Minnesota State Building Code (MSBC)
Statewide amendments to the IBC/IRC administered through the MN Department of Labor and Industry, applied consistently across our architectural and structural models.
BIM Services · Minnesota
Minnesota projects carry their own set of realities: deep frost lines, heavy roof snow loads, cold-climate energy targets, and a Minnesota State Building Code that layers state-specific amendments on top of the IBC and IRC. Drafting Buddies models to that reality from day one - our architectural, structural and MEP BIM teams build every wall, footing, duct run and connection as coordinated, code-aware data, not disconnected lines, so your architect or engineer of record can review, stamp and permit with confidence.
We work as an extension of your team: Minneapolis and Saint Paul architecture firms, structural engineers, MEP contractors, general contractors and developers across Minnesota send us drawings, scans or sketches, and get back federated, clash-checked BIM models on a schedule you can plan around.
Federated Model · Arch + Struct + MEP
Clash Checked
Architectural
RevitStructural
RevitMEP
Revit MEPNavisworks Clash Review
Minnesota State Building Code
In-house BIM & CAD drafters
Projects delivered
Typical turnaround start
Modeling depth on request
Statewide BIM coverage - from the Twin Cities to Duluth, Rochester and St. Cloud.
What We Model
Nine focused BIM disciplines, each delivered by drafters who work in that discipline every day - not generalists switching between them.
We build intelligent architectural BIM models in Revit that carry real building data through every design phase, not just static geometry. Walls, floors, roofs, doors, windows, stairs and finishes are modeled as parametric families, so schedules, areas and details update automatically as the design changes. Minnesota architecture and design-build firms use our models to coordinate faster with structural and MEP teams, resolve conflicts before they reach the job site, and hand owners a model-based record that keeps serving them through renovations, additions and long-term facility management.
Our structural BIM team models foundations, framing, columns, beams and connections at the level of detail your engineer needs, accounting for Minnesota's frost depth and ground snow load requirements from the start. We work from structural drawings, calculations or design intent to produce coordinated Revit and Tekla models that support accurate quantity takeoffs, clash-free MEP routing and fabrication-ready shop drawings. It's built for engineers, steel fabricators and general contractors who need structural data they can actually build from, not just a 3D picture.
We model mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems as coordinated, routable BIM assemblies - ductwork, piping, conduit, equipment and fixtures placed with real clearances, not approximate lines. Our MEP modelers understand cold-climate mechanical loads and Minnesota energy code expectations, which shapes how we size and route systems from the earliest model stage. Contractors and MEP engineers use our models to prefabricate with confidence, avoid ceiling-space conflicts, and move into construction with far fewer field change orders.
As a Revit-first shop, we build and manage architectural, structural and MEP Revit models on shared coordinates and consistent standards, so every discipline is always working from the same building. We handle model setup, family creation, worksharing, sheet and schedule automation, and Dynamo scripting for repetitive tasks. Whether you need a single-discipline model or a fully linked multi-discipline federation, our Revit team keeps your model organized, lightweight and genuinely usable by your whole project team.
We federate architectural, structural and MEP models in Navisworks to find clashes before they become field problems - duct runs through beams, piping through walls, equipment blocking access. Every clash is logged, prioritized and tracked to resolution, with coordination reports your team can act on directly. For Minnesota general contractors and design-build teams juggling multiple subcontractors, this turns coordination meetings from guesswork into a structured, model-based process that actually resolves conflicts.
We convert laser scan and point cloud data into accurate, as-built BIM models for renovation, addition and adaptive-reuse projects - common needs across Minnesota's older building stock in cities like St. Paul and Duluth. Our team registers scan data, models existing conditions to the LOD your project requires, and flags discrepancies between scanned reality and any existing drawings. The result is a reliable existing-conditions model your design team can build new work on top of with real confidence.
We extend design models into construction-ready deliverables: shop and fabrication drawings, quantity takeoffs, and 4D sequencing or 5D cost-linked models when your project calls for them. General contractors and fabricators use these outputs to plan phasing, order materials accurately and keep the field crew working from the same information as the design team. It's model-based construction support built for how Minnesota contractors actually schedule and build through the state's shorter outdoor construction season.
Before modeling starts, we help define the BIM Execution Plan: model ownership, LOD by discipline and phase, file-sharing protocols, naming conventions and coordination workflows. A clear plan keeps every consultant, contractor and owner rep aligned on what the model should contain and when, which avoids the rework that happens when teams assume different standards. We tailor the plan to your project delivery method, whether that's design-bid-build, design-build or CM-at-risk.
We prepare BIM models for life beyond construction - enriched with equipment data, warranty information and maintenance schedules so facility managers can hand the model to their CMMS or digital twin platform. For Minnesota hospitals, school districts, universities and government owners managing large portfolios, this turns a design tool into an operations asset, cutting the time facilities staff spend locating equipment, planning maintenance and budgeting capital replacement.
Who We Model For
From single-family remodels to statewide healthcare campuses, our BIM teams adapt to the building type and delivery method your sector runs on.
Residential
Single-family & multifamily BIM
Commercial
Office, retail & mixed-use
Industrial
Warehouses & manufacturing
Healthcare
Hospitals & clinical facilities
Educational
K-12 & higher-ed campuses
Government
Public & civic buildings
Infrastructure
Utilities & site infrastructure
Multifamily
Apartments & vertical construction
Why Drafting Buddies
What actually matters when you're trusting an outside team with your model.
We factor in Minnesota State Building Code amendments, frost depth, ground snow load and cold-climate energy requirements from the first model, not as an afterthought.
A deep bench of dedicated architectural, structural and MEP BIM modelers means we scale with your project instead of queueing your work behind someone else's.
Architectural, structural and MEP models are built to share coordinates and standards from day one, so clash detection finds real conflicts, not modeling mismatches.
Typical turnaround starts around 48 hours for scoped work, with a firm timeline confirmed upfront so your design and construction schedule doesn't stall on us.
A track record across residential, commercial, healthcare, education and industrial work means we've likely modeled something close to your project before.
We model to your firm's Revit templates, naming conventions and BIM Execution Plan whenever you have one, instead of forcing your project into ours.
Our Toolset
Industry-standard platforms, matched to what your team and consultants already use.
Built To Minnesota Requirements
Minnesota adopts a statewide Minnesota State Building Code (MSBC) that layers state-specific amendments over the IBC and IRC, plus its own accessibility, energy and mechanical provisions. We don't treat this as paperwork handled after modeling - it shapes how we size structural members, route MEP systems and detail assemblies from the first version of your model, so the engineer or architect of record reviewing it starts from a model that's already thinking in Minnesota terms.
Statewide amendments to the IBC/IRC administered through the MN Department of Labor and Industry, applied consistently across our architectural and structural models.
Ground snow load and frost depth vary by county across Minnesota; our structural models reflect the values relevant to your project location.
MEP and envelope modeling accounts for the state's cold-climate energy performance requirements, supporting your energy compliance documentation.
Accessible route, clearance and fixture requirements are modeled into architectural layouts rather than added as a later revision pass.
Statewide Coverage
Remote-delivered BIM services mean location never limits who we can work with. See also drafting services in Minnesota.
Minneapolis
MN
Saint Paul
MN
Rochester
MN
Duluth
MN
Bloomington
MN
Brooklyn Park
MN
Plymouth
MN
Maple Grove
MN
Woodbury
MN
Eagan
MN
Eden Prairie
MN
Minnetonka
MN
St. Cloud
MN
Mankato
MN
Burnsville
MN
Lakeville
MN
Client Feedback
“Our MEP model came back genuinely coordinated with the structural set - not just visually similar. Clash detection meetings got a lot shorter.”
Design-Build Firm
Minneapolis, MN
“They picked up our Revit template and naming standard immediately. Felt like an extension of our own drafting team, not an outside vendor.”
Architecture Firm
Rochester, MN
“Scan-to-BIM on our renovation project caught existing conditions our original drawings had wrong. Saved us a change order down the line.”
General Contractor
St. Paul, MN
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Searches
Get Started
Send us your drawings, scans or design intent and we'll come back with a scoped quote and turnaround time - built around Minnesota's own codes and climate from the first model.