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3D renderings

3D Renderings for Homes & Projects

Realistic views of what you plan to build, made from your drawings, in the materials and colours you choose. For HOA committees, planning boards, buyers and your own peace of mind.

  • Built from your plans
  • Your materials & colours
  • Day or dusk views
  • High-res images
Get Price Quote See an Example Sheet
NEIGHBOR 26'-0" TOP OF WALL14'-6"25'-0" BOARD-FORMED CONCRETEWOOD SLAT SCREENCONCRETE STEPS FRONT ELEVATIONSCALE: 1/8" = 1'-0"
3D rendering of a modern concrete house at dusk with a wood-slat carport screen and garden lighting
Example: the same front view as a scaled drawing and as a rendering. Drag to compare.

Example sheet

What’s in Your Rendering

A finished dusk view of a new home. Hover or tap a number to see what each part is and why it matters to the people approving it.

Example sheet
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  1. 1

    Materials as specified

    Concrete, wood and glass the way they’re named on the drawings.

  2. 2

    Real colours and textures

    Your chosen finishes, so the committee approves what you’ll actually build.

  3. 3

    Lighting

    Exterior lights placed where the plans show them.

  4. 4

    Landscaping

    Planting and paving, to show how the house sits on the lot.

  5. 5

    Neighbours in context

    Adjacent buildings, so reviewers can judge scale and fit.

  6. 6

    Scale cues

    Cars, people or doors, so sizes read correctly.

  7. 7

    Camera at eye level

    The view a neighbour has from the street, not a flattering aerial.

  8. 8

    Time of day

    Daylight for clarity, dusk to show lighting. Your choice.

  9. 9

    Sheet info and sources

    Which drawings the model was built from, so everyone knows it matches.

Your views, materials and lighting are chosen with you, so they’ll differ from this example.

Quick answer

What Is a 3D Rendering?

A 3D rendering is a realistic image of a building, made from a digital model before it’s built, showing its materials, colours, lighting and surroundings. It isn’t a permit drawing by itself. HOAs, design boards, lenders and buyers use renderings to see what scaled drawings can’t easily show: how the project will actually look.

Reviewed by the MakeSitePlan drafting team · Updated October 2026

Also called
Architectural rendering, 3D visualization, exterior render
Used for
HOA and design review, planning boards, pre-sales, listings, design decisions
Who asks for it
HOA committees, design review boards, buyers and lenders
What you send
Plans or sketches, plus your material and colour choices
What you get
High-resolution images of each view, ready to print or present
Permit drawing?
No. Pair it with elevations when the permit needs scaled drawings

What’s included

Always in the Rendering, Plus Extras You Can Add

A rendering is only useful if it matches what will be built. The left column comes with every rendering; the right is added when your review or launch calls for it.

AlwaysWith every rendering

  • A model built from your plansSizes and shapes taken from the drawings
  • Your materials and coloursSiding, roofing, trim and paving as chosen
  • Realistic lightingDaylight or dusk, with shadows
  • Landscaping and contextPlanting, paving and neighbouring buildings
  • A draft to reviewYou see the view before the final images
  • High-resolution imagesSized for print and for screens
  • Source drawings notedSo reviewers know what the model is based on

If askedAdded when you need it

  • Extra camera viewsSide, rear, aerial or interior
  • Day and dusk versionsThe same view in both lights
  • Before and afterYour house today next to the rendering
  • Material optionsTwo or three colour schemes to choose from
  • Matching elevationsScaled drawings for the permit, from the same model
  • Walk-around videoA short animation around the building
  • Presentation boardRendering, plans and materials on one sheet

By project

What Your Rendering Shows for Your Project

Different audiences look for different things. Pick yours to see what we focus on.

Person sketching a house design by hand

Renderings for HOA approval

  • The street-facing view the committee cares about
  • Exact colours and materials from your application
  • Neighbouring houses for scale
  • Before and after, if it’s a change

Often paired with: elevation drawings with materials labelled.

Price My HOA Rendering

Also: interiors, storefronts, small commercial buildings and before/after makeovers. Ask about yours

Is this the right drawing?

Rendering vs Elevation vs Photo Mock-up

A rendering and an elevation can show the same front view, but only one of them can be measured. Here’s which your review needs.

3D rendering Elevation drawing Before / after view Edited photo
What it showsA realistic view in colourOne side, flat and to scaleYour house today next to the renderingA photo painted over
MeasurableNoYesNoNo
Built from your plansYesYesYesNo
Accepted for permitsAs supporting materialYes, as a permit drawingAs supporting materialRarely
Typical useHOA, boards, buyersPermits and HOAExterior changes, HOAQuick ideas
We make itYesYesYesNo. We build a real model

You need elevations too if…

  • the building permit needs scaled drawings of each side
  • your HOA asks for heights, not just looks
  • the zoning reviewer has to check building height
  • you want the rendering and the permit drawings to match exactly

Not sure? Send your HOA’s rules or the board’s checklist with your quote request. We’ll tell you what they ask for before you pay anything.

Design review

What Committees and Buyers Look For

A rendering that doesn’t match the plans can sink an approval. We check every image against this list.

  1. 01

    “Does it match the drawings?”

    Model built from your plans and elevations, with the source drawings named.

  2. 02

    “Are those the real materials?”

    Every material and colour taken from your application, not from a stock library look.

  3. 03

    “How does it fit the street?”

    Neighbouring houses and the street shown, so scale and fit can be judged.

  4. 04

    “Is the view honest?”

    Camera at normal eye height from the street, without a wide-angle lens that shrinks the building.

  5. 05

    “How tall is it, really?”

    Scale cues like doors, cars and people placed at true size.

  6. 06

    “What changes from today?”

    A before view of the existing house, when the project is a change.

Committee asked for changes? Send their notes and we update the model and images to match.

Elevation Drawings

What to send us

Plans and Your Choices. That’s What We Build From.

  • Required
    Project locationSo the context and sun direction are right
  • Required
    What you’re buildingPlans, or a sketch with main sizes
  • Helpful
    Elevations or floor plansThe more drawings, the more exact the model
  • Helpful
    Material and colour choicesProduct names, photos or paint codes
  • Helpful
    Photos of the site and streetFor neighbours, trees and the view
  • Helpful
    Who will see itHOA, buyers or a board, so we pick the right views

Haven’t picked materials yet? We can render two or three options side by side to help you decide.

How it works

  1. 1

    Send the basics

    Use the quote form or WhatsApp. Two minutes.

  2. 2

    Approve your price

    We confirm views, lighting and extras, and reply with the price and turnaround. Nothing starts until you approve.

  3. 3

    Review and receive

    You see a draft view first, ask for changes, then get the final high-res images.

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Deliverables & pricing

What You Receive, and What Sets the Price

Renderings are quoted per project because models and views differ. Here’s exactly what you get, and what moves the price.

Files
High-resolution JPG or PNG images. PDF board on request
Views
The number of views agreed in your quote
Resolution
Large enough to print on a presentation board
Source
Built from the drawings you send, listed with the images
Changes
Change rounds are written in your quote
Turnaround
Stated in your quote. Rush can be requested

What affects the price

  • Number of viewsEach view is a separate image
  • Building size and detailMore shapes, more modelling
  • Drawings availableFull plans save modelling time
  • Landscaping and contextDetailed gardens and neighbours take longer
  • Day and duskTwo lighting setups per view
  • Rush deliveryWhen you need it sooner
Get My Exact Price

Free quote. You see the price before we start.

Where we work

Renderings for Projects Anywhere

Renderings don’t depend on local codes, so we make them for projects anywhere in the U.S., and match them to the drawings your county approves.

Need permit drawings too? Renderings support an application but don’t replace scaled drawings. We can draw both from the same model.

For permits

Need Scaled Drawings as Well?

Building departments review scaled drawings, not pictures. If your permit needs elevations, we draw them from the same model so the two always match.

Order both together and you get one set of sizes and materials across every sheet and image.

Elevation Drawings

3D rendering FAQ

3D Rendering Questions

Short answers to what people ask before ordering. Ask anything else in your quote request.

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Reviewed by the MakeSitePlan drafting team
Updated October 2026

Are 3D renderings accepted for building permits?

Not on their own. Building departments review scaled drawings. Renderings are often accepted, or asked for, as supporting material, and HOAs and design boards frequently request them.

Can you make a rendering from my plans?

Yes, that’s the most accurate way. Send your floor plans and elevations and we build the model to their sizes.

What if I only have a sketch?

We can work from a sketch with the main sizes and a few reference photos. The rendering will be as accurate as the information behind it.

Can I choose the materials and colours?

Yes. Send product names, paint codes or photos. If you’re undecided, we can render a few options side by side.

How many changes can I make?

Your quote states the rounds of changes included. You see a draft before the final images.

What resolution are the images?

Large enough to print on a presentation board and sharp on screens. If you need a specific size, tell us in your quote request.

Can you show it at night?

Yes. Dusk views show exterior lighting and windows lit from inside. Many people order a day and a dusk version of the main view.

Can you show my house before and after?

Yes. From photos of your house today, we set up the same view of the rendering so the change is easy to see.

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