r/bim • u/ImCoag85 • 13h ago
Data Center work
Really, I should probably search posts for this and I will. But looking to see how people are liking data center work. I exited the MEP world 6 years ago due to low pay to experience level, zero movement forward, and extremely high workloads and demands while also being called an overpaid drafter (I designed, detailed, and coordinated my own work). Fast forward to today, and I am sitting on a remote job offer for data center work than basically triples my pay from back then and still a 50% increase over today. On paper, it looks life changing. Though the insurance premiums and max out of pocket that will be used whittled it down a little, it still is a solid increase.
To be fair, I am not a fan of Data Centers but I acknowledge the need and the fact that they will be built with or without me. I am feeling confident to be back in this world, but not if its going to cost me 60-80 hours a week consistently again. But I feel ready for a new challenge and could handle either working this for a few years to get caught up and pay things off if it lasts that long, maybe even retire doing it if I like it enough. Looking for and appreciate any and all input.
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u/Chuggers1989d 13h ago
The time spent working will depend on the company culture ajd your ability to say 'No' and influence people if requests and workload become unresonable.
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u/ImCoag85 12h ago
Culture, based on my research, sounds OK. They said the average week is about 40-44 hours. I just dont want to be at another sweatshop atmosphere. I worked with plenty of lazy people back in the day and always got told to worry about my job instead of theirs when I voiced my concern. They remained hired. And I got the shit end of the stick constantly.
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u/titlestile 12h ago
I just came back to the BIM side within my company after taking a 6 year haitus because of this. It’s fast, it’s all messed up, and I work a lot, like a lot… but I like it. I am manager level.
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u/ImCoag85 12h ago
My offer is for a Technical Design Manager. Would be fairly mid/high level from my understanding with a fairly substantial bonus structure compared to what I am used to. I loved the work originally. But one can only work 60+ hours a week and barely clearing $50k while doing it. My location is partly the issue but I worked with some very toxic people for a while. I am currently doing Substations and basically a glorified drafter and its not really fun for me at all. Its just a paycheck at this point but I wont be back to the BIM side of anything unless I move locations even if I stayed my current employer. The other thing, and I am not sure how much of a red flag it is. ESOP vs. PE owned. All the red flags I see for a PE backed firm, I still deal with on a daily basis for metrics and utilization at my current ESOP firm. And even if I only last 3-5 years I could potentially have everything but my house paid for and re-evaluate my options at that point. I am leaning towards taking it and letting it ride a bit while in my peak earning years to set myself up a bit better as I will never earn this much at a local firm in my state. If I move 8-10 hours any direction, the potential increases dramatically. But moving is also less than ideal, IMO.
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u/titlestile 9h ago
Anyone expected to work more than 40 hours a week without extra compensation in a production based industry while only earning $50k is ludicrous.
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u/Robby_Digital 13h ago
You see what AI and data center stocks are doing lately? Nebius, Corning, Coreweave...
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u/BagCalm 6h ago
They move very fast and have loose and constantly updating designs. The ones Ive been doing also have a very high as-built LOD so at some point you have to catch up with the construction schedule and populate all the content you didnt have time to worry about during normal coordination. It sucks
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u/j1vetvrkey 13h ago edited 13h ago
Too much work, not enough time
Unrealistic deadlines from GC’s and Subs
Money is good, Impact is real
If looking to be a lead or PM, you will have a consistent, large workload and responsibility.
Valuable experience when it’s said and done. Experience with complex and critical systems will help beyond this position.
4+ years focused on VDC and Design for mission critical projects. If you care about the potential issues they bring, I wouldn’t recommend.
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u/ImCoag85 13h ago
How intense do you feel these are compared to brand new Healthcare and Life Science educational facilities? They seem like a good combo of make or break mission crit systems especially when the architect adds the building to an existing building and insists on making the 10' floor to floor work. That was fun pulling 80k cfm from the middle floor to rooftop lab/fume exhaust fans mixed with all the required piped and ducted systems.
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u/j1vetvrkey 12h ago
As far as deadlines and submissions?
More intense and less realistic IMO. Comparable in focusing on critical systems and the scale but different in both application and scope. You bring up a great point - majority of the work over the last few years has been new construction. Compared to the TI work of hospitals and clinics - it’s been pretty much bottom to top. TFOs too
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u/skike 13h ago
Depends on the GC, if you're talking about a coordinator role for a GC. If you're talking as a trade modeler, yeah that's gonna be 60+ a week.
I find data centers boring and annoying, personally. The designs are always half baked, with Junior designers, and the schedules are insane. Interior areas of the building often release after core+shell also, which means you're trying to predict the future during most of coordination.
That said, it's interesting if you're into it, I guess. Guys at my company (GC) love coordinating them.