ArchiCAD 24 is the latest release from Graphisoft and a very powerful BIM tool. The beauty of ArchiCAD as a BIM software is that you can not only create three-dimensional models but you can also be able to extract very useful information from those models. It supports the concept of 5D BIM (i.e. allows for quantity take-offs and estimates).

In this video tutorial, we will explore ArchiCAD interactive schedules. We will use the interactive wall schedules for this tutorial. I will show you how to extract the information and export it to an excel file that we will then open and manipulate it to apply some costings. By the end of this exercise, you should be able to customise ArchiCAD schedules and export the data to Microsoft Excel for further editing.

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Quantity take-off and cost estimating in ArchiCAD rely on the inbuilt ‘Calculation Function’. According to Graphisoft (the creators of ArchiCAD), the calculation function interacts with the project database to calculate the number of elements in a project, their spatial deposition and quantity of element components.

The information generated can be presented in a custom layout, searched, extracted and exported to external apps for further customization, adaptation and use.

ArchiCAD as a building information tool allows the construction project team to package useful project information in a digital model. The success of the project is dependent o how effectively data can be pulled from that model by the various project participants to help them in the decision-making process.

As basic as extracting a door and window schedule from an ArchiCAD model, project quantity surveyors can effectively perform quantity take-offs and cost estimation. From element schedules, project indices, component lists, to surface lists and zone lists, among others, all support the ArchiCAD quantity take-off and estimating functionality.

 

Nzangi Muimi

I’m a Quantity Surveyor, Educator and the founder of QuantBuild Academy, the fastest-growing technology-focused YouTube channel online. I am passionate about construction information technology and the digitization of the construction industry.

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