BluEntCAD Knowledgebase: 5 Factors That Determine 3D Rendering Prices

Have you ever looked at architectural 3D rendering prices, squinted, and said, “Why?”

In this article, we’re breaking down the five primary factors that determine those costs, so you can know whether you’re being charged a fair price. 

Introduction

If you’re a professional in the AEC industry, you’ll be familiar with architectural 3D renderings. 

When a company hands over the final estimated cost to you, they will have to justify the calculation. Not doing so could end up with strained relations at best and a lawsuit at worst.

For this reason, it is best to discuss the 3D rendering prices at the outset. The rendering company should talk about the processes, the detailing and the physical elements of creating the designs and images that your project deserves.

Generally, the cost of a 3D render varies. It largely depends on the industry it is made for, whether it is an exterior or interior rendering, and the level of complexity of the project. For example, an animated architectural rendering could set you back 7,000 USD. However, a still of a room could cost about 250 USD.

An important point to note is that the labor involved to develop a 3D render may not be straightforward. One can create a large, detailed scene in a short timespan with public data and automation. Conversely, it could take weeks to render a seemingly simple piece.

The rendering process can be sped up by utilizing objects from libraries, such as people, finishes and furniture. The labor cost will be affected by the number of unique objects and level of detail.

Furthermore, the rendering time can depend on the software used. A longer rendering time would translate to higher costs, and vice versa.

If you want to dig into how to get maximum returns when hiring rendering services, go here.

Factors That Determine 3D Rendering Prices

• The Overall Design

  A larger project will cost more than a smaller project, as it contains more detailing and planning.

  Marketers need to have a clear design through CAD format plans shared by the 3D architects and make sense of the same.

  It is important to remember that such plans are subject to many changes. This takes time, especially if one needs to correct errors such as an improper structure or misaligned surfaces.

• The Detailing

  Similar to the first point, more detailing raises the cost of high-quality 3D renderings due to the extra planning. For example, marketers need to see how a particular structure looks from different angles, and how it will cope with weather conditions.

  The layout needs to be detailed and accurate, with light, shadow and textures, just how it would look in real life. Commonly, foreground and background vegetation and curved surfaces require more detail and are more expensive to add in the render.

  The industry term for the detail of the scene is called “poly-count“. This refers to the number of polyglons utilized to develop the scene.

  The client usually receives the layout as several full-HD images. However, these can be provided in Ultra 4K HD as well, which comes with a bird’s-eye perspective visualization or 3D interactive renderings.

• The Interior Design

  Superior furniture selection does play a role in 3D rendering prices. This also includes wall and floor coverings.

  

  You can choose from pre-decided packages or pick a customized one through remodeling, re-colouration and even texture. Adding additional furniture translates into work for the 3D architects.

  Changes can easily be virtually made to any item in the layout, such as colours, materials and textures.

  Taking away a positive point – 3D rendering services can save you costs, because conventional photography requires physical structures and photoshoots, and changing the photos can be a challenging and costly task.

  Recommended Reading:

  • Why is 3D Furniture Rendering Important for a Profitable Business?
• Custom-Made Designs

  Choosing custom-made designs adds to the total cost, even if you don’t include multiple revisions that add to the architectural rendering service prices.

  You can choose from the pre-made packages or get a customized package, and decide the cost accordingly.

• Multiple Revisions

  Creating a 3D rendering layout from scratch can be work enough, but having to make revisions can steeply raise costs due to the deadlines that still have to be met.

  Designers might have to work with several changes of the original model, such as adding or removing furniture pieces, changing the colors and textures of walls, ceilings and floors, and adding decor.

• Aesthetic Beauty Through Art Direction

  The purpose of 3D rendering is to create photorealistic designs of a future real-life structure. The work of a creative art director and rendering team is to produce beauty and function within the image.

  The 3D consultants will have to think outside the box and experiment with different camera angles and lighting set-ups to maintain innovation in their designs.

• Post-Processing Technicalities

  Some 3D software architects do use photo retouching to bring out lifelike qualities in their design.

  However, some lighting and texturing effects, adding or retouching colours, adding items and detailing are usually done better on the actual layout.

  Recommended Reading:

  • 3D Rendering and Visualization Market: Growth, Opportunity, Forecast, and Market Size

Per Image vs Per Project/Scene

3D rendering services prices are going to vary depending on whether you pay per image or per project.

For per-image pricing, either a fixed price is charged per rendered image, or a scalable price that depends on the number of renders you want. This type of pricing is ideal for smaller projects, such as a basic home exterior.

However, bear in mind that the price of rendering 1 image is somewhat higher per image than that of rendering multiple images. This is because the initial intensive setup for the first rendering. 

If you want to go the per project/scene route, you will receive a customized quote based on the needs of your project.

This type of pricing is more usual in larger projects including several elements such as multiple rendered images, floor plans and animation. For a per project model or large project, you should search for a volume discount.

Conclusion

When determining what you’re willing to pay for a 3D architectural rendering, it’s always good to look out for some points on the company website: 5 or 6 good renders followed by a slew of poor ones, small images that cannot be expanded, fake reviews, the listed clients, and whether or not there is a physical address.

We can save you the trouble of searching, though. BluEntCAD, an architectural rendering company founded back in 2003, has a 3D rendering team with vast experience. They work with Revit, CAD, Adobe, Photoshop, 3ds Max, and more, along with marketing and presentation packages crafted by specialists in the field.

We provide services to homebuilders, real estate developers, interior designers, commercial and residential architects, home renovators, and remodelers. Check our portfolio to see what we’ve done for past clients.

Ready for accurate, detailed 3D rendering services with a fast turnaround time? Contact us now!

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