With BIM, the quantity take-off can be greatly speeded up, since the model has the information about all the objects in the building as well as their dimensions. However, it is important to note that it will, by itself, not enable automatic take-off. This is because the estimating process is a lot more complicated than simply getting a list of objects and their sizes. It also involves analyzing the building design, grouping objects into appropriate assemblies for construction, setting assembly and item variables, and then pricing the objects by taking off these assemblies or items. Thus, unless the BIM model was developed such that the objects are derived directly from construction assemblies, the assembly takeoff is still a substantial process in cost estimating. Currently, however, BIM applications do not model construction assembly details, for example, the nails, studs, drywalls, etc. for a wall object. This is why the approach of Graphisoft's Construction solutions, described in AECbytes Newsletter #15, is to allow contractors to create their own construction-specific BIM models rather than re-work the BIM models created by architects and engineers. Innovaya adopts a middle ground here—it works with the BIM models created in Revit, ADT, or ABS by designers, but it also acts as the quantity takeoff and estimating tool which synthesizes the BIM model and enables it to be used directly with construction assemblies and items for estimating...

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On Feb 1, the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at the University of Minnesota hosted a BIM Symposium under its "Continuing Professional Studies" program. The focus of the Symposium was on addressing the opportunities and challenges related to implementing BIM in the office, as well as the educational challenges presented by BIM in the design studio...

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