Plenty of generic Scan-to-BIM price guides exist in English — almost none built from a provider's own project data. This one is: this guide explains how the price is formed, why it falls with area, and what pushes it up — with the numbers we use every day, fitted to real 2021–2026 projects in Portugal and Germany.
A large share of a Scan-to-BIM project's cost is fixed: mobilising equipment and crew, registering and cleaning the point cloud, preparing the BIM template and families, setting up quality control. On a 300 m² building those costs outweigh the modelling itself; on 20,000 m² they almost vanish per square metre.
In our 2021–2026 hour logs, the price per m² closely follows a curve proportional to 1/√area, with a floor: however large the building, the marginal cost of modelling never drops below €0.25–0.50/m² — every wall, opening and roof still has to be modelled by someone.
1 · Survey (laser scanning). If no point cloud exists, it has to be created. As a reference we use prices published in a Portuguese public tender for building laser scanning — bands that fall with area, plus a fixed mobilisation:
| Area (m²) | €/m² (ref.) |
|---|---|
| 0 – 750 | € 4.00 |
| 750 – 1,500 | € 3.80 |
| 1,500 – 3,000 | € 3.60 |
| 3,000 – 6,000 | € 3.40 |
| 6,000 – 10,000 | € 3.20 |
| 10,000 – 20,000 | € 3.00 |
+ €750 mobilisation per deployment. Public-tender reference prices, used as a benchmark; the final value depends on access, interior/exterior scope and required density.
2 · Modelling (cloud → IFC). Translating the cloud into a structured BIM model is our core work. The price follows the 1/√area curve, multiplied by the building's complexity:
Four typical areas, with survey included (reference band + mobilisation) and modelling at normal and high complexity. Same numbers as the interactive estimator:
| Area (m²) | Survey | Modelling (normal) | Combined | €/m² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | € 1,950 | € 719 – € 1,336 | € 2,978 | € 9.93 |
| 1,500 | € 6,450 | € 1,754 – € 3,257 | € 8,955 | € 5.97 |
| 5,000 | € 17,750 | € 3,597 – € 6,681 | € 22,889 | € 4.58 |
| 20,000 | € 60,750 | € 8,945 – € 16,612 | € 73,528 | € 3.68 |
Modelling shown as a ±30% band; combined = survey + mobilisation + band centre. High complexity (heritage) multiplies modelling by 1.7–2×. Values exclude VAT.
We deliver IFC models (2×3 or 4.3) at LOD 200–350 depending on purpose: refurbishment design, permitting, quantities, or asset management. Accuracy is declared and verifiable — LOA20 contractual, LOA30 target on most elements — and non-conforming elements are flagged via a dedicated PropertySet rather than hidden.
The highest LOD we deliver is 350. LOD 300 describes the visible surfaces captured by the scanner, with no information on construction layers; LOD 350 adds those layers by cross-referencing the point cloud with historical construction drawings, where they exist.
On heritage, add what makes HBIM its own discipline: parametric families for stonework, timber structures and window frames, temporal phases (existing / to demolish / new) and archive-ready classification.
Together (survey + modelling), typically €3.5–10/m² up to 1,500 m² and €1.5–4/m² above 10,000 m². Modelling only, with a supplied cloud: €0.5–4.5/m². Use the estimator for your specific case.
Mobilisation, cloud registration, template and QC are fixed costs that dilute over larger areas. Price per m² follows ~1/√area, with a floor at €0.25–0.50/m².
No. If one exists we model from it; if not, we do the laser scanning at prices aligned with public-tender references (€3–4/m² + mobilisation).
Yes. IFC 2×3 or 4.3, LOD 200–350, declared accuracy (LOA20 contractual, LOA30 target), non-conforming elements flagged. A direct base for refurbishment design, permitting and quantities.
Depends on area and complexity: a normal 2,000 m² building typically takes 2–4 weeks of modelling after the cloud is registered. The schedule is confirmed in the formal proposal.
No. All values exclude VAT; the legal rate applies (23% in mainland Portugal).