How long does rendering take to complete? A Complete Guide on Architectural Visualization Projects Timeframe
3D architectural rendering has become the life and soul of architects, space designers, engineers, and other professionals in the AEC industry. It helps them to see and present the proposed design in photorealistic images known as renders. One common question that strikes every professional at the architectural firm is how long does a 3D render take to develop? Mostly people are running on tight deadlines or have certain prior commitments which is why they need to know the timeframe of architectural visualization projects. Renderspoint, the best 3D rendering studio, has thrown light on this entire concept through this blog. Discover everything about how much time does 3D rendering take, its factors along with various case scenarios and some secrets to make rendering faster.
Timeframe Guide: How Long Does Rendering Take To Complete
How Much Time Does 3D Rendering Take?
The time taken to create a 3D render may vary from a few minutes to weeks. The time taken depends on various factors and knowing these will help get the most accurate timeline for the renders. For example, the time taken for just the focus product will be different from that with a life-like scene. Creating a render of a bathroom from the CAD file will take around 1-2 days but adding a scene to the multiple backgrounds may take upto 3-4 days. Also, the time taken to produce one view would be different from taking renders in multiple angles and lighting conditions. Let’s have a look at the factors that affect the timeframe for architectural visualization.
Factor Affecting the Timeframe for 3D CGI Projects
Let’s have a look at the factors affecting the decision for how long does a 3D render take.
- 3D Rendering Software – There are many 3D rendering software popular in the market such as Lumion, Sketch Up, Chief Architect, Autodesk 3ds Max etc. It’s not just about the software and its version but also other elements that are responsible for the quality and time of the 3D render.
- Plugins- These plugins are small software modules that when added to the 3D rendering software make the process more efficient and streamlined.
- Rendering Engines – Every software comes with a different and unique rendering engine. A real-time rendering engine might be suitable for VR visualization while you may need an optimized rendering engine for a high-quality and photorealistic render.
- 3D Modeling – Applications such as Blender and Sketchup assist the 3D visualizers in creating 3D models by creating foundational geometry. Some 3D modeling software facilitates quicker rendering time while in some you need to make several tweaks before the final render comes out.
- 3D Render Hardware – It’s in the hardware that helps to bring out the render faster and in high quality. You need computer systems to have a configuration that has powerful graphic cards, and super-fast processors with high RAM speed. This certainly reduces the rendering time and helps in completing it without any lag. Switching to faster SSDs over traditional hard disks not only speeds up the data but also boosts performance. Overall having advanced systems with great computing power helps to get the renders fast and at the best quality.
- Complexity of Scene – Simple scenes such as a room with basic lighting and furniture would be rendered in a much faster time. On the other hand, a complex one such as an exterior render covering home exteriors along with neighbourhood and landscaping will take more time. Several elements account for the complexity of the project such as –
- Geometry – More the complexity of the object, the geometry will be complex as well. Drafting such a complex geometry takes time.
- Props – Imagine a room with no furniture and another one with proper interiors done with wardrobes and beds aligned. Taking a render of the latter will take more time than the former.
- Life-like Elements – Adding lifelike elements such as trees, people, clouds etc and creating a photorealistic render will take time than a normal render with no lifelike elements.
- Colours, Materials, and Textures – Grey renders are faster to produce as there are just two colours, black and white. But, to get the perfect renders the 3D visualizer needs to set the right balance of colours, texture, and materials. And, this is definitely time-consuming.
- Lights, Shadows, and Camera Angles – More the light sources, the more time would be required to render as it becomes time-consuming to calculate the reflections and trace the rays. Photorealistic renders take more time than normal ones.
- Special effects –Adding effects such as rain, fog, water, fire etc require special algorithms by the rendering software to process. These further need advanced calculation rates, thus slowing down the rendering rate.
- Image Specifications – The quality of the image required also creates a variation in the rendering time. A 4K image will take more time to render than a standard HD one due to the presence of more pixels. The image quality for a website will be different from that on a billboard. Similarly, for animation time to render depends on the frame rate and duration of the animation.
- Unclear Designs or Briefings – If the briefing received is unclear or missing several aspects, the chances of revisions are high. That too multiple rounds of revisions. More revisions ultimately call for more time taken. Things should be clear before the start of the project and the priorities should be clearly defined.
Some Scenarios and the Time Taken for the 3D Render
Let’s have a look at some general estimates for various types of 3D rendering services using some real-life scenarios. These are just an estimate, accurate timelines may vary depending on project requirements.
- Exterior Rendering Examples
- Residential Apartment (from concept): 2-4 days
- Commercial Real Estate (From 3D model): 3-10 days with 4-5 views
- Interior Rendering Examples
- Office Renovation (From CAD plans): 1-2 days with 2-4 views
- Residential House (From site photo): 2-4 days with 2-4 views
- Animation Examples
- Commercial Development Flythrough: 3-10 days
- Residential house Flythrough: 2-6 days
Secret Tips for Faster 3D Rendering
Let’s quickly have a look at some secret and lesser-known tips that speed up your 3D rendering projects. Let’s have a look at them –
- Clear Design Briefs – Make sure to receive every single detail from the client side by asking them relevant questions. This ensures a lesser number of revisions and faster delivery.
- Better Collaboration – Involving clients in the project and seeking regular feedback will enhance your accuracy and call for lower revisions. This ultimately boosts client satisfaction and faster delivery.
- Giving Proper Feedback and Confirmation – Getting proper feedback and approval confirmation expedites the process and eliminates the waiting time. Therefore, speeding up the reading time and making them ready for delivery.
- Optimizing 3D Model – Having a well-planned 3D model certainly lowers the time taken to complete the render. Make sure to get your 3D model prepared by a skilled 3D rendering studio team for better accuracy and speedy delivery.
Bottom Line
The success of any architectural visualization project greatly depends on how long a 3D render takes to develop. Hiring a skilled and professional 3D architectural visualization studio greatly helps in meeting deadlines and ensuring quality at the same time. Partner with Renderspoint today and seal the success of your business.
