Fisrt, I am going to answer the question why not build models in Bentley Architecture? Right now the company I work for is a Revit shop. I have worked in offices that use two applications that do the same job depending on job requirements. Frankly it's a nightmare. If we were bigger I could definitely see creating and supporting a Bentley Studio, but we are under 200 people spread over three offices. For that reason I am discouraging management from moving toward implementing Bentley Architecture as a BIM solution for jobs that require it.
For a lesser cost to our infrastructure and the bottom line of the project, I am assuming that rebuilding in Bentley after the project is complete would be more cost effective. After my long winded explanation, here's my question, are there companies providing services that rebuild Revit models and the associated documentation in Bentley Architecture?
Thanks,
Jeff
Be careful about recreating the model from a different package as a deliverable.
The "model" in Revit includes the model, the views, and the sheets, and any other external file you would need to recreate the deliverable (for example, a shared parameter file or your custom CAD Export file if you were exporting to a CAD file that uses something besides the AIA layering standard)
The Bentley Architecture equivilent in XM would be the Model, and the Extraction definitions, and the sheets, as well as the Dataset that holds the Datagroup information (parameters, if you will) and other data as required (such as compound cells, or PAZ files [i.e. families]).
I'm sure you could find someone to make the Bentley Architecture model from your Revit model, but can they recreate the drawing setup? That drawing set, like it or not, is still the legal tender and any owner/operator would need to be able to 100% recreate the CD set. And can you ensure all the parameters you use in the Revit model are recreated properly as DataGroup catalog data, and properly put on the geometry? While the model is important, and is from which everything flows, you can't (or shouldn't) just recreate the model and throw it at your client and say "Here, deal with it."
I'm not telling you NOT to take the route you are going, but to be aware of the pros and cons of doing so. I would also say the same about using BArch and trying to deliver a Revit model...be aware of what you are getting into if you go this route.
At the end of the day, our clients (whoever they be) have requirements that make sense for THEIR business, not ours. Your decision is whether or not you want to support their business, and how you want to do so.
Shawn
(the opinions above are mine and mine alone, and do not necessarily represent the views of my company)
------------