Benefits of Virtual Design and Who Can Benefit From It
In most industries, we've all witnessed digital and virtual replacing the good old pen and paper. It's been happening in almost every major industry and area of work. The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Industry is no exception with the usage of Virtual design. It includes making detailed three-dimensional models of architectural and design projects before doing anything in real life. The benefits of virtual design have proven to be so numerous that barely anyone does hand-drawn projects anymore. It can significantly help with finding aesthetic solutions and solving different technical and construction problems. If you're wondering whether going virtual would suit your needs, here are points that can help you make your decision.
Opening collaboration possibilities
One of the main benefits of virtual design is removing the limits of hiring only people who are physically close by. Let's say you're doing a home remodel and have your eye on one specific professional designer currently out of state. With the help of technology, this is a problem no more. The virtual design allows you to hire some of the most experienced designers out there. Once you have them on your team, your project is bound to be successful.
If you have a few people working on different things, keeping them up to date with what's going on is crucial for the project's success. The virtual design allows easy collaboration and communication between all your team members. Multiple people can make changes to the same virtual project, which can come in very handy. Miscommunication can cause problems at different stages of the project, so this is a great way to avoid them.
Saving time and money
Cost and time-effectiveness are among the best selling points of virtual design in all your projects. You can easily see how any material or furniture piece you like will look in real life. Online libraries and producer catalogs include almost everything from tiles to wood and marble. By doing this, you can predict your costs accurately and find ways to reduce them.
There are a few other situations where it also comes in very handy. For example, if there are a few odd-shaped spaces you don't know what to do with, you can try out different things to see what fits best. This can save you a ton of time, as the visualization of your ideas is just a few clicks away. The luxury of being able to make a final decision without actually altering the space is a new concept and a perfect one.
Efficient planning
However, virtual design is useful for planning much more things than just the construction process. It can be handy when organizing a move. Suppose you're moving from Washington, DC, to NYC. You probably won't be able to take all the furniture you want, as New York apartments are generally smaller. And virtual design can help you with that, as you can insert pieces of your furniture in the 3D model of your new place. Once you've figured that out, the only thing left is to hire movers to help you make NYC your home. By carefully planning what you'll bring, you'll have much less work to do while unpacking and settling down in your new place.
Possibility of virtual meetings
Nowadays, the majority of people lead hectic lives. If you're one of them, you know how hard it can be to find time for things outside your routine. However, doing any type of remodeling in your home will require you to do that. You'll need to meet up with your designer several times, at the beginning and throughout your project. Using virtual design offers a very convenient possibility to meet up with your designer virtually. That way, you won't have to waste time driving to and from the selected location. You just need to pick out the time that works for both you and the designer and make a video call.
Simplified maintenance
Even low-maintenance buildings need to be taken care of from time to time. Whether it is just a regular paint touch-up or something more complex, it's helpful to have a blueprint of your home. An immediate improvement that can be made by utilizing virtual design is exchanging that blueprint for a 3D model. With this, you, the owner, and your contractors can have a much better insight into how your home is built. However, to prevent any confusion, make sure to keep the model updated if you decide to make any structural changes to your place.
Waste reduction
Changing your mind about something is entirely normal, and architectural and design projects are no exception. Especially if you're working alone, you may always find yourself coming up with new ideas. However, if this happens at the point where the project is halfway done, there may be some negative consequences. You're not only losing money but also potentially making a lot of waste. These situations often cause delays, which is why your project can take longer than planned.
Virtual design is a great tool to overcome this. By seeing how different things look in 3D, you're much less likely to make any abrupt change in the middle of the project. You will not waste materials, and also time, and money. This means you will have more resources to make your project perfect.
Conclusion
Nowadays, virtual design is considered absolutely necessary in architecture, interior design, and similar disciplines. Even though some designers still prefer to do things old-school with pen and paper, the industry is way ahead of that. All the benefits of virtual design provide simplicity, accessibility, and overall better organization. These are all crucial for the project's success. So, working with someone who uses virtual design can be worth it if you're doing a home remodel.
If you want to learn more about how to work with a designer virtually, please schedule a discovery call.
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