01. Importance of 3D Renderings
Project visuals are so often provided to customers as 2D CAD elevations or simply plan drawings. As technical documents, these are very important but aside from the lack of colour, texture and materials, they are a real struggle for customers to make sense of. Most people can't mentally visualise how a project will look in real life, from a set of elevations. Communicating designs and ideas with line drawn elevations is severely limiting, which can lead to projects not being agreed, or customers entering projects blind, then surprised at the end result.
When you bring your ideas to life with a 3D rendering, customers will know exactly what they are agreeing to and what to expect from the project. Renderings are also a powerful tool for running the project itself, as those carrying out the work will have a clear view of what is expected of them, at a glance at the drawing. No one is left guessing.
The above image demonstrates how dramatic the difference is between the two types of drawings. These are for the same project but give a completely different idea of what the project will be, depending on which one you look at. CAD elevations are essential for clarifying exact dimensions, placement and positioning but they should be backed up by a realistic CGI rendering.
Some larger projects I’ve worked on will even have a rendering, along with a set of drawings, in each room being worked on. This allows workers to quickly see what they need to do in any given room. It also gives them a view of what other work is expected to happen around their own piece of work.
02. The power of communication & choice
3D renderings become even more powerful when used early on in the design process. How often have you had to work with tiny samples to experiment with materials and colours? Small blocks of timber and carpet for floors or rectangles of paint on a wall, are very difficult to imagine on a large scale. Interior designers are skilled at this but most people find it a challenge.
The ability to test out ideas before a project starts is extremely important. Whether it’s trialling an idea for wall colours, flooring materials, or a design for a piece of furniture, renderings are a perfect way to test things before work even begins. Changing from a carpeted floor to a wooden one, or from a Walnut cabinet to an Oak one, is generally a simple adjustment to a 3D model. A quick rendering later and you or your customer can make an informed decision as to which joinery or decor option to go for.
As a bonus, the ability to add in a few existing details for your customer (existing furniture, fittings and appliances) is a powerful way to sell an idea, as they can see how your ideas will work with there own things. I worked on a project where the customer was worried that the new unit design wouldn’t work with their existing decor, so I added in versions of the owner’s rug, flooring, and chair to this basement TV unit rendering (see above image or click here to see the project). Once they’d seen how it all looked, they immediately agreed to the joinery.
03. Protecting Your Profits
A final and really important potential effect of using 3D renderings is protecting your project profits. Using renders can greatly reduce the risk of expensive, last minute changes. It’s so common at the end of a project that designers, carpenters and architects, start to lose money by having to cover changes to aspects of a project. Only recently a carpenter I’ve known for years had to spend a lot of time adjusting some built-in units, as the customer realised, once they were installed, that they were taller than he’d imagined. The cost incurred by the changes hadn’t been allowed for in the carpenter's price, so he lost money. The customer’s reason for the changes was that they didn’t know it would look the way it did. Had the customer had a realistic rendering, they would have seen the problem immediately. Because drawings weren’t agreed, or signed off, in this case, the carpenter had to cover the cost of the changes.
So keep your customers clear on what to expect from your project, reduce the risk of your project going off track with last minute changes and make important design choices before a project even starts, with realistic 3D renderings. Contact DN Drawings to discuss your project.