Launch HN: PillarPlus (YC W20) – Automatically create construction blueprints
Architects and contractors hire consultants, who still design the building manually. Complete dependence on human effort results in a process that is slow, error-prone and unreliable. Also, the number of consultants is limited resulting in higher fees, long delivery times and difficulty accessing the services.
Rushil started practicing architecture and had troubles dealing with the available MEP firms for his own projects. Naman built an optimization software for the Indian Railways. We’ve been friends for 13 years, and often discuss our problems and achievements. Naman hacked a prototype for plumbing drainage plans that worked perfectly over Rushil’s project, and got us excited about the possibility of such a software.
Our software takes in the floor plan as the input, understands the building and designs the MEP services like an engineer would. A month of engineer’s work gets cut down to a day. We require artificial intelligence algorithms to decipher the floor plan, constraint modelling techniques to encode building codes, routing methods to create pipe paths and optimization algorithms to minimize material wastage.
The software even calculates bill of materials with project cost estimates. It is important to note that MEP accounts for 25% of all project costs! Since the quantity of materials is huge, selecting the right items and vendors is a challenge in an unorganized sector like construction. We recommend what products to install and which brands to choose, as per geographic locations and availability.
The input to our software is the building’s floor plan. The floor plan gives us complete data of the building, with which we can do a lot more. We can generate structural blueprints, 3D models, and create interior design renders!
We're eager to hear feedback and answer questions. Do share your experiences from the construction industry, and your opinion on the use of software to make construction work more efficient.
Sorry to anyone who's interested in this topic and/or whose question hasn't been answered yet. It was my mistake!
Since your designs are mostly being made by algorithms without much need of human intervention, why not provide it as a SaaS? Allow the firms to generate their own designs while also allowing their in house consultants to validate the designs.
That being said I am really excited for your project and I wish you the best of luck. This is something I've being dreaming of for ages.
Coming on to MEP consultants requirement, so when we come in picture we assure that there is no need of any other MEP consultants as we work according to the local laws applying for the project and validate all drawings.
So, Right now we are using the software in-house only thus becoming only tech enabled consulting firm providing drawings at superior speed & quality, also we are working as a back office team for some consultants but the future vision is to convert it into SaaS.
Hope I answered all your questions, please let me know if there is anything else you want to know. Thanks!
Projects large enough to require sophisticated MEP design require that the the design be engineered by a qualified professional who is individually responsible for health safety and welfare. This is not an artifact of modern guild cultures. The principle of personal builder responsibility goes all the way back to the code of Hammurabi.
Or rather, the many many local "near zero dollar" markets are generally served and somewhat competitive. There are MEP's already on the ground pretty much anywhere there is work. That's also the case with the national "near zero dollar" market and everywhere in between.
Which is not to say that what you are doing won't work. But it's probably going to be high touch sales and not self service. Too much money at stake in construction. Too many problems that occur during the process from inherent complexity, misunderstanding, and human fallibility. When things go bad, relationships make the difference.
In the US, you're not up against costs. You're up against relationships. Relationships developed over many projects and many years. Low cost probably won't buy you arm's length.
Good luck.
So, right now we are using the software in-house thus producing projects and getting feedbacks from various customers and accordingly developing the tool, the main vision is to make it SaaS, then relationships would not be a big issue.
Low cost is appealing, but in the long run only if the service slots into the way people do business. MEP drawings are important as instruments of service not as physical objects. That's a much more complicated role than what PlanGrid tackled. It's product did not have to bear scrutiny from Owners, Building Officials or the Design Team. It only had to make the construction manager's job easier.
I think you didn't get it. So,the design is as per that MEP consultant or designer only who is working on the project, but using this tool it will ease out his work by making the delivery more faster, efficient and detailed, thus cutting down his effort, time and he will be able to focus more on designing and providing quality to his customers.
If it works for you, we would be glad to connect with you and discuss and try to answer more of your questions and doubts. Thanks!