7 points to look out for when selecting a BIM outsourcing partner

Outsourcing BIM services reveal a dramatically increasing trend because of the high demand for BIM services. It has proven to be an efficient and feasible solution that enables companies to save time and effort. However, selecting the right BIM partner is extremely important to the success of your project.

So, how should you choose the BIM outsourcing partner?

Someone prioritizes low costs over everything. However, we think accessing every aspect of a BIM outsourcing partner like their experiences, staff, pricing models, quality standards, commitment, IT infrastructure system is essential. Choosing a trusted and reliable partner helps avoid construction hassles and project risk at the next project stage. We have come up with 7 points to look out for when selecting a BIM provider to help you make the right decision.
If you are looking for outsourcing BIM services, you should follow these points below to avoid serious problems.

Here are 7 points to look out for when selecting a BIM partner

1. Be aware of BIM partner’s ability

The first thing you should do is to check and clearly understand the BIM outsourcing partner’s experience. You might list a series of questions to collect the necessary information. For example, how many projects have they executed? What was the scope of the project? What types of BIM services have they provided?
These questions will help you know how expertise the potential partner is. There are several ways to check the BIM partner’s experience:

• Request their company portfolio and go into details on what types of services they have provided, the scope of projects executed, staffs, industries they served, IT infrastructure system, etc;
• Visit the company’s website, read reviews, and customer success stories. Dig deep into the kind of projects successfully delivered by the BIM partner you plan to select;
• Look at their social media profiles such as Linkedin, or Twitter;
• Contact and request a trial to understand more their capability. Check the quality checklists such as BIM protocol, families, templates and standards;

For example, if you are a 3D laser scanning company and looking for someone to help you with Scan to BIM requirements, a BIM outsourcing service provider with the fine “Point cloud to BIM” experience is appropriate.

2. Do they keep a high commitment?

The BIM partner you select should deliver your project on time because it can impact your later project stages. To check their commitment, you might refer to reviews of the company, client testimonials, or case studies to determine if they deliver on time. Work together with a company that keeps promises you will get a successful project.

3. Do they have quality standards?

Checking the quality assurance and quality control processes of your BIM outsourcing partner is necessary. Having quality standards will help them create accurate and high-quality 3D BIM models. Thus, you ask your BIM outsourcing partner about adequate quality standards and quality check processes. At ViBIM, we always provide a comprehensive quality checklist that will clarify the scope of work, the detailed requirement of projects, the Level of Details (LOD), and the Level of Information (LOI) before commencement. It helps customers and us have the same understanding of the scope of projects and requirements in detail.

4. Be efficient and quick in communication

Communication is crucial to the success of BIM projects. So, your BIM outsourcing partner should be able to listen to and fully understand all your requirements. Their team also needs to respond quickly to you on every channel, even in a different timezone. Besides, it shall be better if having a project manager who can follow and keep your project on track.

5. Find out their pricing plans

In reality, lots of BIM providers offer a low hourly rate to gain clients. However, cheap BIM outsourcing services do not always assure the efficiency and the quality of the final deliverable. BIM requires lots of time and effort. A reliable BIM provider will always offer a worth price with their ability.

Be careful with companies that offer a low price. They can lack experience or the necessary skills to create BIM models. These things can lead to the poor quality of BIM deliverables. Selecting a BIM partner that is not skilled and experienced can risk your project.

Please clarify their pricing models before making a decision. The pricing plans can vary on the type of BIM services and scope of work. For example, a BIM outsourcing partner can apply an hourly rate for Scan to BIM or BIM design services. But a lump-sum price can be appropriate to 3D BIM coordination.

6. Request a pilot project to understand more

A trial project is an opportunity for you to assess the capabilities of a BIM outsourcing service provider. You can request a pilot project to know more about their skills, knowledge, strengths, and weaknesses. With first-hand experience, you have a chance to verify the credibility of BIM providers you find out before.

7. How do they handle confidential information?

Confidentiality is one of the crucial factors when outsourcing BIM services. So signing a non-disclosure and intellectual property agreement are vital. It makes sure that nobody discloses any data and information about the project.

Besides, you should also check the IT infrastructure system of BIM outsourcing BIM providers. A well-developed IT system will help to protect your project data from destruction and other losses.

In conclusion

Selecting a BIM outsourcing partner is not an easy task. It does not just stop enough qualifications since BIM projects require extensive collaboration and communication. No matter what BIM outsourcing services you look for are, choosing the right outsourcing partners is vital. It will benefit your companies now and in the future.

If you’re looking for someone to handle all the 7 points above, then we can help you. Drop us an inquiry, and we will gladly assist you.