Building information modeling (BIM) offers home builders a variety of advantages, not least among them the ability to create robust, detailed 3D renderings and walkthroughs on the fly to better market homes and keep customers updated on their home.
Beazer Homes, Oakwood Homes, and Winchester Homes are among the builders that have made the switch to BIM technology and never looked back.
These firms are benefiting from BIM in a number of ways. Here are five key benefits:
Customization — Builders can offer the design flexibility and options of a custom home at the cost of a product home.
Clash detection — Using a 3D model, builders can check for structural, mechanical, and plumbing system clashes and design errors upfront, eliminating costly construction changes on site.
Staff efficiencies — For instance, Oakwood Homes sells nearly 400 homes annually with a design department of just three people (one being the company president).
Site-specific plans — Once the base BIM models are created for each home a builder offers, creating fully detailed, site-specific plans is a simply process, providing accurate material counts and design specifications.
Marketing — Using BIM, builders can create robust, detailed 3D renderings and walkthroughs on the fly to better market homes and keep customers updated on their home.
David Barista is editorial director of Building Design+Construction and BDCnetwork.com, properties that combined reach more than 100,000 commercial building professionals, including architects, engineers, contractors, and building owners. He has covered the U.S. construction industry for more than a decade, previously serving as editor-in-chief of BD+C, Professional Builder, Custom Builder, and HousingZone.com, covering the U.S. construction industry for more than a decade.
