Taking Builders from Concept to Close
THE DEEPER STORY
“Our tagline is Concept to Close,” says BIMaire’s Joe Buysse. This turnkey software and consulting company offers a range of BIM services for every phase of the builder’s process. They can work with the builder’s existing software ecosystem but can also introduce new software when needed. They’re working with several large builders.
“The builder tells us what processes they want to improve. We analyze those processes, including how much they’re costing the builder and how much time they’re taking to complete. We then design the most cost-effective software package that will meet the builder’s goal,” says Buysse.
Technology solutions in the company’s toolkit include Vertex BD, AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, VRay, Unit, MiTek Sapphire Suite and Wrightsoft RightSuite.
Joe describes BIM as a multi-leveled, multi-disciplined implementation of a set of instructions that can potentially connect all the pieces in a home, but he also points out that builders can start anywhere. “If they’re interested in digital marketing, we can organize a project around that whether it’s an interactive floor plan for the kitchen or the master suite, or a full 3D walkthrough.”
He says that builder clients typically see a 35-40% increase in options revenue. Sales and closings tend to happen faster. Some have shaved six to eight weeks of cycle time from the sales process and one builder even created a virtual sales center for a community without a model home.
To get started, the builder just needs to provide a copy of their most popular plan. BIMAire will then do a rough cost estimate for modeling that plan in BIM. If the builder is interested, they will work up an exact cost.
When they’re done the builder gets a 3D model that opens up all sorts of possibilities. On the visual side, for example, they have software to get the model data into various applications, including high end rendering and 3D modeling software.
The model also gives the builder the ability to create master set plans as well as lot specific plans with options. It will show all the parts and pieces for each plan iteration, including cost estimates.
Keeping those costs current requires that information flow back and forth between BIMAire, the product manufacturers and the builder. In most cases, if the manufacturer updates the product data the company will push that update to the builder via an API (application protocol interface). But if the builder prefers to manually pull the data the system can also be set up for that.
It depends on what the builder wants.
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