HuskyBIM › Docs › Claude Desktop Setup

Get Claude Desktop running
for BIM on Windows 11

Everything you need: install Claude Desktop, pick the right plan (Pro minimum for practical BIM use), wire up an API key if you prefer pay-per-token, and connect a HuskyBIM plugin to your BIM software. Takes about 10 minutes from zero.

Step 1 — Install Claude Desktop
1

Download the installer

Go to claude.ai/download and click the Windows button. The installer is around 200 MB. Requires Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit).

2

Run the installer

Open the downloaded file — Claude installs per-user (no admin rights needed). After installation, Claude Desktop opens automatically.

3

Sign in or create a free account

Click "Sign in" — use an existing Anthropic account or create one for free at claude.ai. No credit card needed to start.

Step 2 — Choose the right Claude plan

MCP tools in Claude Desktop work on all plans including Free — but the Free plan has very limited message quota that runs out quickly in a BIM session. Choose Pro for daily BIM work, Max if you push Claude hard, or an API key for pay-per-token pricing with no limits.

Free
Claude Free
0 / month
  • Claude Sonnet only
  • Very limited usage
  • MCP supported
  • Too limited for daily BIM
RECOMMENDED FOR BIM
Pro
Claude Pro
$20 / month
  • Sonnet + Opus access
  • 5× more than Free
  • MCP fully supported
  • Good for daily BIM
Power Users
Claude Max
$100–$200 / month
  • 5× or 20× Pro usage
  • All models incl. Opus
  • MCP fully supported
  • For heavy daily use
Pay-per-token
API Key
From ~$0.15 / session
  • No daily limits
  • Any Claude model
  • Separate billing
  • Best for power users
Typical BIM session cost with API key: A session where you query 50–100 model elements, run a few clash checks, and export a report uses roughly 50,000–150,000 tokens. With Claude Sonnet at $3/million input tokens, that's around $0.15–$0.45 per session. Most BIM professionals using it daily spend $10–30/month — less than Pro.
API key is not a fallback from Pro — the Claude API (console.anthropic.com) and Claude.ai subscriptions are completely separate products with separate billing. A Pro or Max subscription does NOT include API access. You can have both: a Pro subscription for claude.ai chat, and an API key for other tools. Current pricing: anthropic.com/pricing · claude.ai/upgrade
Step 3 (optional) — Set up an API key for pay-per-token use

Skip this step if you're using Pro or Max — Claude Desktop handles authentication automatically. This section is for users who prefer pay-per-token pricing with no message limits instead of a flat subscription.

1. Create an API account — go to console.anthropic.com and sign up. This is a separate account from claude.ai.
2. Add a payment method — in the Console, go to Settings → Billing → Add payment method. Anthropic charges per token used, not a flat fee.
3. Create an API key — in the Console, go to API Keys → Create Key. Copy the key — it starts with sk-ant-. Store it securely (password manager).
4. Configure Claude Desktop to use your API key — in Claude Desktop, open Settings and look for the API Key field. If you don't see a GUI field, open %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json in a text editor and add "apiKey": "sk-ant-..." at the top level. Restart Claude Desktop after saving.
5. Set a spend limit (recommended) — in the Console, go to Settings → Limits → set a monthly spend limit to avoid surprises. $20–50/month is plenty for heavy BIM use.

Full Claude Desktop documentation: support.anthropic.com

Step 4 — Install a HuskyBIM connector

Choose the connector for your BIM software. Each is a subscription — you can run multiple connectors simultaneously in Claude Desktop for cross-discipline workflows.

For architects & engineers
HuskyBIM for Revit
488 operations
For architects
HuskyBIM for ArchiCAD 29
217 operations
1

Subscribe and download

Click a product above and complete checkout. You receive a download link by email — also shown immediately on the confirmation page.

2

Run the installer

Download and run the installer (HuskyBIM_for_Revit_v1.0.19.exe or HuskyBIM_for_ArchiCAD_29_v1.0.2.exe). It bundles Node.js and installs it silently if missing. When prompted, enter your subscription email address — the installer configures Claude Desktop automatically. No manual steps required.

3

Open BIM software + Claude Desktop

Start your BIM application with a model open. Open Claude Desktop. You can now ask Claude anything about your model — elements, parameters, geometry, clash results, schedules.

Running multiple connectors at once: You can have Revit + ArchiCAD active in the same Claude Desktop session. Claude sees all tools from all active connectors simultaneously — useful for cross-discipline coordination workflows.
Step 5 (optional) — Add HuskyMCP for building standards

HuskyMCP is a free MCP server that gives Claude access to 24,000+ BIM documents — Eurocodes, BR18, national annexes, IFC standards, and more. No installation needed. Add it to Claude Desktop as a custom connector pointing to https://mcp.huskybim.com/mcp.


Example: "Does this wall assembly meet BR18 fire requirements?" — Claude checks your model via the HuskyBIM connector and looks up the regulation via HuskyMCP, all in one response.

A note of appreciation

We build HuskyBIM because we believe AI and BIM belong together — and Claude makes that possible in a way that genuinely impresses us every day.

Anthropic's commitment to building AI that is safe, helpful, and honest isn't just marketing — it shows in how Claude reasons, how it handles uncertainty, and how it works with complex technical domains like architecture and engineering.

Claude Sonnet is the AI we have wanted since we first worked in BIM. It understands context, asks the right follow-up questions, and makes the work of designing and coordinating buildings meaningfully better.

Thank you, Anthropic — for building something worth building on.

anthropic.com →  ·  claude.ai →