What impact does the advancement of BIM technology have on cost management? Many cost professionals are considering this question in the current era of BIM development. The ongoing adoption of BIM technology is reshaping the ecosystem of cost consulting within the construction industry.
1. Significant Reduction in Computational Modeling Workload. Since design models are now integrated, traditional computational modeling tasks are evolving into model verification and supplementary modeling (such as adding steel bars, cables, etc.). The physically demanding work of traditional modeling is shifting toward model checking and refinement based on computational model rules.
2. Dramatic Improvement in Computational Efficiency. Traditionally, cost consulting involved calculating quantities from construction drawings after the design phase. Depending on project size, this process could take anywhere from one week to several weeks, followed by cost estimation. By reducing the volume of computational modeling, the time required for cost consulting is directly shortened. Moreover, the calculation results can be linked one-to-one with model components in the software, allowing for quick and intuitive verification.
3. Reducing Enterprise Burdens and Shaping a Competitive Workforce. In traditional cost consulting firms, the majority of personnel are involved in quantity calculation and modeling. With BIM technology adoption, quantitative modeling no longer represents a major human resource expense. Instead, rich data libraries, accumulated project experience, and senior technical experts become the core competitive advantages of cost consulting companies.
4. Transition from Node-Based to Continuous Companion-Based Cost Consulting Services. BIM technology enables cost consulting to go beyond budgeting, inventory, change evaluation, and settlement stages. It now supports project progress evaluation, earned value analysis, and pre-project evaluation, all requiring specialized technical expertise. Project management and pricing are complex, involving numerous sub-items, quotas, and market price adjustments. Professional software users and cost consulting experts provide vital technical support throughout. The cost consulting industry is extending its reach to project sites and the entire construction process, integrating closely with project management to offer continuous, comprehensive cost consulting services.
These trends are emerging steadily within China’s cost consulting industry. We encourage everyone involved in cost work to seize the golden opportunity presented by BIM development and elevate their professional capabilities to the next level.
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up