BIM

Can I use BIM software to manage the data from the scanner they want me to buy?

OK, so here's what I think (this is long winded...)

Our industry is changing...A LOT. Around us here in NY we have VERY few property owners who are getting surveys anymore...only on larger ones or properties where the title company, owner or some other person does not already have a survey. The counties have two foot contour data available for free or cheap. Many development projects are started using GIS data before we even get involved. We get the occasional boundary stakeout, dispute or elevation certificate...and every once in a blue moon a title company calls.

But that doesn't mean we are out of work. My company is a new one, we started two years ago and we are busier than many fellow surveyors who have been around for 30 years. This is because we take our skills and expertise in data analysis and management to other business markets. I saw this years ago when I was working for a few other companies, things are shifting. Of course we will always have property surveys and that will always be ours, but in order to survive as a successful firm we have to expand on what we do.

At this point the majority of the work my firm does is for engineers, architects and construction firms. Most of our clients have no problem paying more than surveyor X because we can get work done fast and accurate and deliver it in a format that works for them. We can do this partially because we stay up with technology and have implemented fast and efficient workflows. We just won a job on a property that another firm had been working on for 20 years...why? Because they did not have GPS and had to run a very long traverse to get where they needed to be. We could do it in one day with a one person crew using a robot and GPS. And don't think that we don't conduct all the property research needed for a job (I've been accused of that on the internet a few times since that is obviously where we cut corners...), we just use GIS and other tools to get it done faster. We do work faster in the field and we do work faster in the office with efficient workflows and by staying on top of the tools available to us.

They are not publishing articles because that's where they want you to go work...they are publishing them because if you want to survive and expand your business you have to look at all the markets and technologies you can possibly make money in and with. And in order to do this you have to not only know what markets to look into but you have to understand that market, know what they want, know how to talk the talk. I'm not saying that everyone will have a use for the information that these magazines publish but they are useful to a lot of us. And they are a reminder that unless we adapt, work on adding things covered by our professional license at a legislative level, and understand where we can make money doing things other than traditional surveying, things are going to be tough going into the future.

We are just getting into scanning, I don't own a scanner but we have 4 jobs lined up that will make us some good money even when renting the scanner. Two are BIM jobs were we will be creating a model for them to design the interior of an existing building from. One is an engineering job were we need to map an area too dangerous for a person to go into without costing a ton. And the last one is for a theater so they can create marketing and investment materials, we are working with their web designer to create a 3D walk through of the theater for the website. I got these jobs because I knew what the technology was capable of and how someone else could use it. You have to know what the industry and prospective client want in order for them to give you work.

I am a relatively young guy and I go to conferences and other events with surveyors pretty often. The thing that kills me is that I hear a lot of complaining about why do we need to know this?, why do we need to know that?, why do I need continuing education?, etc. Industries and businesses evolve over time, and with modern technology it is happening faster than ever. You have to make sure you do not get left behind if you want to keep doing this. I hope that when my business is 30 years old some will say that to me if I'm not keeping up.

I hope this doesn't tick to many people off but I don't understand why I keep seeing people bashing an industry magazine for trying to inform it's readers about new technologies and markets that many of us can use to make more money. Isn't that what they are supposed to do?

Tom

PS...I also hope that the original post was not sarcasm...otherwise I'd look pretty silly...

> OK, so here's what I think (this is long winded...)
>
> Our industry is changing...A LOT. Around us here in NY we have VERY few property owners who are getting surveys anymore...only on larger ones or properties where the title company, owner or some other person does not already have a survey. The counties have two foot contour data available for free or cheap. Many development projects are started using GIS data before we even get involved. We get the occasional boundary stakeout, dispute or elevation certificate...and every once in a blue moon a title company calls.
>
> But that doesn't mean we are out of work. My company is a new one, we started two years ago and we are busier than many fellow surveyors who have been around for 30 years. This is because we take our skills and expertise in data analysis and management to other business markets. I saw this years ago when I was working for a few other companies, things are shifting. Of course we will always have property surveys and that will always be ours, but in order to survive as a successful firm we have to expand on what we do.
>
> At this point the majority of the work my firm does is for engineers, architects and construction firms. Most of our clients have no problem paying more than surveyor X because we can get work done fast and accurate and deliver it in a format that works for them. We can do this partially because we stay up with technology and have implemented fast and efficient workflows. We just won a job on a property that another firm had been working on for 20 years...why? Because they did not have GPS and had to run a very long traverse to get where they needed to be. We could do it in one day with a one person crew using a robot and GPS. And don't think that we don't conduct all the property research needed for a job (I've been accused of that on the internet a few times since that is obviously where we cut corners...), we just use GIS and other tools to get it done faster. We do work faster in the field and we do work faster in the office with efficient workflows and by staying on top of the tools available to us.
>
> They are not publishing articles because that's where they want you to go work...they are publishing them because if you want to survive and expand your business you have to look at all the markets and technologies you can possibly make money in and with. And in order to do this you have to not only know what markets to look into but you have to understand that market, know what they want, know how to talk the talk. I'm not saying that everyone will have a use for the information that these magazines publish but they are useful to a lot of us. And they are a reminder that unless we adapt, work on adding things covered by our professional license at a legislative level, and understand where we can make money doing things other than traditional surveying, things are going to be tough going into the future.
>
> We are just getting into scanning, I don't own a scanner but we have 4 jobs lined up that will make us some good money even when renting the scanner. Two are BIM jobs were we will be creating a model for them to design the interior of an existing building from. One is an engineering job were we need to map an area too dangerous for a person to go into without costing a ton. And the last one is for a theater so they can create marketing and investment materials, we are working with their web designer to create a 3D walk through of the theater for the website. I got these jobs because I knew what the technology was capable of and how someone else could use it. You have to know what the industry and prospective client want in order for them to give you work.
>
> I am a relatively young guy and I go to conferences and other events with surveyors pretty often. The thing that kills me is that I hear a lot of complaining about why do we need to know this?, why do we need to know that?, why do I need continuing education?, etc. Industries and businesses evolve over time, and with modern technology it is happening faster than ever. You have to make sure you do not get left behind if you want to keep doing this. I hope that when my business is 30 years old some will say that to me if I'm not keeping up.
>
> I hope this doesn't tick to many people off but I don't understand why I keep seeing people bashing an industry magazine for trying to inform it's readers about new technologies and markets that many of us can use to make more money. Isn't that what they are supposed to do?
>
> Tom
>
> PS...I also hope that the original post was not sarcasm...otherwise I'd look pretty silly...

Great Post!

Great response, Tom. My reply was going to be: "no... don't jump. Drag your feet and complain like you did with GIS. Then watch every other related profession run away with this market while you still complain." It's what the market is demanding right now, and I'm always baffled as to why land surveyors, having the knowledge, clout an spatial expertise that they all do, are always so opposed to new opportunities when the profession is slowly withering away.

It's VIP!

The movie is Lover Come Back (1961), starring Rock Hudson and Doris Day.

Great post Tom! All you have to do is google BIM and you can readily see that this is just a natural progression of the Design/Build world.

I built a 3d model of my home years ago. It really helps when planning repairs to a house that was built in 1903.

Many of us will never need or use this stuff, but if you are in the world of urban construction you better get up to speed.

Joe