Are contractors scared of BIM?

My answer is a big YES!

This is understandable because BIM means process change and process changes are always painful.

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When they see the BIM Specification in the tender documents, the stress starts!

They understand it requires expertise and most of the time they decide to outsource it to a "BIM Consultant".

They start preparing an RFP for the BIM Consultant. The main target of this RFP is to make sure that all the responsibility is transferred to BIM Consultant and General Contractor is stress free.

This is also understandable but some of them exaggerates the situation.

I have recently received some RFPs that are absolutely unrealistic.

I am not sure how to explain this without going into specifics. They are almost like "BIM consultant is to be blamed if someone breaks his leg while skiing:) Whatever happens on earth, blame the BIM Consultant."

If you are not reasonable in what you want, you will receive non-reasonable proposals of course. I am not talking about extremely high costs.

I am talking about people who are not familiar with construction will send you proposals without understanding the responsibility they are taking.

Unfortunately some BIM Consultants are "software guys" not "construction" and they can not even imagine the risk they are taking.

I saw many projects the above scenario happened.

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Results?

Unfortunately failure and many problems for all the parties involved!

My advise...
- Be reasonable in the RFP.
- Get suspicious if some BIM Consultants hesitate to provide you a proposal:)

I am sorry for such a negative post on the last day of the week but I just received another strange RFP:)

Have a fabulous weekend!

Diyane Koseoglu
www.bimes.com