Your article on the use of building models by contractors (10 June, pages 58-59) focuses on very large projects and organisations with professional clients and a large commitment of resources up front.
However, the primary benefits of a building model are much more straightforward and are already available to nearly any size of project. Unfortunately, this is being obscured by an obsession with making computers do clever things that good personnel do better already – whereas a building model should be there to free the construction team to think creatively.
We have worked with design-and-build contractors as part of their team at tender stage to build a rapid simplified model for measurements and have found we can do it between seven and 10 days faster than the contractor’s estimator. This extra time post-measure on a six-week programme delivers a higher quality tender at a lower price.
Although our expectations were limited when we initially spoke to contractors, this has quickly changed. That said, this field is crying out for more involvement from contractors. It is only through this participation that myths about the complexity, strict procedure and ultimate usefulness will be dispelled.
Robert Klaschka, Markland Klaschka Architecture and Design
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