In a recent Reddit thread, a Revit modeller shared their frustration after spending 9 years creating high-quality, parametric Revit families for big building services brands. Thousands of families, deep knowledge of lookup tables, nested content, type catalogues.. and yet, they now find themselves unemployed and wondering if those skills still hold value.
It’s a question that resonates deeply within the BIM community, especially for those whose specialised talents often go underappreciated outside technical circles.
The Private Sector Paradox
The irony of it all is that private sector projects are typically fast-paced, budget-constrained, and laser-focused on deliverables. You’d think this would make reusable, high-quality content an obvious priority. But it doesn’t. You know what we’re talking about:
- Time and money are a problem… and then cutting corners to save costs make it a bigger problem.
- BIM is dismissed as “just model stuff” or “just drafting work.”
- The culture shift needed for proper digital delivery is too hard.
- Management is on board in name only.
In environments like these, someone with the OP’s depth of knowledge can easily be labeled “too niche,” or “not project-facing enough.” That’s a waste of good skills. Or worse – It’s a missed opportunity to solve recurring pain points with reliable, reusable and efficient content.
Your Skills Are Still Valuable
Many replies in the thread were encouraging. Downloadable families are often bloated or broken. Custom, clean content—especially in MEP, is still in demand, and tools like Sysque and Trimble rely on robust libraries to function well. If given the opportunity, a good BIM lead will recognise the importance of quality content.
The challenge lies in the harsh reality that depth alone isn’t valued unless someone knows how to look for it; and many don’t.
So, what can you do?
If you’re feeling stuck in a similar position, here are some actionable steps to consider:
1. Build on What You Already Know
Expand your skill set by learning design-side workflows. You don’t need to become an engineer, but gaining enough context to bridge the gap between modelling and design is invaluable.
2. Position Yourself as a Problem Solver
Reframe your role from “content creator” to “efficiency enabler.” Talk about reuse, automation, and eliminating bottlenecks. Instead of focusing solely on the technical details, emphasise how your work saves time and reduces errors downstream. This reframing helps decision-makers see you as part of the solution rather than just another cost center.
3. Find the Right Environment
Not every firm values high-quality Revit content, and trying to change a company’s culture from an interview context is not going to happen. Look for organisations where your skills align with their goals. Some companies actively seek out experts who can elevate their standards, while others won’t.
4. Apply Your Expertise in Adjacent Domains
Your deep knowledge of one tool or workflow doesn’t have to confine you. If you understand how good content improves modelling, that’s transferable to automation, data structures, even QA/QC processes. Don’t wait for permission to explore those overlaps. Use your niche as a launch pad to cross into new territory, especially where other people haven’t thought to look yet. That’s where the real value starts to show.
Find Your Space
Sometimes it’s not about whether your skills are relevant, it’s more about whether the people around you understand their relevance. And that’s a harder thing to fix, especially when culture, management, and short-term thinking get in the way.
If you’re caught in that limbo, finding yourself too technical for design, too niche for general BIM, you’re not alone. There is space for what you do. It just might not be where you are now.
Your niche isn’t your limit, it’s your leverage. The key is to stop trying to fit into a box and start finding (or building) the one where your work matters.
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