Why scanning quotes are hard to compare
Two firms can quote $4,000 and $14,000 for the "same" building, and both can be fair. The difference is almost always scope: what gets modeled, how precisely, and in which format. The two terms that matter most:
- Level of development (LOD): how much is modeled. LOD 200 is walls, doors and windows as generic objects; LOD 300 adds accurate sizes and types; LOD 350 adds connections and systems detail. Each step up roughly doubles modeling time.
- Level of accuracy (LOA): how precisely it matches reality. LOA20 (15–50 mm) suits most renovations; LOA30 (5–15 mm) suits tight-fit MEP work; LOA40 (1–5 mm) is for fabrication.
Modeling usually costs 2–3× the scanning itself, so asking for more model than you'll use is the most common way to overpay. A clear scope fixes that.