Is BIM really necessary for small projects such as one-off new build dwellings or extensions/renovations in the domestic market ? This is the market where I provide Architectural services in the UK & no building contractor or client seems to ask for a BIM service in that regard & as such, I’ve not currently embraced BIM at all.
I may be wrong, but doesn’t every CAD or BIM CAD software rely on the information one inputs at the time of creating your CAD/BIM plans & doesn’t necessarily do this automatically ? Unless you input that information in the beginning or you’re using a previous saved symbol/component with the relative information.
In any event, Design Plans & then construction plans, in a 2D programme, have been traditionally used for many years prior to BIM. The level of detail is naturally up to the user.
So, whether you’re working in 2D CAD or a 3D CAD programme, all this information can be easily provided.
Prior to BIM capable programmes, these were typically promoted as very good 3D Parametric CAD programmes.
The key point of these 3D parametric or BIM CAD programmes, is that they’re capable of producing building elements in their whole form with all the associated layers & they work interactively with other building elements when inserting/building a model with automatic trimming etc.
Once the model is complete, you can then usually extract the same 2D CAD plans for the design or construction process & add more detail such as notes/dimensions etc as necessary.
Therefore, aren’t the more capable BIM CAD software programmes those which embrace parametric abilities whereby they generally trim/heal all the associated building elements as necessary when an edit or change is made.
Plain SU (without extensions) doesn’t have any architectural parametric abilities, which seems to be easier to undertake the BIM process for those programmes that do. Therefore, it would be interesting to see any short YOU-TUBE VIDEOS (by the-only-Aaron) to get the gist of how SU-Pro handles BIM.