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The General Contractor It's inarguable that contractors fulfill an extremely demanding role in the construction process. The pressure is always on to work faster, save money and to bring the vision of the architect to life more effectively than their competitors. Tight deadlines, stringent rules and regulations and complex calculations further add extra steps in the journey towards fulfilling client demand. In addition, contractors sometimes act as a sort of middle-man between architects and subcontractors. In assuming this position, they are also generally held liable for economic losses incurred further down the supply chain. For this reason, contractors stand to benefit a great deal from BIM. By using BIM, contractors are able to predict errors before they occur making it easier to plan budgets and orders right from initial tender. At this point, the contractor benefits from being able to demonstrate, visually, exactly how he intends to construct the project and how the design and cost reflect the needs of the client. In addition to this, detailed preparation and scrutiny of the model at tender stage enables the contractor to better understand and – where appropriate – challenge the architect's original design. Pivotally, BIM also provides an opportunity for the greater supply chain to get involved at an earlier stage. They can each analyze and input ideas and suggestions prior to detailed design. Despite this, many smaller contractors are not, as yet, sold on the viability and bonuses of BIM compliance. Once again, surveys suggest that two key barriers to BIM adoption among small and medium sized contractors are a lack of client demand and a dearth of clear, concise and practical information explaining the pros and pitfalls of BIM with specific relation to the contractor's role. BIM & Design: From Architects to Subcontractors – Who does what?

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