Stages of CAD: How to optimise your outsourcing

When outsourcing CAD for your construction project, ensuring the right resource and the right amount of time is spent on each stage of the project is critical to preventing delays and costly errors.

Construction industry changes and outsourcing

The construction industry is rapidly evolving to embrace faster, more efficient ways of working.

• Complex projects involve increasing numbers of specialist subcontractors.
• Some parts of the build are now manufactured off-site, requiring a high degree of accuracy and co-ordination.
• Design, project planning and cost planning is increasingly digitised, making it easier to give real-time updates and to share with multiple teams.

As clients aim to maximise efficiency and turnarounds become faster, getting the right stakeholders involved at the right time makes all the difference.

When too many specialists have a lot of input too early, client objectives aren’t captured properly, and effective options could be closed off. This will waste time and budget on unnecessary resource while also resulting in designs and schedules of work which don’t deliver what’s needed.

If specialist sub-contractors are brought in too late there won’t be enough oversight on the most efficient ways to achieve the project goals. For example, CAD in stage 3 provides spatial co-ordination for MEP services, while CAD in stage 4 provides the highly accurate technical drawings needed for construction. However, if MEP designers aren’t also consulted during stage 1 (when the project brief is created) there may not be sufficient budget allocated for ensuring the MEP services meet the spatial requirements for the construction.

The RIBA Plan of Work as a guide

The RIBA (Royal Association of British Architects) Plan of Work gives a template for the stages a construction project should go through and at what points client, design and construction teams should have input or should be more actively involved.

Of course, each project has a unique set of circumstances, so this is only a guide and experienced client and design teams will be able to use this as a framework to create the optimum flow for the project.

Below, we will walk through the 7 stages of the RIBA plan of work, what each stage should accomplish and who should be involved. This will help any client team to better understand their outsourcing requirements. It will also help you map out the necessary information exchanges and how you use digital tools to ensure a smooth, accurate flow of information between stakeholders.

Stages of CAD work

Stage 0 – Strategic Definition

A pre-requisite for all design work, including CAD, this stage is all about ensuring the project is working towards the client’s goals (or requirements) in the best way. It will even consider whether or not construction is the right approach.

Outcome

Confirmation of the best way to achieve the client requirements.

Outputs

• Business case for the project (including Project Risks and Project Budget).
• Client Requirements.

Who is involved

At this stage, it is usually only the client team who are active. Although they may need input from specialist advisors to fully capture all the client requirements.

The design team will almost never be involved in Stage 0 and this stage is not about producing a detailed brief – it’s called Strategic Definition for a reason! Design thinking may be needed to address the strategic considerations, which means a specialist may be consulted, but they won’t be heavily involved.

Site surveys will also be part of this stage, both for an entirely new construction or where the project involves revamping an existing building. For a revamp project, 3D point cloud scanning is a quick and cost-efficient way to map the existing site.

This stage will gather the information needed to ensure the client requirements are compatible with the project budget. Both are outputs of this stage, so they should be developed in tandem and reviewed together before the stage is signed off. RIBA recommends:

If the likely accommodation required to deliver the outcomes is unaffordable then there is no point proceeding beyond stage 1.

CAD Stage 1 – Preparation and Brief

This is another stage that is primarily pre-design. However, as construction becomes more streamlined, experienced design technicians (like our team at MultiCAD) provide valuable input during Stage 1 that ensures greater efficiency in later stages.

Outcome

The project brief is approved and the project, as briefed, as can be accommodated on proposed site.

Outputs

• Project brief (should include project outcomes, sustainability outcomes, quality aspirations and spatial requirements).
• Project budget agreed.
• Project programme.
• Project execution plan.
• Digital execution plan, to ensure technology is used in the best way for information management throughout the project.
• Site information and site surveys.
• Responsibility matrix (particularly to specify what is the responsibility of the design team and what is to be taken on by specialist subcontractors, e.g. fire safety work).

Who is involved

Primarily the client team. The design team may have some input at this stage, particularly for specialist services like MEP co-ordination. A good example of this would be MultiCAD’s MEP involvement in redeveloping an indoor carpark into a luxury ballroom at the O2 Intercontinental Hotel.

At the end of stage 1, the project brief is sufficiently developed to allow the project to move into the design phase. If the brief is too detailed at this stage this will have increased costs (leading to potential overspend) and will lead to a duplication of work later. However, if the brief is too loose this could lead to problems later in the project where the design doesn’t meet all project objectives. Involving the right stakeholders, with the right amount of input is crucial.

CAD Stage 2 – Concept Design

What’s most important at this stage is making sure the design is developing in-line with the client’s brief and budget.

Outcome

The architectural concept (developed in line with the project brief) is approved by client.

Outputs:

• Architectural concept.
• Design reviews with client and stakeholders.
• Design programme.
• An outline planning application may be submitted, depending on the project.

Who is involved

The design team are now fully involved in the project and the client team are still heavily involved.

The design work, involving CAD drafting and BIM services really gets going at this stage. 2D CAD produced at this stage will be the basis for the MEP design and co-ordination later on. For larger, complex projects, both a structural model and MEP model will be developed during this stage. This means that there must be enough accuracy here to support the technical design work in the later stages.

CAD Stage 3 – Spatial Coordination

Previously known as Developed Design, its new name emphasises the importance of meeting the spatial requirements that were outlined during stage 1 and solving any challenges around these.

Outcomes

Both architectural and engineering information are spatially co-ordinated.

Outputs

• Engineering analysis (to test the architectural concept developed in stage 2).
• Design studies.
• Updated cost plan.
• Outline specification.
• Planning application – this will usually be submitted during or at the end of stage 3.

Who is involved

Lead design agency and the full design team. Input is usually needed from the client team and may also be needed from specialist sub-contractors.

The design work in CAD stage 3 is more detailed than in stage 2 and will ensure the planning application is based on accurate information. The output from this stage should also allow each design team and specialist subcontractor to finalise their stage 4 (technical design) information separately, without any large changes to the overall design.

At this stage, accurate MEP modelling is needed to review energy consumption, wastewater treatment and space allocation. By modelling different scenarios, the MEP team can provide early clash-detection, leading to fewer errors and changes later and therefore saving budget. They will also provide solutions that optimise the building’s use and energy efficiency. For complex projects, like this work on Meadow High School, Uxbridge, MultiCAD provides accurate MEP outputs that are easily distributed to other stakeholders.

CAD Stage 4 – Technical Design

As the last stage before construction and pre-fabrication work begins, if this stage doesn’t deliver the necessary detail the project will be subject to errors and delays on-site. Co-ordination must be highly accurate for off-site manufacture of MEP or plant equipment (read more here on the design expertise needed to improve efficiency in prefabricated module construction).

Outcome

All the design information required for manufacture and construction of the project is completed.

Outputs

• Building systems designs, for example: detailed 3D MEP models, fire protection drawings, fabrication drawings and ventilation system designs.
• Final specifications.
• Submitting the Building Regulations Application.

Who is involved

This stage is led by the design team and specialist sub-contractors; the client is less involved.

For complex projects, stage 4 usually involves many specialist sub-contractors each with responsibility for delivering different elements of the technical design. The responsibility matrix (created during stage 1) will detail who is producing what, so the timelines can be co-ordinated.

The final specifications for the project will be produced during stage 4, and this is where the detailed design work on the building systems is produced. MultiCAD’s work on the NHS NHS National Rehabilitation Centre involved highly detailed models both for construction and manufacture off-site. Before this stage completes, 3D MEP models (including detailed BIM outputs) will be submitted for pricing and technical review by the client team.

Stage 5 – Manufacturing & Construction

If the design work is completed accurately and well co-ordinated, the construction teams will be well prepared to complete the building with efficient use of materials and to anticipated timescales.

Outcomes

All construction is completed, including all off-site manufacturing which must also be assembled on-site so the building is complete.

A timelapse video of the construction of the NHS National Rehabilitation Centre, Nottingham, for which MultiCAD provided CAD, MEP and BIM services.

Outputs

• Practical Completion Certificate.
• Verified Construction Information.
• Building Manual (including any as-built drawings required).

Who is involved

Primarily the manufacturing and construction teams. Input from the design team and client team may be needed, depending on who has responsibility for inspecting construction quality.

Key concerns during stage 5 are managing safety on-site and project timelines. As well as managing the construction itself, the transport of elements manufactured off-site must also be co-ordinated. Digital information management tools, like 3D and 4D BIM (and even higher BIM levels), are now essential for complex projects, allowing the schedule of work to be updated in real-time, co-ordinating workers, materials, logistics and costs. This leads to improved safety on-site and fewer delays.

At MultiCAD, our technicians specialise in co-ordination work that uses CAD and BIM for early clash detection. During stage 5, or even before it starts, the different building services are modelled to ensure good spatial co-ordination before any construction begins. This reduces the risks of any rework on-site, shortening project timelines and reducing costs.

CAD Stage 6 – Handover

Once construction is complete, the building is formally handed over.

Outcome

Completion of the building contract, with a full handover to the client.

Outputs

• Final certificate.
• Review of project performance.

Who is involved

Led by the construction team, however other parts of the full project team (including the design team and specialist sub-contractors) will be needed in the project performance review.

The building manual delivered during stage 5 is a key part of the handover, along with any training for the building management or its users. The handover and use stages usually overlap with each other.

CAD Stage 7 – Use

Asset and facilities management teams are appointed, and the building is ready for use by its intended occupants.

Outcome

The building is in use and maintained efficiently.

Outputs

• Verify project outcomes specified in Stage 1 (including sustainability outcomes).
• Post-occupancy evaluation of building performance.
• (Ongoing) update building manual, health & safety and fire safety information as needed.

Who is involved

The client team may be involved, though they will usually have appointed asset and facilities management teams who now oversee the day to day operation of the building. The design and construction teams are unlikely to be involved at this stage, though they will usually receive ongoing feedback from the post-occupancy evaluation.

Ensure your next project is efficient and cost-effective

Our experienced technicians know what input is needed, when to maximise project efficiency and we work to tight deadlines.

To discuss a big or complex project, email or call our expert technical team. For smaller projects, request a quick quote here.