BIM, or Building Information Modeling, is the process of creating and managing an intelligent 3D digital model of a building that carries real data about its geometry, materials, systems and quantities - not just lines and dimensions on a flat drawing. Read more about what BIM is.
BIM Services · Michigan
BIM Services in Michigan, Built as One Coordinated Model
Drafting Buddies builds architectural, structural and MEP BIM models for Michigan architects, engineers and contractors - federated, clash-checked and modeled to the 2021 Michigan Building Code, from early design through fabrication-ready LOD 400.
Federated Model · Arch + Struct + MEP
MI-BIM-MODEL.RVT
Architectural
LOD 300Structural
LOD 350MEP
LOD 400Clash Detection
3 open
Navisworks Clash Review
2021 Michigan Building Code
- Founded, Austin TX
- 2014
- BBB Rating
- A+
- States Served
- 50
Founded, Austin TX
BBB Rating
States Served
Quick Overview
Drafting Buddies provides BIM services throughout Michigan - architectural, structural and MEP BIM modeling, coordination and clash detection, Scan-to-BIM, 4D construction sequencing, 5D quantity takeoff and cost modeling, and BIM shop drawings - for architecture firms, engineers, general contractors and fabricators. Models are built in Revit at LOD 100 through LOD 400 and coordinated in Navisworks, formatted to the 2021 Michigan Building Code. Coverage spans Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Warren, Sterling Heights and cities statewide.
Who We Are
One Model, Every Discipline, Fewer Surprises in the Field
Drafting Buddies LLC was founded in Austin, Texas in 2014 and has grown into a CAD drafting, BIM modeling and AEC services company trusted by architects, engineers, contractors and fabricators across all 50 states, holding an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Michigan's building sector is unusually diverse: automotive assembly and retooling, EV battery gigafactories, a growing data center corridor around southeast Michigan, hospitals, university campuses and a steady base of commercial and multifamily development, and BIM is what keeps a project like that coordinated instead of chaotic.
BIM is more than a 3D drawing. A properly built model carries real data - material, quantity, connection - so that architectural, structural and MEP teams can work off the same federated model, catch conflicts on screen instead of on site, and generate construction documentation, schedules and quantities directly from it.
Whether you're an architecture firm in Ann Arbor needing a coordinated Revit model for design development, a contractor in Detroit running clash detection on a manufacturing retrofit, or an engineer near Grand Rapids who needs an existing building scanned and modeled before a renovation, our BIM team works inside your project's standards and delivers a model your whole team can build from, including permit drawing services when the model has to support local submittal.
Sub-Services
Ten BIM Disciplines, Modeled and Coordinated as One System
Each branch below is a discipline-specific service, and they're built to work together inside a single federated model, not as isolated deliverables.
Architectural
Architectural BIM Modeling Michigan
Full architectural Revit models covering walls, floors, roofs, doors, windows and interior elements, developed from LOD 200 conceptual massing through LOD 350 construction-ready detail, with schedules and quantities generated directly from the model.
Structural
Structural BIM Modeling Michigan
Structural steel, concrete and framing models built to match the structural engineer's design, including connections, foundations and reinforcement, ready to coordinate against architectural and MEP systems or extend into structural shop drawings.
MEP
MEP BIM Modeling Michigan
Mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems modeled at LOD 300-400, including ductwork, piping, conduit routing and equipment, sized and routed to avoid conflicts with structural and architectural elements before construction.
Coordination
BIM Coordination & Clash Detection Michigan
Architectural, structural and MEP models are combined into one federated model and run through Navisworks clash detection to identify conflicts, ceiling clearance issues and routing collisions before they reach the field.
Reality Capture
Scan-to-BIM Michigan
Point cloud data from 3D laser scans of existing buildings is converted into an accurate Revit model, giving renovation, retrofit and addition projects a reliable as-built starting point instead of relying on outdated original drawings.
Scheduling
4D BIM - Construction Sequencing Michigan
The 3D model is linked to a construction schedule so the sequence of construction can be visualized phase by phase, helping project teams spot logistics conflicts and communicate the build sequence to stakeholders before ground is broken.
Estimating
5D BIM - Quantity Takeoff & Cost Estimation Michigan
Cost data is tied to the model's quantities, giving estimators a live, model-based takeoff that updates automatically as the design changes, instead of a manual takeoff that has to be redone with every revision.
Fabrication
BIM Shop Drawings & Fabrication Modeling Michigan
LOD 400 models developed to fabrication-level detail and used to extract structural steel, MEP and other shop drawings directly from the coordinated model, keeping fabrication documents tied to a single source of truth.
VDC
Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) Michigan
Broader model-based planning support spanning constructability review, prefabrication coordination and field-workflow planning, aimed at contractors who want the model driving decisions on site, not just informing the design phase.
Conversion
CAD to BIM Conversion Michigan
Existing 2D CAD drawing sets are rebuilt as coordinated 3D Revit models, giving firms working from legacy CAD files a path into BIM workflows without redesigning a project from scratch.
Level of Development
How Detailed Should Your BIM Model Be?
LOD (Level of Development) describes how much detail and reliability a model element carries at a given stage - not just how it looks, but how much you can trust it for decisions like ordering material or fabricating a component.
We scope the right LOD for your Michigan project's stage, so you're not paying for fabrication-level detail during early design, or working from an under-detailed model once fabrication starts.
| LOD | What It Means |
|---|---|
| LOD 100 | Conceptual massing - overall building form and area, no specific geometry. |
| LOD 200 | Generalized systems - approximate size, shape and location of elements. |
| LOD 300 | Precise geometry - accurate size, shape and location, ready for coordination. |
| LOD 350 | LOD 300 plus interfaces with other building systems, for full coordination. |
| LOD 400 | Fabrication-ready - exact detail for manufacturing and shop drawings. |
| LOD 500 | Verified as-built - confirmed field-accurate for facility management. |
Building Codes
Modeled to the 2021 Michigan Building Code
Michigan sets its construction codes at the state level through the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Bureau of Construction Codes, and roughly 1,600 local units of government enforce them statewide - a consistent baseline whether a project is in Detroit or the Upper Peninsula, unlike states that adopt code city by city.
Every BIM model we build for a Michigan project reflects the current state-adopted code family, so architectural clearances, egress and structural assumptions in the model match what the local building department will check against.
Michigan Building Code
2021 IBC · eff. Apr 9, 2025
Michigan Residential Code
2021 IRC · eff. Aug 29, 2025
Michigan Mechanical Code
2021 IMC · adopted Mar 12, 2024
Michigan Energy Code (Commercial)
2021 IECC · eff. Apr 22, 2025
Michigan Energy Code (Residential)
2021 IECC · eff. Aug 29, 2025
Rehabilitation Code (Existing Bldgs.)
2021 IEBC · eff. Apr 9, 2025
Michigan Electrical Code
2023 NEC · adopted alongside
Why Michigan, Right Now
Modeled for a State Rebuilding Its Own Facilities
Michigan's construction pipeline has been reshaped by a decade of EV battery and clean-energy manufacturing investment - projects like LG Energy Solution's roughly $1.4 billion battery facility in Holland, GM's Ultium Cells plant near Lansing, and Our Next Energy's gigafactory in Van Buren Township are exactly the kind of complex, systems-heavy builds where a coordinated BIM model earns its keep, catching mechanical and process conflicts before they hit the shop floor.
More recently, as automakers have pulled back some EV production, Michigan construction firms have pivoted toward data center work, including new development in southeast Michigan and a large campus underway in Saline Township, alongside continued utility investment such as DTE Electric's approved 2026 grid-modernization spending. Both trends mean more multidisciplinary coordination, and more reason for architects, engineers and contractors across Michigan to work from one federated model instead of siloed drawings.
- $1.4B
- LG Energy Solution battery plant, Holland
- 2026
- DTE Electric grid investment approved
Sectors We Serve
BIM Modeling for the Industries Building Michigan
- Sector 01
Automotive & Manufacturing
Plant retooling, process piping and structural BIM for OEMs and suppliers.
- Sector 02
Industrial Facilities
Coordinated structural and MEP models for process and heavy-industrial buildings.
- Sector 03
Data Centers
Structural and MEP BIM coordination for high-density electrical and cooling infrastructure.
- Sector 04
Commercial & Retail
Architectural and MEP BIM for office, retail and mixed-use buildouts.
- Sector 05
Healthcare
MEP-heavy federated models for hospitals and medical facilities with strict clearances.
- Sector 06
Education
Architectural and structural BIM for K-12 and university campus projects.
- Sector 07
Residential & Multifamily
Revit modeling for custom homes and multifamily residential developments.
- Sector 08
Warehouse & Government
Structural BIM for logistics facilities and BIM support for public-sector buildings.
Software We Model In
Industry-Standard BIM Tools for Every Model
Models are built in Revit, coordinated in Navisworks, and shared through Autodesk Construction Cloud so they integrate with whatever your team already runs.
Revit
Navisworks
AutoCAD
Tekla Structures
Autodesk Construction Cloud
Civil 3D
ReCap
BIM 360
Why Choose Drafting Buddies
Built on Coordination, Not Just a Pretty 3D Model
- 01
Discipline-Specific Modelers
Architectural, structural and MEP models are each built by modelers focused on that discipline, then coordinated together.
- 02
A+ BBB-Rated Company
Drafting Buddies LLC holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and has operated since 2014.
- 03
Code-Checked Before Delivery
Every Michigan model is reviewed against the current 2021 Michigan Building Code family before handoff.
- 04
LOD Matched to Project Stage
We scope the right level of development for where your project actually is, from concept through fabrication.
- 05
Clash-Checked Coordination
Federated models are run through Navisworks clash detection before delivery, catching conflicts early.
- 06
Nationwide Experience, Local Focus
We serve architects, engineers and contractors in all 50 states, with dedicated attention to Michigan's code and market specifics. See our full AEC services list for related disciplines.
Our Process
From Design Files to a Coordinated Model
- 01
Scope & LOD Review
We review your project stage and set the right LOD target for each discipline.
- 02
Discipline Modeling
Architectural, structural and MEP models are built by discipline-specific modelers.
- 03
Federation & Clash Detection
Models are combined into one federated model and checked in Navisworks.
- 04
Code & QC Check
The model is checked against the current Michigan code edition and internal quality standards.
- 05
Delivery & Revisions
Final model and extracted drawings are delivered, with revision support through design changes.
Company Facts
What You're Working With
- Founded in Austin, Texas
- 2014
- Better Business Bureau rating
- A+
- U.S. states served
- 50
- Core AEC drafting & BIM services
- 8+
Founded in Austin, Texas
Better Business Bureau rating
U.S. states served
Core AEC drafting & BIM services
Coverage
BIM Services Across Michigan
Statewide coverage for architects, engineers, contractors and fabricators. Pair BIM with our CAD drafting in Michigan when the project still needs 2D production. See our drafting services in Michigan page for related permit and construction documentation across the state.
Detroit
Grand Rapids
Lansing
Ann Arbor
Warren
Sterling Heights
Troy
Kalamazoo
Dearborn
Livonia
Flint
Saginaw
Muskegon
Holland
Novi
Rochester Hills
Farmington Hills
Royal Oak
Southfield
Traverse City
FAQ
BIM Questions, Answered
BIM Services Michigan - Frequently Asked Questions
Related Searches
BIM services Michigan teams search for
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Get Started
Ready to Coordinate Your Michigan Project in One Model?
Send us your drawings and scope, and we'll set the right LOD and turnaround for your BIM model.