Scan to BIM: From Point Cloud to Revit and ArchiCAD Model
What Scan to BIM actually delivers, how LOD levels affect price and timeline, and how to brief your team for a successful BIM project.
Scan to BIM is the process of converting a registered point cloud (from 3D laser scanning) into a parametric Building Information Model — typically in Revit, ArchiCAD or IFC format. It's the foundation of every modern renovation, retrofit or coordination project.
Why BIM and not just 2D drawings?
A BIM model is intelligent geometry. Every wall knows its thickness and material. Every column carries its structural data. Every duct knows where it connects. When you change one floor, the elevations update automatically.
For projects in Cyprus, BIM is increasingly required by:
- International developers and investors
- MEP coordination workflows (clash detection between disciplines)
- Energy modeling and EU compliance reporting
- Facility management handover
LOD: what level of detail do you need?
LOD (Level of Development) defines how detailed each element is. Pick the right LOD or you'll either overpay or get an unusable model.
| LOD | What it gives you | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | Simple massing, approximate sizes | Concept, feasibility |
| 200 | Generic elements, approximate dimensions | Schematic design |
| 300 | Accurate geometry, real dimensions and materials | Design development, most renovations |
| 400 | Fabrication-ready with assembly details | Construction documentation, prefab |
| 500 | As-built verified on site | Facility management |
For most Cyprus renovation and as-built projects, LOD 200–300 is the sweet spot. LOD 400+ doubles or triples the modeling time and is usually overkill unless you're prefabricating.
What we model from a point cloud
- Architectural: walls, floors, ceilings, openings, stairs, roofs, facades
- Structural: columns, beams, slabs (when visible)
- MEP (optional): visible ducts, pipes, electrical conduits and fixtures
Hidden elements (inside walls, behind ceilings) cannot be derived from a scan — they require destructive investigation or existing documentation.
Brief checklist
When you commission a Scan to BIM project, agree these in writing:
- Software and version (Revit 2024 vs 2025 affects compatibility)
- Target LOD per discipline (architectural can be LOD 300 while MEP stays LOD 200)
- Coordinate system and shared project base point
- Family library — your standard or generic
- Deliverable format: native .rvt/.pln, exported IFC, or both
Skip these and you'll discover incompatibility issues at the worst moment — when your structural engineer opens the model.
Timeline
For a typical 500 m² villa at LOD 300: scanning 1 day, processing 2 days, modeling 2–3 weeks. Larger commercial projects scale roughly linearly with floor area and MEP complexity.
Need a Scan to BIM quote for your project in Cyprus? Send us the brief.