How long does a full MEP clash detection and resolution cycle take?

Standard clash reports turn around in 24 to 48 hours per round, though the full cycle depends on how many rounds of testing and resolution a project's complexity requires.

What information do you need to start MEP BIM coordination?

Existing architectural and structural models or drawings, any existing MEP discipline models, and the target LOD your project's coordination stage requires.

MEP BIM Clash Detection

MEP BIM Clash Detection & Coordination Services

A duct and a structural beam cannot occupy the same six inches of ceiling space. Neither can a sprinkler main and a light fixture, or a plumbing stack and an electrical panel. Somebody finds that out eventually. The only question is whether it happens in a Revit model before a single wall gets framed, or in the field after a crew has already hung the ductwork.

CAD Drafter runs MEP BIM clash detection the first way. We model mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems at whatever Level of Development the project needs, LOD 200 through LOD 400, then run every system through federated clash detection so the conflicts get logged, assigned, and resolved on screen. What comes out the other end is a coordinated model and MEP permit drawings that already reflect the fix, not a drawing set someone will redline three weeks into construction.

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What Our MEP BIM Coordination Services Actually Cover

We build and coordinate the model; we don’t hold the trowel or hang the ductwork ourselves. Architects, general contractors, and MEP subcontractors hand us discipline models or a set of 2D drawings, and we return a federated model, a clash report, and the resolved construction documents that follow from it.

BIM Modeling at LOD 200 Through LOD 400
MEP Clash Detection & Resolution
HVAC Clash Detection & Mechanical BIM Coordination
Electrical Clash Detection & Electrical BIM Coordination
Plumbing Clash Detection & Plumbing BIM Coordination
MEP Permit Drawings from the Coordinated Model
Revit MEP Modeling Services
Construction Coordination & Shop Drawing Review

Sample Upload Plan

Why Does Clash Detection Even Matter On A Mid-Size Project?

Because the alternative is expensive. A conflict caught in a model costs a few minutes to reroute in Revit. The same conflict caught in the field costs a change order, a schedule delay, and an argument about which trade moves first. On any project with more than one mechanical, electrical, or plumbing trade sharing a ceiling cavity, that math holds every time.

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Our MEP BIM Clash Detection & Coordination Services

Coordination isn’t one task, it’s a sequence: model to the right detail level, run the clash test, sort what actually matters from what doesn’t, then fix it before it reaches the field. Here’s how each piece works.

BIM Modeling at LOD 200 Through LOD 400

LOD 200 models place mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems as generalized volumes, useful for early design coordination before equipment is selected. LOD 300 models bring precise size, shape, and location, accurate enough for spatial coordination. LOD 350 adds the interface detail, hangers, supports, connection points, where one trade’s system touches another’s. LOD 400 pushes to fabrication-level detail, the geometry a shop drawing or a prefabrication shop can build from directly. We model to whichever level your project’s coordination stage actually calls for, rather than defaulting to the same LOD on every job.

MEP Clash Detection & Resolution

A hard clash is a physical collision, two objects trying to occupy the same space. A soft clash, sometimes called a clearance clash, is a spacing violation, a duct that technically doesn’t touch a light fixture but leaves no room for insulation or a required access panel. We test for both, generate a clash report every discipline lead can read, and track each clash through resolution instead of leaving it as an unassigned line item in a spreadsheet.

HVAC Clash Detection & Mechanical BIM Coordination

Ductwork, equipment, and piping routed and checked against structural framing, ceiling grids, and every other trade sharing the same plenum space, so a rooftop unit’s duct run doesn’t discover a beam it wasn’t modeled against.

Electrical Clash Detection & Electrical BIM Coordination

Conduit, cable tray, panel, and fixture placement checked against mechanical and plumbing routing, confirming a light fixture doesn’t end up sharing a ceiling tile with a sprinkler head and a duct boot at the same time.

Plumbing Clash Detection & Plumbing BIM Coordination

Sanitary, water, and gas piping routed and verified against structural penetrations and the other two trades, catching the kind of vertical stack conflict that’s invisible on a 2D riser diagram but obvious the moment three systems are modeled in the same shaft.

MEP Permit Drawings from the Coordinated Model

Once the model clears clash detection, we extract construction documents and MEP permit drawings directly from it, so what a plan reviewer approves is the same geometry the coordination process already resolved, not a separate 2D drawing built in parallel.

Commercial MEP BIM Coordination That Scales To The Project

Full LOD 350 coordination across all three MEP disciplines is where most of our commercial work lives, alongside lighter LOD 200 to 300 modeling for residential and multifamily projects where the coordination risk is lower but the permit still needs a clean drawing set behind it.

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Standard-Referenced Coordination

Every Model Built Against The Standard That Defines It

Level of Development doesn’t mean the same thing to every firm unless everyone is working from the same definition. We build and coordinate against the standards that keep that definition consistent.

BIMForum LOD Specification

Industry-standard Level of Development definitions for LOD 100 through 400, referenced so every discipline model on a project means the same thing by “LOD 300” or “LOD 350.”

ISO 19650

International standard for organizing and managing information over the lifecycle of a built asset using BIM, referenced on projects with a formal information management requirement.

NBIMS-US (National BIM Standard)

National BIM Standard-United States guidance referenced for model content, classification, and information exchange on U.S. commercial projects.

COBie

Construction Operations Building Information Exchange format used to hand off equipment and asset data from the coordinated model to a facility’s operations team.

International Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing Codes

IMC/UMC, NEC/NFPA 70, and IPC/UPC provisions still govern the systems being modeled, so a resolved clash still has to land on a code-compliant routing solution.

Deliverable Types

MEP BIM Deliverables We Produce

Every coordination engagement is broken into the model artifacts your project team needs and the construction documents your permit reviewer needs, both pulled from the same federated model.

All

Federated MEP Model

Combined mechanical, electrical, and plumbing models aligned to the architectural and structural model for full-building coordination.

Clash Detection Report

A logged, categorized list of hard and soft clashes, each assigned to the discipline responsible for resolution.

MEP Coordination Drawings

2D coordination sheets extracted from the resolved model, showing final routing for field reference.

MEP Permit Drawings

Permit-ready mechanical, electrical, and plumbing drawings generated from the coordinated model rather than drafted separately.

Shop Drawing Review

Subcontractor shop drawings checked against the coordinated model before fabrication begins.

Equipment & Utility Coordination Summary

Equipment placement and utility connection points confirmed against the final coordinated routing.

Commercial

Office Buildings

LOD 300–350
Ceiling Plenum Coordination

Retail Stores

LOD 200–300
RTU & Lighting Coordination

Restaurants & Cafés

LOD 300–350
Kitchen Exhaust & Grease Duct Routing

Medical & Dental Clinics

LOD 350–400
Medical Gas & Low-Voltage Coordination

Hotels & Hospitality

LOD 300–350
Guest Room Riser & Corridor Coordination

Mixed-Use Developments

LOD 300–350
Multi-Occupancy System Separation

Residential & Multifamily

Single-Family Homes

LOD 200
Basic Routing Coordination

ADUs & Guest Houses

LOD 200
Compact System Layout

Multi-Family Residential

LOD 300
Shared Riser Coordination

Apartments & Condominiums

LOD 300–350
Per-Unit & Common Area Systems

Tenant Improvement (TI) Projects

LOD 300
Existing System Tie-In Coordination

Daycare Centers & Religious Buildings

LOD 200–300
Life Safety System Coordination

Industrial & Institutional

Warehouses & Industrial Facilities

LOD 300
High-Bay Duct & Conduit Routing

Schools & Educational Facilities

LOD 300–350
Classroom Zone Coordination

Coffee Shops

LOD 200
Compact Equipment Coordination

Fire Protection Coordination Projects

LOD 350
Sprinkler & Duct Clearance

Shop Drawing / Fabrication Projects

LOD 400
Fabrication-Ready Routing

Design-Build MEP Projects

LOD 350–400
Full Trade Coordination

Our Process

How CAD Drafter Runs MEP BIM Clash Detection

The process is the same whether the project is a single restaurant or a five-story mixed-use building; only the scale changes. Here’s the 4-step sequence our coordination team follows:

Model Intake & LOD Scoping

We review existing discipline models or 2D drawings and confirm the LOD each system needs to reach for this stage of coordination.

Package Quote & Timeline

You receive a scoped price and a release date broken down by discipline model, clash test round, and permit drawing extraction.

Modeling, Clash Testing & Resolution

Our team builds or updates each discipline model, runs clash detection, and works each logged clash to resolution before the next round starts.

Release & Coordination Rounds

You receive the coordinated model and extracted drawings, with additional clash test rounds included per your project’s coordination agreement.

1,600+

MEP BIM Coordination Projects Completed

38,000+

Clashes Logged & Resolved

900+

LOD 350/400 Fabrication-Ready Models Delivered

24-48 Hrs

Standard Clash Report Turnaround

Choose CAD Drafter For MEP BIM Coordination

98%
Permit Approval
First Time

Why Choose Us

Why Contractors & Architects Choose CAD Drafter For MEP BIM Coordination

General contractors, architects, and MEP subcontractors keep sending us their coordination scope for one reason. We don’t treat clash detection as a report we hand back once. We track every clash to resolution and re-test the model until the report actually comes back clean.

We Coordinate, Your Trades Install With Confidence

A resolved model means a mechanical, electrical, or plumbing crew isn’t discovering conflicts in the field. What they’re installing already matches what the model says will fit.

Standard-Referenced BIM Coordination

Models and coordination workflows reference the BIMForum LOD Specification, ISO 19650, NBIMS-US, and COBie as each applies to your project’s information management requirements.

Every Trade, One Federated Model

Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing modeled and clash-tested together, rather than coordinated in isolation and reconciled after the fact.

Scalable Coordination Capacity

Take on a single clash test round or a full LOD 400 fabrication coordination package without adding a BIM coordinator to your own office.

Software Our MEP BIM Coordination Team Works In

Revit MEP

Autodesk Navisworks Manage

Solibri Model Checker

Autodesk Construction Cloud (BIM 360)

AutoCAD MEP

Benefits Of Outsourcing To The Team

Why Firms Outsource MEP BIM Clash Detection Services

Running clash detection well takes more than owning a Navisworks license. It takes someone tracking every logged clash to an actual resolution instead of letting a report pile up unread. Outsourced MEP BIM services give project teams that discipline without hiring a dedicated BIM coordinator.

Lower Coordination Overhead: A per-project rate instead of a salaried BIM coordinator on staff.

Faster Clash Resolution: A dedicated coordination team means clash reports get worked, not just generated. Standard clash reports turn around in 24-48 hours.

Built-In QA/QC Review: Every coordinated model passes an internal design review before drawings are extracted for permit.

Technologies Our MEP BIM Coordination Team Works With

Federated Model Assembly Across Architectural, Structural & MEP
Automated & Manual Clash Rule Configuration
Hard Clash & Soft Clash (Clearance) Testing
LOD 200 Through LOD 400 Model Progression
Shop Drawing Cross-Reference Review
Cloud-Based Model Sharing & Markup

Sample contact Us

Our Certificate

1 2 3

Client Feedback To Our MEP BIM Clash Detection Services

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

The clash report actually got worked. Every item had a resolution note, not just a location, which is not something every coordination vendor delivers.

Preston AdeyemiGeneral Contractor

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

LOD 350 model caught a sprinkler-to-duct conflict on three separate floors before framing started. That’s three separate change orders we didn’t have to write.

Nora VasquezArchitect

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Permit drawings pulled straight from the coordinated model matched what we actually installed, which almost never happens when drawings and coordination are done by two separate teams.

Tobias KrenshawMEP Subcontractor

Frequently Asked Question

What’s the difference between LOD 300 and LOD 350?

LOD 300 models systems with precise size, shape, and location, enough for spatial coordination. LOD 350 adds the interface detail, hangers, supports, and connection points, showing exactly how one trade’s system physically interacts with another’s.

What’s the difference between a hard clash and a soft clash?

A hard clash is a physical collision between two elements occupying the same space. A soft clash, or clearance clash, is a spacing violation, like a duct that technically fits but leaves no room for required insulation or access.

Do you build the MEP models from scratch, or only run clash detection on existing models?

Both. We can build discipline models from 2D drawings or a floor plan, or run clash detection and coordination on models your architect or engineer has already produced.

Can MEP permit drawings really be generated directly from a coordinated BIM model?

Yes. Once a model clears clash detection, construction documents and permit drawings are extracted directly from it, so the permitted geometry matches the coordinated geometry instead of being drafted as a separate, parallel effort.

Does every project need LOD 400 modeling?

No. LOD 400 is fabrication-level detail, valuable for prefabrication and shop drawing coordination on complex commercial projects, but LOD 200 to 300 is often sufficient for residential or lower-complexity commercial work.

MEP BIM Clash Detection & Coordination Services

What Our MEP BIM Coordination Services Actually Cover

Why Does Clash Detection Even Matter On A Mid-Size Project?

Get Your MEP BIM Coordination Started

Our MEP BIM Clash Detection & Coordination Services

BIM Modeling at LOD 200 Through LOD 400

MEP Clash Detection & Resolution

HVAC Clash Detection & Mechanical BIM Coordination

Electrical Clash Detection & Electrical BIM Coordination

Plumbing Clash Detection & Plumbing BIM Coordination

MEP Permit Drawings from the Coordinated Model

Commercial MEP BIM Coordination That Scales To The Project

Every Model Built Against The Standard That Defines It

MEP BIM Deliverables We Produce

Federated MEP Model

Clash Detection Report

MEP Coordination Drawings

MEP Permit Drawings

Shop Drawing Review

Equipment & Utility Coordination Summary

How CAD Drafter Runs MEP BIM Clash Detection

Model Intake & LOD Scoping

Package Quote & Timeline

Modeling, Clash Testing & Resolution

Release & Coordination Rounds

Why Contractors & Architects Choose CAD Drafter For MEP BIM Coordination

Software Our MEP BIM Coordination Team Works In

Why Firms Outsource MEP BIM Clash Detection Services

Technologies Our MEP BIM Coordination Team Works With

Our Certificate

Client Feedback To Our MEP BIM Clash Detection Services

Frequently Asked Question

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