Construction
and design documentation form an integral element of any construction
project's design and planning stage. With the clients (facility owners)
raising benchmarks with regards to quality, cost efficiency and
completion timeframes for such projects, the entire AEC fraternity is
seeking ways to meet these requirements, whilst staying profitable. In
addition to this, there is a growing client-side demand for employing
BIM-based 3D virtual planning in combination with traditional 2D CAD
methods for multi-faceted benefits. Accordingly, architectural and
building services firms are considering CAD and BIM outsourcing as a
suitable practice not only to reduce cost but also increase quality,
productivity and boost in-house efficiency.
Whether
the project requirements include elementary paper-to-CAD conversions or
complex MEP modelling and coordination support assignments, there are
numerous benefits that architectural, MEP engineering, contracting,
project management and MEP consulting firms can derive from outsourcing
their construction design and documentation work. Some of them include:
1. Cost-Effective Access to CAD and BIM Expertise
It
is extremely difficult for architectural and MEP firms to set up
specialised internal teams proficient in developing BIM-based design and
construction drawing sets. Transitioning from 2D CAD to BIM is a long
learning curve, particularly for small- and medium-sized practises. For
such firms, partnering with a third-party vendor who specialises in
outsourced CAD services can speed up turnaround times whilst maintaining
quality standards and local design regulations.
2. Ability to Concentrate on Core Function
When
firms involved in architectural, building services, general
contracting, project management and AEC consulting, outsource their CAD
and BIM documentation work, they can conveniently reduce operating costs
whilst focussing on their respective fundamental services.
3. Support to Share Project Risk
Having
a competent and reputed CAD outsourcing partner allows a business to
share the project risk. When you subcontract design and construction
drawing assignments to a third party, you trim down the risk involved in
training your internal team members and having them execute a non-core
function. Furthermore, in the AEC industry wherein timelines and quality
standards are critical to success, outsourcing can prove to be a
valuable route to a business' success.
4. Time and Resources to Develop Internal Team
Outsourcing
saves the time, effort, and cost involved in setting up CAD teams,
including procuring software licenses, configuring high-tech systems and
putting together a team of expert technicians. As a result, the firms
that outsource efficiently use the same time and effort to develop their
in-house team.
5. Leverage Time-Zone Advantage
By
choosing to offload CAD and BIM-driven documentation work, including
drafting, 3D modelling, 4D scheduling, MEP drafting, MEP modelling, MEP
coordination and clash detection, architectural and MEP engineering
firms can easily make full use of the difference in time zones. For
instance, if a UK-based architectural practise outsources its design and
documentation work to an Indian-based CAD company, your assignment will
be worked upon whilst you are away from office and delivered when you
return the next morning. As a result, you get round-the-clock operations
for your business that will increase productivity.
6. Save on Recruitment Overheads
Offloading
CAD and other complex BIM-based design documentation services to
third-party providers offers a business the ability to remain flexible
and quickly adapt to market fluctuations as the cost, time and efforts
of recruiting, training and setting up a quality team of technicians are
saved.
7. Enhance End Deliverables
When
non-core functions are subcontracted to outsourcing providers, the
entire delivery life-cycle shortens whilst maintaining quality
benchmarks agreed upon. Since your outsourcing partner can deliver
high-quality documentation sets faster, your business can boost up
input-to-output time cost-effectively. As a result, you maintain the
quality and timeliness of your service, thereby increasing the end
client's satisfaction.
8. Trim Operating Costs
Establishing
a highly-skilled team of CAD and BIM technicians involves recruitment,
employee training, procuring software licenses, besides setting up the
hardware and online collaboration infrastructure. When your business
chooses CAD and BIM outsourcing as an option, you can cut back on the
outlay, time, and efforts required for the same.
9. Provide Competitive Edge
As
there is a greater push than ever by all the key stakeholders to avoid
budget overruns during all phases of the design and build, outsourced
CAD services can certainly prove to be a positive value proposition for
architects, MEP (M&E) consulting firms, and general contractors
looking for a scalable yet cost-effective alternative to setting up
in-house teams. This, in effect, provides a highly competitive edge
whilst offering a flexibility to tackle the ups and downs of market
cycles.
Kuldeep Bwail is a Director at XS CAD Limited, one of the leading Revit 3D BIM Modeling companies providing outsourced CAD services to
architects, engineers, MEP (M&E) consultants and contractors across
the UK, US, Australia, Canada, Europe, India and the Middle East.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kuldeep_Bwail
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