5 ways home builders can benefit from BIM

The April 2011 issue of Professional Builder features our latest report on the adoption of building information modeling (BIM) and 3D design tools in the home-building market.

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.

Read our BIM report at: http://www.housingzone.com/pb/article/technology-report-building-better-bim