Client Resource

What You Need to Start a Rendering Project

Send this once. Get accurate quotes faster. Avoid revisions.

Starting an architectural visualization project shouldn't be a guessing game. Whether you are a developer, architect, or homeowner, providing the right information upfront is the single best way to reduce costs, speed up delivery, and eliminate revision loops.

The 60-Second Checklist Define Goals File Types Materials Revisions Download Starter Kit

The 60-Second Checklist

Files Ready

CAD/Revit model, PDF Plans, or Sketches with dimensions.

Decisions Made

Exterior materials, key camera angles, and primary marketing goal.

Project Killers

Incomplete drawings, undecided layouts, and 'designing during the rendering phase'.

Step 1 — Define the Goal

Are we selling, approving, or designing? Different goals require different lighting, staging, and budgets.

Pre-Sales Marketing: Needs emotion, dusk lighting, and lifestyle props.
Planning Approvals: Needs accuracy, neutral daylight, and specific street context.
Design Development: Needs speed and flexibility to iterate.

Tip: If you have multiple goals, choose a "primary" one. Trying to make one image do everything usually results in an image that does nothing well.

Step 2 — Choose the Deliverables

Be specific so we can quote correctly. "I need some renders" is vague. "I need 3 exterior views and 1 interior VR tour" is actionable.

Exterior Rendering →Interior Rendering →3D Floor Plans →Animation/Walkthroughs →

Step 3 — Architectural Drawings

We build the 3D reality from your data. The better the data, the faster the build.

Best: CAD/Revit

DWG, RVT, PLN. We can work directly from your model.

Good: PDF Plans

Vector PDFs of elevations and floor plans.

Minimum: Sketches

Hand sketches with clear dimensions and reference photos.

Steps 4 & 5 — Context & Materials

Buildings don't float in space, and they aren't made of gray clay. To make it real, we need:

Site Plan: Where does the driveway go? Where are the neighbors?
Material Schedule: Exact specs (e.g., "Benjamin Moore Hale Navy").
Landscape Plan: What trees and plants go where?

Steps 6–9: The Production Details

Camera Angles

We will propose "Clay Views" first. Don't worry about picking the perfect angle before you start; we help you find it.

Lighting & Mood

Daylight is standard. Dusk/Golden Hour adds drama but costs slightly more due to lighting complexity.

Output Specs

We deliver 4K (3840px) as standard, suitable for web and large print. If you need billboard size (8K+), tell us early.

Revisions

Consolidate feedback. "Move the tree left" and "Change the brick color" should be in one email, not five.

Step 10 — Revisions & Feedback

The #1 cause of delays is "drip-feeding" feedback. Follow the Single Source of Feedback rule:

"Collect feedback from all your stakeholders (architect, developer, realtor, spouse) and send it to us in ONE consolidated document. Conflicting feedback kills timelines."