Modern businesses are constantly looking to inculcate the power of building information modeling. They consistently encounter a difficult choice: whether to create their own BIM software in-house or purchase ready-made solutions. The decision will significantly influence the workflow, efficiency, and bottom line of the company.
Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of each of these approaches to guide you through your decision.
Advantages of Building Custom Building Information Modeling Software
1. According to your specific needs
The first significant advantage of making your very own BIM software is that the solution can be perfectly suited to just and exactly your organization’s special needs. Custom-made software may be designed to fit right in with your existing workflows, working properly to handle specific stress points in your projects.
2. Full Control and Flexibility
Whenever you develop your own software, you will have complete control over the features and functionalities it has and its prospects for future development, which gives it a flexibility to adapt quickly to the shifting industry trends and client demands, placing you ahead of your competitors in the market.
3. Intellectual Property Potential
Proprietary BIM software developed by your company can prove to be very valuable intellectual property. If your solution actually does work, it may even enable you to license it to others as well, thus further supplementing your income with that licensing revenue.
Drawbacks of Building Custom Software
1. Up-Front Costs are Very High
Building in-house BIM software is time-consuming, resource intensive, and very capital-intensive. It requires talented developers, designers, and project managers, which tends to be expensive, especially for smaller firms.
2. Time-Consuming Process
It takes a long time to create reliable BIM software from scratch. An entire solution might take months or even years to develop, which may leave you in the cold while you wait for the fruits of building information modeling.
3. Maintenance and Updates
Once developed, maintaining your own software will demand many resources for updates and fixes continuously. That’s a lot of continued commitment and may shift your attention from what is core to your business.
Buying Off-the-Shelf Existing BIM Software
1. Instant Start-Up
The usage of ready software solutions in BIM has the benefit that you implement it really fast, which, in turn means you can start to enjoy the benefits of a building information model right after. This swift implementation results in achieving ROI faster and better results on projects.
2. Proven Solutions and Best Practices
BIM software is more mature once applied and thus has been well refined over the years of development while taking the opinions of users on board. This maturity tends to be reflected in more reliable and effective BIM modeling services for your projects.
3. Professional Support and Training
The good thing about buying BIM is that you often receive expert service, training materials, and a community of users. These resources can significantly accelerate your team’s learning curve with new technology and help them avoid common obstacles they might otherwise encounter on their own.
4. Regular Updates and Enhancements
Commercial BIM software vendors update their product with new feature, performance improvements and security enhancements. Since this is the case, your BIM technology will always be updated without requiring your effort.
Purchased BIM Software Disadvantages
1. Lack of Customizability
Pre-fabricated BIM software rarely fits your workflow or the particular project. While many solutions offer customized options, in practice, you might be forced to change your workflow to fit the solution rather than adapting the solution to fit your needs.
2. Periodic Licensing Fees
Most commercial BIM software is subscription-based, or there are licensing fees incurred periodically. These can become costly, especially for large teams or organizations.
3. Risk of Vendor Lock-in
By locking into a specific BIM platform, you may commit to a vendor, which means that you will face significant disruptions of your workflows if you decide to switch to another solution someday in the future.
Right Solution for Your Business
The decision to build or buy BIM software really depends on the specific needs and available resources and long-term goals of your organization. You should consider these factors:
- Budget and available resources
- The level of complexity of projects and your workflows
- The length of time over which the transition to BIM needs to occur
- How much customization is needed
- Your organization’s technical competence in-house
For most firms, hybrid will represent the best option. This may involve buying a central BIM platform, but developing your own custom add-ons or plugins to meet the specific needs.
Be it for or against, adopting BIM technology is a necessity to remain competitive in today’s AEC marketplace. The benefits from BIM-building information modeling range from collaboration and accuracy to boosting project visualization and are simply too interesting to look at.
We at BimOffis know how complicated this decision can get, and we’re here to serve. From the selection process, through the implementation or even development of the appropriate BIM solution for your organization, our seasoned team will guide you through it.
Ready to take the next step in your BIM journey? Contact BimOffis today for a personal consultation on how we can help you unlock all the potential of BIM technology into your projects.
