The QS profession adheres to the 5th dimension of BIM, which can be used to facilitate take off, counts and measurement directly from a model and the quantities can be directly linked to cost database.
The time spent by the estimator on quantification varies by project, yet maybe 50-80% of the time needed to create a cost estimate is spent just on quantification. Given those numbers, one can instantly appreciate the huge advantage of using a building information model for cost estimating. When you don’t require manual takeoffs, you can save time, cost, and reduce the potential for human error. Using a building information model for quantification leads to faster, more accurate cost estimates and updates.
BIM can easily detect design changes from the model, which enables the estimator to validate previous quantities against the new design, and then automatically update those quantities.
The information in the model is always consistent with the design and when a change is made in the design, the change consequently reflects in all related construction documentation and schedules, as well as all the takeoffs, counts, and measurements that are used by the estimator.
BIM provide more detailed and accurate quantities, with the availability of geometric properties for building elements in producing accurate quantities, such as area and volume etc. The benefits of BIM can't be realised by the quantity surveyors until the model issued to them are embedded with the required information needed for automating tasks.
