14 Bad BIM Habits That BIM Managers Must Help Prevent!

Welcome to this new chapter in the fight against evil BIM. I’ll go through 14 of the most frequent evil BIM issues seen in the design and construction sector and how you may avoid them - sometimes with a bit of assistance from Plannerly.

1. Owners Just Requesting ‘BIM’

When a client is brainwashed by BIM software vendors who claim ‘endless advantages of BIM!’ the outcome may be an owner simply asking for ‘BIM’. The owner is likely expecting a magical digital twin unicorn but will undoubtedly be disappointed with the outcome.

As a BIM Manager, you must educate clients about what BIM can do for the project and align capabilities with the most critical project challenges.

2. When Too Little BIM is Produced

When not enough BIM is created, it can lead to incomplete processes. Takeoff quantities will be incorrect since they won’t include all element quantities. The 4D simulation will be challenging to finish because of the extra work required to fill in the blanks.

As a BIM manager, you need to ensure that the right people create enough BIM at the correct times. This may be done very simply, following ISO 19650 workflows, in Plannerly’s Scope module.

3. When Too Much BIM Is Produced

BIM can be great, but a colossal downside occurs when teams produce more BIM than needed, and the customer/end users do not use it. This leads to wasted time and resources. BIM Managers must be aware of the models’ potential applications before beginning modeling. As a BIM Manager, you can be a hero on your project by managing the BIM scope efficiently!

4. When Nobody Knows Who Should Do What

Who is responsible for modeling the lights in a building? Is it the architect, the interior designer, the electrical engineer, or someone else? This lack of clarity can lead to teams incorrectly modeling each other’s work, leading to severe miscommunication and mistakes. Like most BIM managers, you have to constantly help teams understand what they should be modeling and when. It’s your job to ensure that all teams are clear on the guidelines for who models which systems/elements.

5. Modeling 1,000’s of Unnecessary Clashes

If everyone starts working on their models simultaneously, it can lead to problems. This happens when teams create clashes without realizing it. Some owners ask, “Is BIM expensive?” Well, if there has been no planning, the answer is likely to be “yes!” The best way to avoid clashes is to set up a priority system and use Lean methods with collaborative “pull planning” workshops.

6. Evil BIM Scope Agreements

Sometimes teams will agree on a BIM scope that is more detailed than necessary, knowing that they will need to issue Change Orders later. This can quickly become a vicious problem if teams start modeling without clear guidelines. As a BIM Manager, it is your responsibility to ensure that the teams understand what is in-scope, out-ofscope, and how to document it.

The best way to avoid confusion and problems on a project is to list every system or element along with the responsible team. Once the matrix is complete, each team can sign off on their portion, ensuring that they are only responsible for work that falls within their area. You can use Plannerly’s simple, visual, and online tools to help with this process.

7. Poor Quality Modeling

If you are a BIM manager, you know that one of the main goals of using BIM is to make the workflow easier. However, many teams create and share models that are not of good quality. This increases the amount of rework needed and drives up costs!

It is essential to set up some guidelines for model quality and follow them. One way to do this is to create a BIM Execution Plan (BEP/ BXP) that outlines training requirements and the expectations for model quality. This should be created at the beginning of the project and shared with all team members.

8. BIM Spreadsheet Contracts

Using spreadsheets to document BIM commitments can be difficult. When BIM requirements are defined with just numbers (LOD 100 to LOD 500), it is usually unclear what these requirements mean. So specifying the Level of Information Need in a simple but comprehensive contract is essential.

When defining the Level of Information Need requirements for a BIM contract, make sure to be as specific as possible. Include the geometry requirements, documentation needs, and information requirements. This will help to prevent any misunderstandings later on.

9. Requesting ‘LOD 500 + COBie’

Do not accept vague BIM requirements just to win a project. When BIM requirements are not specific, it can lead to big problems later on in the project. Teams can feel under pressure to say “ok” and accept the owner’s request for inadequate deliverables.

The BIM manager’s responsibility is to ensure that the team understands the BIM requirements and can meet them. The best way to do this is to create a BIM Execution Plan (BEP) that outlines the expectations for each deliverable. This will help ensure everyone understands what is expected of them and what they need to do to meet the requirements.

10. Asking For BIM But Contracting to 2D

Some people might not want to use BIM because they have traditionally used 2D drawings. You can avoid this by educating the contracting team on the benefits of BIM and how it can save time and money. You should also create a BIM Execution Plan that outlines what is expected from each deliverable.

11. When Someone Says: “I need a BIM Execution Plan” but doesn’t know why

A common reason why BIM fails is that there is not enough organization. When there is no clear plan, it can lead to confusion and frustration. The owner might request a BIM Execution Plan from the team, but they might not know what should go into it.

When this happens, the project’s BIM Manager has to explain what needs to go into the BEP to the Owner. This often occurs when the BIM manager is the only one on the team who understands how to use BIM.

It is vital for everyone on the project team to understand BIM and their role in the process. You must make sure that the BIM Execution Plan (BEP) is clear and concise and that everyone knows what is expected of them!

12. When Someone Says: “I Don’t Care How You Model It, Just Make It Look Like This.”

This is one of the most aggravating things a BIM manager can hear. It’s like telling someone, “I don’t care how you do it; just make it seem like this.” When this happens, discuss with the owner or designer precisely what they want.

13. When Someone Says: “Why Can’t We Just Do It In 2D?”

This is another frustrating statement that is often made.

2D drawings are essential, but they should not be used as a substitute for 3D models.

3D models can provide more useful representations of the project, which can be more efficient in the long run. It’s important to explain this to help teams understand the longer-term benefits of using 3D models.

14. When Someone Says: “We Don’t Need BIM, We’ve Been Doing This For Years.”

When someone says that they don’t need BIM because they’ve been doing things the same way for years, it can be hard to convince them to change. However, times are changing, and new technology makes the construction industry work better. BIM provides many benefits that can’t be ignored, so explaining this to those resistant to change is essential.

So, in summary, Evil BIM is often caused by a lack of definition or understanding of the requirements; however, you can help your team by being patient and teaching them how to use BIM aligned to their own Information Management goals.

It’s a complex world out there, good luck in your fight against the big bad evil BIM!