Building information modelling (BIM) is often promoted as a solution for achieving cost certainty in construction projects. However, many implementations fall short of this promise. According to Andrew Van Meel and Corey Jones-Viegas, BIM leads at WT, the issue lies not in the technology itself but in the governance behind it. Van Meel, WT’s national BIM advisory lead, and Jones-Viegas, BIM lead for New South Wales, bring over a decade of experience integrating digital engineering into cost management across large-scale projects. They emphasize that reliable and timely cost information is key for reducing risk and supporting better decisions, yet many BIM implementations fail due to inadequate structuring or late establishment of models.
They argue that BIM can deliver reliable and timely cost information, but only when established with governance and cost clarity in mind from the outset. WT, an international project advisory firm operating across more than 70 offices globally, has built its approach around independent client-side BIM management, ensuring models are structured to serve cost transparency, not just design coordination. This approach transforms BIM into a dynamic platform that tracks design changes against live cost data, enabling reliable tenders, better construction control, and long-term facilities management through digitalized asset data.
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The Role of Governance in BIM Success
When overseen by an independent BIM manager, properly governed models contain accurate, live quantities that enable faster, more reliable cost planning. As designs evolve, these quantities can be updated in near real-time, giving project leads a continuous read on how design decisions affect the bottom line. Paired with a digitally enabled cost planning team, take-offs can be refreshed as designs develop, ensuring cost advice remains live and responsive. Clear data requirements and regular milestone checks are essential to distinguish successful BIM implementations from those that underperform. These checks ensure the model remains accurate and aligned with project goals, addressing common barriers like inconsistent standards, software incompatibilities, and unclear responsibilities.
Regular model exchanges between design and cost teams enable iterative refinement of pricing, creating a feedback loop where cost insights inform design decisions. This process allows for quick comparison of multiple design solutions, avoiding lengthy manual remeasurement. By shifting BIM beyond a mere design aid, this approach transforms it into a strategic tool. It provides a repeatable and transparent baseline for making informed decisions about value, performance, and risk, supported by a robust BIM execution plan (BEP) that defines responsibilities and workflows.
Cost Certainty Across the Project Lifecycle
The advantages of a rigorous BIM setup are evident throughout every project stage. In early design phases, linking cost codes to model elements and defining cost requirements through a model cost plan creates a structured framework. This framework ensures design decisions remain aligned with budget parameters, preventing costly deviations. As projects progress towards tender, BIM accelerates cost planning and facilitates early resolution of coordination issues, lowering contractors’ risk allowances and typically resulting in more competitive tenders.
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During construction, variations can be assessed swiftly and transparently using the live model, reducing delays and disputes. Progress claims can be validated by linking model elements to completion status, providing an objective basis for payment. This transparency minimizes disputes and ensures fair compensation for completed work. At handover, well-maintained models provide reliable as-built records, simplifying final account settlement and establishing a strong foundation for facilities management, lifecycle costing, maintenance planning, and future expansion.
The Importance of Independent Oversight
Models vary significantly in quality and purpose. Consultants may configure BIM to suit their specific discipline, while contractors might prioritize buildability and risk transfer. Independent client-side governance ensures the model aligns with the asset owner’s objectives, delivering consistent, verifiable cost information rather than a design record that happens to contain data. This oversight eliminates consultant and contractor bias, enforces consistent standards across all parties, and provides regular health checks on model accuracy and ISO 19650 compliance, strengthening accountability.
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Even ongoing projects or operational assets can benefit from structured BIM oversight. Retrofitting such governance improves lifecycle management and operational planning, enhancing overall project outcomes. For organizations new to this approach, piloting it on a single project before wider adoption is practical. This strategy allows them to demonstrate the value of BIM in a controlled environment. BIM is most effective when treated as a holistic platform, requiring commercially minded specialists to establish and govern processes that turn model data into actionable cost insights.
These processes transform model data into actionable cost insights, providing developers and asset owners with the certainty and confidence they need. From early design stages through long-term operations, BIM offers faster, more accurate information and stronger cost control.