Frequently Asked Questions

Architectural visualisation is the craft of producing photoreal or stylised images, animations, and virtual tours of a building before it is built. A studio rebuilds the architect's drawings as a 3D model, applies materials, lighting, and context, then renders still images, flythroughs, or 360 panoramas. UK practices use these assets for three purposes: planning submissions, marketing off-plan sales, and internal design review. The output ranges from simple white-model massing shots to fully verified views that match a surveyed camera position. Good visualisation communicates the design faithfully so clients, planners, and buyers can judge it before construction begins.

Our clients include residential architects managing householder extensions and new-build projects, property developers working on schemes from two units to large mixed-use sites, interior designers who need rendered room sets before a fit-out, and planning consultants who require verified views for sensitive or tall-building applications. We also work with estate agents and marketing agencies preparing off-plan sales materials. Clients typically engage us at RIBA Stage 3 or later, when they have a developed design ready to visualise.

We serve the whole of England and accept projects from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Our team works remotely, so geography does not affect turnaround or pricing. We regularly deliver for projects in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, and smaller market towns across the South East, Midlands, and North. For planning applications, we are familiar with the submission requirements of most English local planning authorities and can tailor verified views to match council-specific guidance.

A single exterior still for a straightforward residential project takes five to seven working days from receipt of the CAD or Revit file. A pair of interior stills takes a similar period. A full planning package with three exterior views and one interior can take ten to fifteen working days. Animation projects are quoted individually and typically run three to six weeks. Timelines depend on model complexity, the quality of the source drawings, and the number of revision rounds. Rush turnaround of two to three working days is available at an additional fee.

The most useful starting point is a CAD or BIM file: AutoCAD DWG, Revit RVT or IFC, ArchiCAD, SketchUp, or Rhino files are all accepted. We also work from PDFs of scaled floor plans and elevations, though this adds modelling time. For planning applications we need a site location plan and block plan. For interiors, a schedule of materials, furniture specifications, and finish boards help us match the intended design accurately. If you have reference images for the visual style, share them at the outset and we will match them.

Every project includes two full rounds of revisions at no extra charge. A revision round covers changes to camera position, materials, lighting, landscaping, or minor architectural amendments. Structural changes to the 3D model, additional cameras, or changes in scope beyond the original brief are quoted separately. Two rounds are sufficient for most projects when the initial brief is clear. We send a draft image for approval before final rendering, so the first revision round rarely surfaces major issues.

After we deliver draft renders, you review them and send consolidated feedback in a single document or annotated PDF. We process all comments in one pass and return updated images within two to three working days. For planning verified views, we send a draft composite image showing the CGI overlaid on the surveyed photograph for your approval before final delivery. We keep all project files for twelve months so that minor amendments after handover can be processed quickly without rebuilding the model from scratch.

Pricing is based on four factors: the complexity of the 3D model, the number of cameras, the level of detail required in materials and landscaping, and the deadline. A simple brick-and-tile residential extension is cheaper to model than a glazed commercial facade with bespoke cladding. We quote fixed fees per project rather than hourly rates, so you know the total cost before work starts. Quotes are typically returned within four working hours. For ongoing clients with multiple projects, we offer a volume rate.

Yes. Clients who brief three or more projects simultaneously receive a ten percent reduction on modelling fees because we can batch the work efficiently. Developers with a pipeline of schemes can arrange a retainer rate that fixes a per-image price for a twelve-month period. Contact us to discuss a framework agreement if you expect to commission more than ten images per year. Retainer clients also receive priority scheduling, which reduces turnaround time during busy periods.

We accept bank transfer in GBP and card payment through our invoicing system. For new clients, we require a fifty percent deposit before work begins, with the balance due on delivery of final images. Established clients on account terms pay thirty days from invoice date. All invoices include a full breakdown of deliverables. We issue VAT invoices compliant with HMRC requirements. For international clients outside the UK, we accept payment in GBP only.

No. All prices quoted are exclusive of VAT. VAT at the standard rate of twenty percent is added to invoices for UK clients. If you are a VAT-registered business, you can reclaim the VAT on your return in the normal way. Clients based outside the UK who are registered for VAT or the equivalent in their jurisdiction are not charged UK VAT, subject to receipt of a valid VAT registration number. We provide a fully itemised VAT invoice with every project.

Our primary modelling and rendering pipeline uses 3ds Max with Corona Renderer for exterior and interior stills, and Unreal Engine for real-time walkthroughs and VR experiences. We also work in SketchUp for early-stage concept renders and Lumion for fast turnaround animation. Post-production is carried out in Adobe Photoshop and After Effects. For verified views, we use specialist photogrammetry and camera matching tools to composite the CGI accurately onto the surveyed photograph. We accept model files from Revit, ArchiCAD, Rhino, and most common BIM and CAD formats.

Standard delivery for planning submissions and digital marketing is 4K resolution, 3840 by 2160 pixels at 72 dpi. For print use, including hoardings, brochures, and site boards, we deliver at 300 dpi at the intended print size, typically A1 or A0. If you need a different resolution or aspect ratio, state this in the brief and we will configure the render accordingly. All images are delivered as high-quality JPEG files as standard, with uncompressed TIFF available on request at no additional charge.

Yes. If you have reference images showing the mood, lighting, colour grade, or level of realism you want, share them at the briefing stage and we will calibrate the render to match. We can produce everything from clinical white-model massing images to warm golden-hour photoreal renders. For branding-led projects, we can match a developer's established CGI style across a portfolio. For planning applications requiring a neutral, accurate representation, we use a standardised daytime lighting rig that meets RICS verified view guidance for evidential images.

Yes. We produce 360 equirectangular panoramas viewable in any browser-based viewer or embedded in a website. Full VR experiences rendered in Unreal Engine can be delivered as standalone executables for Windows or as web-based tours compatible with most headsets. 360 panoramas are priced per viewpoint and are typically quoted alongside a standard camera package. VR walkthroughs are scoped individually because they require a higher level of model optimisation and scene dressing than still images.

Yes. Planning visualisation is one of our core services. We produce CGI images for Design and Access Statements, Heritage Impact Assessments, and neighbour consultation packs. For sensitive sites, conservation areas, and tall buildings, we produce verified views: CGI composited onto a surveyed photograph using a matched camera and lens, with full photogrammetric documentation to satisfy the Greater London Authority, Historic England, and most local planning authority requirements. We can liaise directly with your planning consultant to confirm the view positions and delivery format required.

Yes. We produce architectural flythroughs, interior walkthroughs, and construction sequence animations. A typical flythrough runs thirty to sixty seconds at 25 frames per second and is delivered as an MP4 file suitable for YouTube, Vimeo, and social media. Longer films for investor presentations or public exhibitions are quoted per minute of finished output. We can add text overlays, voice-over audio, and branded end cards. Short animated sequences showing a building's relationship to its surroundings are increasingly used in planning public consultation.

Yes. Interior visualisation is a significant part of our workload. We render kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, commercial fit-outs, office environments, and hospitality spaces. Interiors require detailed material specification from you, including finish samples, furniture models, and a lighting plan. We can work from your interior designer's mood board and specification schedule, or propose a material palette based on the design intent. Interior stills are typically delivered as a pair of complementary camera angles to show the full room.

Yes. Beyond the CGI images themselves, we can produce site board artwork, brochure layouts, and digital advertising assets formatted for social media. We work with your marketing team to apply the developer's branding to rendered images and produce a consistent visual identity across the project. For off-plan sales, we can prepare a full image pack sized for the portals, print, and digital channels in a single delivery. If you need a dedicated landing page design built around the CGI, we can refer you to our web design partners.

Minor changes after final delivery, such as a material tweak or a text amendment on a site board, are handled under a post-delivery amendment rate. We keep all project source files for twelve months, so most amendments can be processed quickly. Significant scope changes, such as an architectural redesign or a new camera position, are treated as a new brief and quoted accordingly. If you anticipate ongoing amendments during a planning or sales process, we recommend a maintenance retainer covering a set number of hours per month at a fixed fee.

Yes. We sign non-disclosure agreements for any client who requests one. Our standard NDA covers confidentiality of design information, client identity, project details, and rendered images. For high-profile developments where discretion is commercially important, we can also agree to delayed portfolio rights, meaning we will not publish the images publicly until the project is announced or planning permission is granted. Send us your preferred NDA template and we will review and sign it before work begins.

On full payment of the project invoice, you receive a licence to use the delivered images for all purposes connected with the project: planning submissions, marketing, press, social media, and investor presentations. The licence is perpetual and royalty-free for the named project. If you want to use the images for a purpose unconnected with the original project, such as licensing them to a third party or using them in a corporate brand campaign, contact us to discuss an extended licence. We retain the copyright in the underlying 3D assets.

We offer a rush service for projects that require delivery within two to three working days. Rush projects carry a premium of thirty to fifty percent on the standard fee, depending on current studio capacity. To request rush scheduling, contact us by telephone or email before submitting your brief so we can confirm availability. Rush projects are accepted only when we have the capacity to deliver without compromising quality. During peak periods before bank holidays, rush slots may not be available, so we recommend briefing as early as possible.