stages. This plan guides all cost control efforts and closely reflects real conditions.
Preparing a cost plan often involves referencing similar completed projects, making it important to retain data from these past projects. BIM encompasses data across the entire project lifecycle; once the project concludes, all engineering information is stored within the BIM model.
By formulating and analyzing a cost plan before starting, projects can predict costs more accurately and improve overall efficiency.
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