How Cloud-Based Model Conditioning Differentiates Satterfield & Pontikes in Preconstruction and Beyond

Founded in 1989, Satterfield & Pontikes Construction (S&P) is a general contractor based in Texas. As an ENR Top 400 Contractor and Top Green Builder, the firm wanted to increase speed, accuracy, and transparency to improve relationships with owners during the preconstruction process. Using Assemble within Autodesk Construction Cloud™, S&P enhanced the preconstruction process, accelerating the estimation process while creating better relationships with owners.

Improving Bid Packages to Manage Owner Expectations

S&P uses Assemble to improve the preconstruction process, from bid packages to owner expectations.

S&P’s in-house Select Services team leads 3D coordination, production tracking, and project schedule tracking. The team integrates with internal project stakeholders and external contractors to ensure speed and collaboration during preconstruction and construction.

With the implementation of Assemble, they have:

• Increased estimator efficiency through iterative model-based quantification and estimating
• Provided owners better visualizations and transparent project details to remove any doubt and enable faster decision-making
• Enhanced construction workflows with work in place tracking and percent complete time management

All of this translates to winning at the interview with a new owner, as the firm can have a well-defined game plan that an owner can quickly understand and justify.

Gaining Efficiencies in Preconstruction

Assemble helps S&P gain efficiency in preconstruction with cloud-based model conditioning and model-based quantification. By breaking down specific scopes of work and identifying installation locations, the team can create a more accurate estimate using the 3D models, 2D sheets, and project inventory within Assemble.

Besides the increased time savings resulting from model-based quantification, a faster QA/QC process is an additional benefit. The team can quickly identify discrepancies or omissions between the model and sheets to address issues early in the preconstruction phase to reduce change orders or delays downstream. Additionally, if the team sees a discrepancy in a bid package versus the model, it’s standard to walk through the model with the subcontractor visually. This is a big time-saver for subcontractors, as they get ahead of any RFIs they would have otherwise discovered in the middle of construction.

“The ability to group, sort, and filter the model and quantities the way you want allows for an efficient process to assign things to bid packages and greatly reduces time and effort in validating subcontractor bids. You can have the 3D model on one screen and the 2D sheets on another. So that communication is easier with subcontractors or owners more familiar with 2D.”

Robert Pleasants
BIM/VDC Manager

How Cloud-Based Model Conditioning Creates Differentiation

There’s no question that preconstruction is more efficient with the cloud-based model conditioning of Assemble. Mike Diehl, Senior VP of S&P Development, says these efficiencies are clear wins for owners. They provide:

• Speed
• Quick feedback
• Effective change management
• GC vetting and subcontractor bids
• Transparency

It’s important to note that transparency is not only good for owners - it’s good for contractors, too.

S&P has proven that visually rich data, conditioned appropriately for the audience, builds confidence for owners and speeds up preconstruction significantly. This translates not just into winning a project but maintaining a long-term relationship built on trust. Trust comes from proactively illustrating iterative changes and clearly and easily vetting estimates from contractors and subcontractors.

Cloud-based model conditioning and model-based quantification provide benefits throughout the project lifecycle, from preconstruction to handoff. For S&P, the earned trust and better collaboration it provides with owners is a proven winner.