BIM outsourcing versus in-house: Learn about the pros and cons

BIM outsourcing versus in-house: Learn about the pros and cons

With the construction industry going digital, you need BIM. So, should you outsource your BIM or build an in-house team? Let’s take a closer look at BIM outsourcing services versus in-house solutions, helping you decide which approach is right for your construction business.

Building Information Modelling or Building Information Management (BIM)—a holistic process of digitally representing a building’s physical, functional, and information characteristics that aid in decision-making for construction projects throughout their life cycle—is a ‘game changer’.

It results in a project with fewer changes and unanticipated challenges, faster delivery and lower costs. Beyond that, it improves productivity and safety while reducing materials and labour wastage. 

There’s no doubt that those of us in the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry need to recognise that BIM is here to stay. The only question is: whether to outsource your BIM in the UK or build an in-house team?

This blog article will explain what ​​outsourcing BIM services and having an in-house BIM team means, together with the pros and cons of both processes. You can decide what option is best for your business. 

But spoiler alert! There is no one-size-fits-all choice. Companies often use a combination of models to achieve their BIM goals and meet new digital responsibilities. The following intel will help you understand the best option for your organisation, project, and goals. 

Let’s get started!

Eager to understand BIM’s impact in construction? Discover how BIM is a game-changer for contractors and subcontractors in our article.

BIM outsourcing

We all know that one person who appears to glide through life getting more done in a day than most of us would in a week. Chances are they are outsourcing: delegating the tasks they don’t have the capacity for (or don’t want to do) to others. 

To an extent, we all outsource. Case in point? When your laptop is on its last leg, you take it to a computer repair shop. You hire an accountant if you struggle to prepare and chase invoices or deal with your taxes. When you want to win with words, you call a copywriter.

So, if you still need to get the time or money to set up an in-house BIM construction support team, or it simply feels like an uphill battle, outsourcing the work to a trusted and talented BIM service provider makes perfect sense.

But should you consider an alternative?

Using an in-house BIM team

Hiring a third party to manage in-house BIM needs is the right option for many construction companies—but not all.

Some companies prefer to build an in-house team of BIM specialists with experience using BIM tools and processes. Hence, the expertise stays within the company.

After all, building an in-house BIM team can feel like the ‘responsible’ choice. You’re hiring individuals who will, over time, come to know your company inside out. They will go on to play an important role in its evolution. You can tap into their knowledge any time you like. At the same time, they even have a seat at the table on project decisions. 

Ultimately, whether you’re creating an in-house BIM team or outsourcing your BIM work to an agency, it’s essential to ensure the BIM professionals you work with are the right fit for your business. Knowing how and where your new BIM team will fit within your organisation’s structure is also critical. But there is no right or wrong: it depends on your company’s needs, goals, and business model. Hiring employees rather than contracting the expertise when needed is a business model change.

Advantages of outsourcing BIM services

• • Outsourcing gives you instant access to a global pool of BIM specialists who are experts in what they do, knowledgeable of industry best practices, and up-to-date with the latest technology. It’s the quickest route to removing any barriers you have to successful BIM adoption. 
  • As your company grows, thinking you can do everything yourself becomes unrealistic. After all, you do what you do exceptionally well! That’s plenty. Plus, you want to avoid expanding your service pool to include BIM and risk doing it badly. That could damage your reputation and even impact your long-standing success in other areas. So, it’s simply a matter of recognising your strengths and weaknesses. Entrusting projects outside your expertise to professionals in the BIM field frees up your valuable time (and staffing resources). It allows you to focus on the business activities only you can handle.
  • Outsourcing solves an immediate need. On the other hand, building a competent in-house team takes time (anywhere between two to four years!). It demands hefty financial investment. And it could mean making changes to your business model. Upskilling your staff in this area is also challenging, with limited training programmes available. As a result, outsourcing BIM gives you professional expertise long before your business can take its BIM in-house. 
  • It’s cost-effective—and flexible. You can contract for the amount of support you need—whether full-time or part-time, permanent or temporary—depending on your requirements. Your business will save a lot by not having an in-house BIM team onsite. It does away with the ongoing costs for specialised training, high-end computer hardware, and the latest computer software. Plus, you will gain instant industry and technology expertise by working with an established BIM service provider. The job’s done! 
  • Outsourcing BIM brings immediate relief to your business. Make no mistake: finding, hiring, retaining and replacing exceptional talent can quickly become a time-consuming headache. However, when you outsource BIM, this is no longer your headache but that of the BIM service provider. Similarly, your BIM service provider will also take care of any hardware and software licences (another hassle, trust us), so you won’t need to worry about the stress or cost. 

  But let’s look at things holistically. Are there cons too?

Disadvantages of outsourcing BIM

• You have to trust your BIM service provider, as they will have total control over that aspect of the project. Mitigate any risk by clearly outlining your requirements and expectations from the offset. That way, everyone is on the same page.
• There’s always a tiny possibility that your BIM service provider will prove unreliable. Again, you can reduce this danger to some extent by asking the company for references. It would help if you also reviewed their ratings and case studies.
• It’s also worth remembering that, just as your business’ reputation is key to your brand, reputation is also one of the most valuable assets a BIM service provider has.

So should you go in-house?

Advantages of an in-house BIM team

• By keeping BIM in-house, you are in total control. You can see and manage project progress directly and hold the BIM expertise within the team (until someone leaves).
• Your in-house team will be more connected to your company and team and better aligned with your broader company goals. They could have a higher sense of ownership and pride in their work. Most importantly, they will know your company and customers inside out.
• Suppose you plan on using BIM on every project, and your business is busy and/or large enough to support a dedicated BIM team. In that case, this would be the sensible option. In fact, in-house BIM teams are great for companies that want BIM to become a primary function and a core part of their evolving business.
• In the long run, it could also deliver a better return on your investment vs outsourcing all your BIM work to an agency. It largely depends on the quality, experience, and size of the team you want to build.

But it’s not all good when you choose to go in-house. In fact, the cons are numerous.

Disadvantages of in-house BIM

• It’s easy to talk about building an in-house BIM team. But the reality? Putting together a capable BIM team requires a significant amount of time, effort, and investment—often right when you don’t have the time you need to get up-to-speed. It’s tough to find qualified BIMers—the ones with real project experience. Even if you do, there’s always the threat that employees can exit at any time, taking all their knowledge with them.
• BIM team retention is challenging. It’s an in-demand skill, and those with the skills know that! And, whether it’s voluntary or not, staff turnover is expensive. In fact, turnover could cost you 33% of an employee’s annual salary. If that’s a cost you have yet to budget for, it could impact your bottom line quickly, especially if you need to put the right systems in place on day one! 
• No BIMer can do it all. Suppose you need to meet all of the BIM requirements that most clients need (including modelling, coordination, information management, document control, and IT and security). In that case, you’ll need to hire a substantial team of digital construction experts—and that’s likely to be hard to do and expensive to achieve.
• Above all else, you will lose out on new opportunities and be left behind by your competition simply because going in-house makes it hard to keep up. Plus, money talks. The cost of creating (maintaining, and paying) your in-house team is invariably significantly more than a BIM outsourcer would charge.

Let’s get our verdict on going in-house vs outsourcing BIM services.

Verdict: In-house vs outsourcing BIM?

BIM is crucial to any construction company’s ongoing success. From the above, we can see that outsourcing BIM—working with outside experts to address in-house needs—is the optimal solution for most businesses. But, like anything, finding the right partner is key to successfully outsourcing BIM in the UK.

The best BIM agencies will discuss your company’s needs and work with you to develop a BIM plan that provides the support you need and want.

Wondering how BIM plays out in real projects? Dive into our Netflix case study showcasing the collaboration between a new London Landmark, ISG, and Shft.

Need help choosing who to trust with this critical, digital part of your business?

It’s time to talk to Shft. Leave your digital worries at the door and let us handle them.

We’ve made BIM our business so you can focus on what you love about getting a project done, while we embrace construction’s digital future for you. Get BIM done with Shft.

Like everything, construction is going digital. We take the headache out of helping construction companies achieve their digital goals and meet new digital responsibilities without having to do it themselves.