On Thursday night, our facility engineer showed me an as-built AutoCAD sketch for his toilet room renovation project in our Ohio manufacturing facility.

He asked if I could enhance the sketch with Revit for his Tuesday meeting with the contractor and facility engineers.

Starting Friday morning, it took 4 hours using Revit to create a fully coordinated construction doc set of

• floor plan,

• interior sections,

• interior elevations,

• reflected ceiling plan,

• plumbing fixture and washroom accessory schedules,

• 3D plan and 3D interior views.

AutoCAD Plan File Underlay

I linked his AutoCAD sketch of field measurements into the Revit file for tracing and as a reference for his ADA-toilet partition proposal.

Using the View Visibility (VV) settings, I set the Imported Category (Linked CAD file) to Half-Tone to make it less pronounced in the views.

Fully Coordinated Views & Document Set

Our interior designer provided a spreadsheet of components with their respective materials and model numbers for each room.

While she didn't specify the location of components; interior elevations and sections displayed product locations and heights for her review.

Using Bradley's pre-built Revit Family Library, the interior views and schedules immediately updated as the Revit components (lavatories, toilet partitions, accessories) were added to floor plans.

--- Key Costs for Building Revit Families | 1000 Bradley Revit Family Library ---

Cost Estimating

We added a Revit COST parameter to another plumbing fixture\accessory schedule (not printed). We exported the schedules to a spreadsheet to assist with the contractor's quoting process.

Revit Room Objects accurately reported each room's square footage for the floor finish renovation of each room. Additional face-to-face dimensions were added to field verify clearances between existing walls.

Sections & Reflected Ceiling Plan

Cross sections were created to field-verify clearances between the ceiling and structure.

It took 2 minutes to create a 'blank", correctly oriented reflected ceiling-tile plan from facility engineer's photos. He wanted to enhance the discussion of ceiling fixture placement (lights, vents, diffuser) with the lighting and HVAC engineering contractors.

Printing & Export to AutoCAD

The project was printed to scale on C-size PDFs; that are easily viewed or printed. Revit annotations (hatch, text, dimensions) automatically re-size and updated as we "played with each view's scale" to fit them on C-Size title block.

This plant facility is still managed in AutoCAD. However, we can export the Revit views to AutoCAD for inclusion into the facility's existing AutoCAD master file.

--- Revit for Restaurant Prototypes | Core Business-Design Values ---

Revit delivered these bottom line results;

The Best of BradleyBIM.com

BradleyBIM.com was launched in February 2011. It's initial goal was to serve as an online technical support tool for Revit professionals using the Bradley Revit Family Library. (1,000 families)  

Now totaling over 350 articles; Revit-BIM educational topics include LOD, prefabrication, staff training, software implementation, industry-market trends, winning new business, production tips, architecture, engineering, construction, facility management and so much more.

Averaging 50,000 visitors per year, we've listed our visitors' most viewed and shared articles from our Revit-BIM Article Library. 

Articles are sorted and listed below in the following 5 categories:

Revit-BIM for Design Reviews\Client Presentations
McGraw-Hill SmartMarket BIM Studies, Surveys & Reports
Architectural, Design & Specifications
Engineering, Design & Construction
Revit Implementation, Training & Management

Revit-BIM for Design Reviews\Client Presentations

 BIM for Virtual & Augmented Reality. Game On! (video gallery)

5 Revit Presentation Tips | Architect Steven Shell

Revit 10-Step Guide to Setup Lights for Interior Renderings

Owner Design Reviews | Expedite Multiple Revit Walkthrough Videos

Free Downloads of McGraw-Hill SmartMarket BIM Reports

(Download Reports from 2009 - Present)

Architectural, Design & Specifications

 BIM for Toilet Room Design | Construction Specifier AIA Convention Issue

Download Pre-built Revit Accessible Toilet Room Sample Model

4 Revit Fixture-Room Layout Tips | ADA-Universal Design Review

4 Bradley Revit Lavatories for ADA Compliant Toilet Room Renovations

BradleyBIM e-SPECS-for-Revit Begins 5th Year Commitment

Download Bradley Visual MasterFormat Specification Product Guide

Compact Accessible Green Toilet Room Design | Advocate Revit Library

5 Sustainable-Quality Benefits of Powder Coat Paint Partitions Revit Library

4 Hours | 2D AutoCAD to Visually Data-Rich Revit Documentation

Bradley Solid Plastic Revit Lockers | Easter-Egg Parameter Options

Bradley Molded Shapes | Solid-Surface Lavatory Systems - Revit Library (videos\product images)

Engineering, Design & Construction

 BIM Means Business | Plumbing Engineer Magazine - ASPE

BIM Means Business | Plumbing Heating-Cooling Contractors-WI

Skanska Revit-MEP Prefabrication | New Assembly Line Efficiency

Keltech Tankless Water Heater with Revit Type Catalog | Clearance Box

SysQue Provides Bradley Revit MEP \ Autodesk Fabrication Model Library

Revit-BIM Manages Construction Site Assets and Safety

Mayo Clinic BIM Manager - Project Model Development Specification (LOD)

 BradleyBIM for Design-Build \ Integrated Project Delivery \ EPC

BIM Process Improving Construction Site Safety | Turner Construction

5 Sustainable Features of Keltech Commercial Tankless Water Heaters - Revit Library

Revit Implementation, Training & Management

 Revit Implementation Puzzle - 5 Basic Planned Investments

Low-Cost Revit Implementation Strategy That Wins Business

Revit Implementation Secrets - 10 Best Revit Process Features

Assembling your Revit Implementation Puzzle, requires a transition of all the "pieces"; your organization, staff, technologies, project workflows, consultants and clients from CAD-based processes to your future BIM-based processes.

Based on 25 years of transitioning hundreds of design, construction and facility owner organizations -- these are the 5 typical investment costs; for your consideration.

To be clear - the Revit transition will change how all of the "pieces" connect and create the new "BIM-process picture" for your organization.

These will be upfront and ongoing investment costs. However, the costs are 'time and financial investments'; that can be planned within your budgets and billing processes. If properly implemented, documented and managed; they should provide a Return-On-Invest (ROI) from your BIM transition efforts.

For now, I've listed them below; many times including a link to a related article. Over time; I'll fill in the blanks with more detailed articles; that best explain how these made "the list" from my 10+ years of client Revit implementation experiences.

[ Low-Cost Revit Implementation Strategy That Wins Business ]

1 ) Hire a Revit Implementation 'Consultant'

A consultant should deliver a full assessment of your current staff, technologies, consultants, document distribution, graphic standards, and workflow processes. The 'consultant' could be an architect, engineer or contractor; that has a long, successful experience with a variety of organizational Revit implementations.

This person and/or organization should prescribe & deliver to your organization a roll-out recommendation with implementation options, schedule and budget. Review their Phased-In Plan; which typically involves Pilot Projects to clarify the Proof of Processes, specific to your organization. 

Your most effective method to quickly succeed, is to hire someone;,who can help you design your "Revit Road Map" --prior to starting the Revit implementation journey.

[ Revit Implementation Secrets - 10 Best Revit Process Features ]

2) Revit Software & Computer Systems\Networks:

The Revit software, computer systems & network will need to be better and faster; than the typical CAD workstations. The Revit project files will be larger; while Revit supports the benefit of several people simultaneously, accessing the same project file.

[ Revit 2016 New Features List \ Videos-Downloads-System Requirements ]

3) Revit Training and Continued Education

Revit's functionality and processes are far different than AutoCAD. Training will be required; to learn both the new software and the valuable productivity process enhancements. Designing a custom learning program; will expedite your Revit implementation plan; that is specific to your firm's staff and projects. You'll also improve your organization's Return-On-Investment by rolling out Revit faster, on more projects.

[ Keys to Designing Your Successful Revit 101 Basic Training ]

4) BIM Manager Role and Position

How do you prepare for the BIM Manager role and position in your organization? Do you hire from outside your firm or train from within? The BIM Manager responsibilities far exceed the role of a CAD Manager --which many times; was associated with managing project graphic standards, file organization and training.

[ Define BIM Manager Roles | Key to Shaping Compensation Programs ]

5) Revit (Family) Building Product Content Library - Standards

Assembling and managing a Revit Library of reliable building product content for your projects --will determine the efficiency of your Revit projects. There are hundreds of building product manufacturers; that provide free, pre-built Revit content (windows, fixtures, walls) --where almost none existed 10 years ago.

[ Key Costs for Building Revit Families ]

As these are NOT 'One and Done' investments; they need to be incorporated into every annual sales, business, marketing, education, management budget. BIM Means Business.

Daniel Hughes | BIM Strategist: These have proven to be the most consistent Revit investments; that organizations have embedded into their annual budgets. This "top 5" list has remained consistent for more than 10 years; they belong in your annual budget and business plans.

In November 2016, The Bradley International Group opened a new Dubai Office and Showroom. This expanded Bradley Corporation's 30-year commitment of supplying building products for Middle East design, engineering and construction projects.

Since 2009, The Bradley BIM Initiative has supported architects, engineers and contractors; that are using Revit-BIM processes in the Middle East markets. My visit to the new Bradley Dubai Office and Showroom; provided some late afternoon \ early evening trips to a few local architectural destinations.  

I thoroughly enjoyed teaching and meeting over 350 design-construction professionals during my two-week AIA-CES Bradley BIM Tour.

The opportunity to experience this region's amazing architecture, culture and people was truly a memorable adventure.

My personal thanks to Mohamed Barakat, Bradley's International Sales Manager for our Middle East clients. His personal efforts to take us to these destinations at the end of our work day; contributed to my ability to successfully shoot the images in this photo gallery.

Bradley Dubai Office: Jafza One, Office A1603, Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai, U.A.E

Download 60-page BIM Report:

McGraw-Hill Construction Business Value of BIM for Owners Report

Facility owners currently using BIM, plan to actively increase their use of BIM on more than three quarters of their projects over the next two years.

Top BIM benefits perceived by owners include:

• BIM visualization to enable better understanding of design.

• Fewer problems during construction from deficient documents or coordination.

• More well-reasoned design due to BIM analysis and simulation.

• Beneficial impact on the project schedule.

   - Taking the Mystery Out of BIM for Owners & Principals | CM-BIM Classes -

Excerpt: As owners expand their BIM involvement, there is a growing need for them to understand how best to enable their project teams to provide them with he greatest BIM value. In other words, what makes a good "BIM owner"? Several experienced AEC firms offer perspectives on that question.

- Mayo Clinic BIM Manager – Project Model Development Specification (MDS) -

Excerpt: Owners who adopt BIM for facilities management are viewing numerous potential benefits, but they face a range of cultural and technological challenges along the way. In order to achieve integration, are pursuing a variety of these strategies.

We extend our thanks & congratulations to Bradley Sales & Service Rep Agency, PIR Sales (Phoenix, AZ) for their successful outdoor Product Fair & AIA Education Day: 'The Event in AZ'

Our thanks to the several hundred architects, engineers, contractors, facility owners, professional associations and government representatives that attended throughout the day.

The outdoor Product Fair featured product manufacturers whose products PIR Sales' sells and services throughout the great State of Arizona.

Four (4) 1-Hour AIA-CES educational sessions were provided inside PIR Sales corporate facility from from 11:30-5:00 during the event.

Bradley was honored to provide staff, a BradVan mobile showroom, 2 booths and a BIM-Revit AIA-CES class to complement PIR Sales'; 'The Event in AZ'.

While visiting Salt Lake City, I was reminded of the role and value; that architectural models previously provided the design and construction teams of large facility projects.

The South Visitors Center of Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City Utah; provides a scale model of the Salt Lake Temple.

The tour guide mentions that it took 40 years to build the Salt Lake Temple.

Scaled architectural models made of wood & plaster, full-size prints of iron work, stain-glass window patterns, staircase handrails & bannisters; are just a few design tools I've found when renovating historic & older buildings.

Intro to Chemistry Meets Revit

The Intro to Chemistry Assignment

A couple years ago, our college intern, Rachel Hughes received a high school 'Introduction to Chemistry' assignment to: Calculate the volume (in cubic centimeters) of her irregularly-shaped Chemistry classroom, with a a sloped ceiling.

While she was taking  AutoCAD architecture classes; she was willing to learn how to solve this problem using Revit Architecture. Her Chemistry teacher approved the use of Revit to solve the assignment and asked for a brief description of the steps she used.

 We used a Revit "test drive" training process; that I developed for shortening my students' Revit classes. She took the Revit "steering wheel" and two hours later discovered the answer to her Chemistry assignment. While enjoying the intuitive "test drive" of her first Revit project; it also underscored the value of "I" in BIM.

"Revit creates the entire room faster than my AutoCAD."

Here's a summary and brief description of sequential Revit steps taken; that she submitted to the Chemistry Teacher.

I authored two articles for an Australian design + construction news site; that demonstrate Revit-BIM Level-Of-Detail (LOD) standards are not very new and how they’re driving business.

Revit-BIM Level-Of-Development (LOD) standards integrated our initial BIM Level-Of-Detail standards; which now has LOD functioning as a lightweight project management tool.

--- Design – Construction Processes Trending BIM-Dependent ---

 LOD is measuring\monitoring the projects'design + construction progress and completion deadlines. LOD is becoming a functional ingredient to Owners' BIM Execution Plans; while improving the model-building communications between project team members.

LOD is demonstrating its potential to measure Return-On-Investment (ROI) for individual Revit and/or BIM processes.

Here are the links to both articles:

Article #1:

Early Level-of-Detail Transitions to BIM Level-of-Development

Article #2:

BIM Level-of-Development (LOD) Driving BIM ROI

Defining and managing BIM models' Level of Detail (LOD) --or Level of Development is reviewed in great detail (no pun intended) by Antony McPhee, Registered Architect Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and Author of Practical BIM Blog.

Antony extensively researched his BIM LOD article; What Is This Thing Called LOD?. He provides BIM LOD Definitions from multiple countries and professional associations with descriptions and images.

Antony's LOD article serves as a great discussion tool; as BIM-based organizations define both their internal and project BIM & Revit modeling standards.

Excerpt from What Is This Thing Called LOD?,

What Exactly is Level of Development?

Therefore; a BIM Level of Development (LOD) for a chair might go:

LOD 100 = there is a chair
LOD 200 = there is a chair that has nominal space requirement of 500x500
LOD 300 = there is a chair with arm rests and wheels
LOD 400 = manufacturer and model number.
LOD 500 = manufacturer and model number, supplier, date purchased

or in General Terms:

LOD 100 = there is a thing
LOD 200 = there is a thing about this size
LOD 300 = there is a thing with these functions and options
LOD 400 = it is this particular thing.
LOD 500 = this particular thing provided by this person on this date.

Continue Reading the Entire Article: What Is This Thing Called LOD?