6 Qualities to Assess Your Architectural Rendering Companies

When choosing partners to work with, you naturally look out for the best architectural rendering companies. That’s how it works with outsourcing services: you want to make sure you find a good match and cooperate with a provider who understands your business and can help you elevate it to a new level.

First of all, to pick the best 3D visualization agency, you have to know how to assess them, to be sure the expertise of the rendering company will match your business needs. In this article, we’re going to discuss 6 factors you should focus on when trying to assess a range of available architectural rendering agencies so that in the end you establish a long-standing business relationship with the agency of your choice. The qualities you need to consider when choosing your rendering partner are:

• The agency’s portfolio
• Technical capabilities
• Project process
• Communication skills
• Agency size
• Legal and contractual aspects

The agency’s portfolio

When choosing one from among the best 3D architectural visualization companies, you need to examine their expertise and experience to find a good match. It helps if the agency has a section with client references and testimonials on their website. If you want extra information, you can contact the clients directly and ask about the details. If the agency of your choice includes descriptions of case studies, it will save you the trouble of contacting clients. A good portfolio speaks volumes in the creative industry.

Since rendering agencies deal with images rather than words, a good portfolio will be much more useful than a simple description on the website. When examining a portfolio, look out for:

• the clients’ names or at least a short description of their business
• the scope of services provided by the agency
• the problem that was solved by the services
• images, before-after gallery, 3D visualization samples with a brief explanation of how the choice of services helped the client
• attention to detail and natural finish in the rendered images.

Technical capabilities

Another significant aspect worth considering when assessing the best 3D architectural rendering companies is the software they use. Most of the tools used by 3D rendering artists are specialized and come with a paid license. One of the reasons why you choose to outsource 3D visualizations is the fact that you may not have the necessary software and have no intention of buying a subscription. Anyway, having the necessary software is one thing, and being able to make the most of it is another.

Advanced software and an experienced team to handle it are especially important when the agency will be working on complex or custom projects. Good architectural rendering companies include a detailed list of services they provide, so that you know in advance what scope of tasks they can handle for you. If you target premium markets and customers, it’s worth your while to assess your rendering company thoroughly, to make sure you get the deliverables you need without unnecessary back and forth, not to mention quality issues. Once you confirm the agency’s proficiency in 3D visualizations and obtain testimonials, as mentioned above, you can trust the service provider with your projects.

Project process

Once you have gathered the basic information about the human and technological aspects of the 3D rendering agency, you will need to dig deeper and try to find out about their procedures. Since you don’t have to be an expert in architectural rendering – after all, that’s why you decide to outsource it in the first place – you might find it difficult to evaluate their work to date. Focus on the steps of the project process to make sure you understand what is going on at every stage:

• examine the necessary input on your part
• make sure you are aware of the project bidding process
• check the regularity of status updates 
• enquire about the way requested revisions are processed
• ask what is included in the pricing scheme and negotiate the timing for introducing the required changes and reworks. 

It’s important to envisage all the steps of the process to avoid unnecessary back-and-forth and unexpected delays.

Communication skills

Apart from evaluating the work of the best architectural rendering companies and understanding their project process, you need to stop for a while to think how exactly you are going to cooperate. Deliverables depend on the engagement of both parties to a contract, so make sure you’re always on the same page once the project is launched. But before you make the first step, it is vital that you define the communication strategy. To make sure the communication is effective, remember about the following:

• appoint contact persons, and ask the agency to do the same, to avoid communicational chaos
• define the best communication channels: choose a convenient messenger and keep a record of all the arrangements
• be clear about your goals and requirements from the start
• create a separate storage space for resources and work in progress, to be able to trace the entire process
• appoint product owners at every stage to facilitate accountability
• organize regular status meetings, following the Agile methodology, to make sure you’re on the same page
• address any misunderstandings promptly, to revert the project to the right track.

To facilitate communication and successful project delivery, start by describing your requirements and desired outcomes. Offer as much information as possible. On another note, be open to suggestions. 3D rendering experts might need you to modify your expectations and explain why some solutions are not feasible.

Agency size

When choosing between big and small architectural visualization companies, you need to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of working with either type. A big agency can handle complex projects that require a team of experts, a lot of qualifications, advanced software, and sometimes even the participation of external consultants. Large 3D rendering agencies have a network of useful contacts and can use them when internal resources are not enough. A big player will take on more responsibility, so you will feel they have your back even in custom projects that require a lot of rework.

On the other hand, a big agency usually has complicated procedures, which might extend the response time and cause communicational chaos. Also, the price range will be higher, but this is usually justified by the scope of services, qualifications of the team, and the quality of the toolkit used by the agency. However, if you choose to work with a smaller agency, a definite advantage is the personal touch and individual approach. 

If you value close business relationships and want to enjoy undivided attention, you will appreciate a small 3D architectural rendering company. Bear in mind, though, that a company of this size is better suited to handle simple projects. Due to limited capacity, you might experience some delays, so it may not be the best option if you’re on a tight deadline. This is a question of personal priorities because the best architectural rendering companies offer high-quality work regardless of their size.

Legal and contractual aspects

Since most outsourced professional services are provided online, you need to decide whether or not it is important where the 3D rendering agency is based. Although it might not have a direct bearing on the quality of the service they provide, the company will still be subject to the legal constraints of the country where they run their business. When examining legal aspects, consider the following:

• location and governing law of the rendering agency 
• software used and necessary licenses
• ownership of the deliverables and copyright/ intellectual property
• transfer of copyright
• deadlines
• legal recourse – you need to make provisions in case something goes wrong and you have to assert your rights in court
• confidentiality clauses – to make sure all the information you provide to the rendering agency is kept secret. 

While you agree for the data to be processed by the contractor’s software, you want to make sure the software is legal and properly secured against unauthorized access. All this and more should be specified in the contract, and if you have any doubts, it's always best to seek legal advice before any documents are executed.

Conclusion

As you have seen, several aspects need to be considered while assessing your options to choose the best architectural rendering company. Starting from the portfolio and technical capabilities, to process, size, and communication, to legal aspects. Since you outsource architectural visualization to optimize your business and provide your customers with outstanding experience, you need a powerful and talented ally in this process. 

Choose an agency that provides a number of digital services, uses state-of-the-art technology, and has a team composed of experienced artists. Follow the steps we discussed in the article to be sure nothing is overlooked in establishing a healthy business relationship. To make your life easier, we have outlined the process in the proper sequence:

• check out the agency’s portfolio and credentials
• examine their technical capabilities to make sure they match your project requirements
• follow the project process to ensure it’s transparent and easy to follow
• consider the communication channels 
• pick the right agency size to match your project
• analyze all the legal aspects and, if needed, consult a legal expert.

A thorough preparation stage means you save yourself the trouble of facing the unexpected, or at least minimize the chance of being surprised. By choosing a rendering agency properly matched to your project requirements, you give yourself the space needed to focus on your core business and deliver the best experience to your customers.