Revit in Production home builder environment: estimating?

[Anonymous]

Hello all.

I currently work for a "Production" home builder (spce and semi-custom) here
in the metro Atlanta GA area. We currently use Datacad as our CAD system.

I am interested in finding out more about Revit's capabilities, especially
in terms of how well it intergates into estimating systems to facilitate
takeoffs, etc.

If there are any production (and semi-custom) home builders using revit, I
am VERY much interested in hearing how well it integrates, especially with
the estimating.

Thanks

Aaron

P.S. I also want to learn either Revit or ADT to enhance my mareketability

[cynthiadsgn]

I don't know of any either, at this time, but post their info. back here if you find somebody. In regard to your ADT marketability and take-off look to the visionrez product or when in the Atlanta area look up a reseller, Imaging Technologies, and go for some ADT, Revit or visionrez training. Had a co-worker use them and they had a good experience. Happy training! :)))
Thakns,
Cyn

[drstudio]

aaron look at winestimator out of wahington
they have cad translator that should meet your requirement

[JamesMcL]

Have you looked at Archicad by Grafisoft?
Archicad is great with Res. projects...

[Womack]

Revit will integrate very tightly with Timberline's estimating software. There are some examples of contracting firms (larger commercial projects) that re-drew the architects drawings into Revit for estimating. I believe there was even a Web-cast on this 18 months or so ago.

[Anonymous]

I work for a production/semi custom home builder in Madison Wisconsin. We are using Revit exclusively. We are in the process of creating schedules to use in conjunction with Timberline. I already have all the schedules created and I am currently working with some people on how to merge this information into Timberline, and produce the output we wish to see. I would love to hear how your firm is coming along in the process and would like to share any insight I may have that would help you get further ahead in you r quest.

[dlinford]

I work in the Production / Semi custom home building industry in Utah. We are considering a move to Revit from AutoCAD / Architectural Desktop.

How has your experience been?

We are concerned about the following items and more?
1. Transition from AutoCAD. All of our current homes are in AutoCAD? All of our details, notes and block libraries would need to transfer?
2. Collaborating with outside designers, engineers and others? Do you export to DXF? Do you require others to use Revit to get contracts?
3. Finding / Training Revit operators. How is the transition for existing AutoCAD operators? How is it to find new Revit operators?

Are there any other issues that you have run into?

David

[Anonymous]

Look at innovaya www.innovaya.com, I guarantee it does what you want.

[michaelbowling7987]

I realize this post is from ten years ago, but I'm sure many are still asking these questions, so I will answer them.

1. Transitioning from Autocad to Revit does require redrawing your project.  However, notes, blocks and details can be inserted as .dwgs into Revit without redrawing them.

2.Collaborating with outside designers, engineers and others.  Many now use Revit, and any Revit drawing can be exported as a dwg for use by someone else.

3. Finding / Training Revit operators.  Can be hard to find, but getting less so every day.  Learning curve is rather steep, so I would suggest paying for training.

I've been using Revit since 2003 exclusively for residential design and have helped three different homebuilders in the last three years transition from Autocad to Revit.  (and yes, they are still using it!)

Thanks

[jalbert300]

Michael, do you have a lot of Design Options in your Revit projects? Ive found the number of options many production home builders offer to become "unmanagable" in Revit.

[mharkins]

We are investigating the use of Revit (again) to do material take-offs / Quantity Take-offs in the Production Home Building arena...  Specifically... has anyone heard of a successful implementation with regards to Sales Options...  these are not design options but structural options such as additional rooms - adding SF to footprint.... multiple elevations that change the roof structure... options that change the foundation... etc.  We need the ability to create material take-offs specific to the options and how those options add or subtract from the base house.  Also... is there a way to swap-out data bases that would allow us to quickly alter a take-off based on geographic locations... for instance one location may use engineered wood beams while another uses steel.  Or one area requires 10" foundation walls and another 8" while the rest of the house remains the same.  We also have some areas where the structure actually changes because of the orientation of the structure...ie.  leeward vs. windward side of a body of water.