Mistakes to Avoid When Deciding an Architectural Visualization Firm

Hiring a top architectural visualization firm to execute its operation on your project is mostly a smooth process. Many small and large businesses such as marketing firms, construction companies, including real estate agents utilize the talents of CG artists to bring their structural projects to life. When a problem arises, an exceptional architectural company can step forward and provide the best solutions on the go. Typically, the best services will give accurate time frames, reasonable delays (if necessary,) and perform in high standards of professionalism and politeness.

In order to receive a service with superior abilities, one must pay close attention to a company’s first impression on you. A company unwilling to perform a task as promptly or professionally can slow down your overall project goals. Some aspects of poor quality service to demonstrate are massive delays, poor quality of work, and refusal to make any changes. 

An inexperienced person seeking to hire an architectural firm may also fall into the trap of judging the company’s portfolio and reviews too quickly, assuming this is all it takes. We believe hiring the wrong company can be a huge setback for your goals and your wallet. We decided to provide you with a list of how to avoid five classic mistakes we see people make before hiring an architectural visualization firm.

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Make sure there are enough employees in the architectural firm

When you plan to bring a large project to life, it may require more workforce to step in when needed in order to fulfill your deadline. It is natural for one or two people involved to unexpectedly experience an illness or a family matter which can delay your project. The benefit of having a bigger team is not having to experience this situation. Another benefit of having a large team to work with is getting more tasks completed out of the workday, whereas a small group may not be as efficient.

You can avoid waiting a few weeks (or months) for enough staff to get involved with your project by asking the company how many professionals they have available. Another good measure you can take is asking the firm about any past references and following up with each one. You can ask their contact whether the company has met their deadlines. And If they have, most likely your project will be treated with the same honor. 

Ask the architectural company if they guarantee high-quality work

When an architectural visualization firm is unwilling to guarantee the quality of its work, it is best to move on to a different one. Usually, the situation may play out in you paying a lot for a model that may not be useful due to shoddy work. Not only is money consumed, but also time, and you may have to restart the project entirely. Additionally, you may want to ask regarding any fees that may occur throughout the process or additional costs associated with making corrections.

Corrections are a typical demand on any project since it is improbable for an artist to get it right the first try. When the architectural firm charges exorbitant fees for needed requests or doesn’t have time to make the changes, it can be a costly ordeal for your business. Knowing upfront what future fees will occur can help you plan your budget better. You also want to check whether the firm you are considering will sign an NDA (non-disclosure agreement.) Signing an NDA will safeguard your plans and ideas between everyone involved in the project. Do avoid working with a company that refuses to sign one, so your data is kept secure.

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Choose someone with exceptional communication skills

It is essential to appoint a conference with the company you may be considering to ask questions and mention any concerns before commencing your project. To save you from a frustrating relationship, one can take notice or ask how communicative they will be. Upon the conversation, does the firm communicate everything clearly and effectively? Are they polite and professional? Would they respond to your messages promptly?

When you email them, and they appear to take a long time to get back to you, are rude, or vague, it may be better to look elsewhere. Communication is essential to helping a project go smoothly. You may also ask about their communication skills from their reference. Ask them if any problems came up along the way. If it did, how did they handle it? Did they respond quickly? Did they work to resolve the issue? Did the firm find clarity in solving the problem?

Avoid shopping based on low prices

It is essential to factor in your budget during the consultation. Although at times, a cheap render ends up being so low in quality it becomes unusable. Not only will you be eating the price of that “cheap” project, but you also face the cost of remodeling the project with another company. Price should only be a factor when choosing between two prominent companies that meet all your requirements. If you cannot decide between two exceptional firms, the more affordable one is acceptable in this scenario.

Typically, a suspiciously low quote from an architectural visualization firm should set off red flags. For CG artists to have any degree of quality, it takes many hours of training and a great deal of skill. They may have had to pay for education or spent years doing trial and error to become as good as they are. Therefore, a low price may indicate they are new in the field and looking to get those first critical reviews. 

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Trusting old and outdated software

Another common mistake slips by many people. When evaluating a company to see whether they can handle your work, it is worthwhile to ask about their equipment. That means both the hardware and the software. Rendering, for example, can take an exceptionally long time for high-quality pieces. It requires powerful processors. The better the hardware, the faster the render will complete.

Utilizing the latest software can make a big difference because it can make your project more photorealistic than ever before, which is helpful for marketing. It is worth asking your potential architectural visualization team what software and hardware they have and verifying it is up to date. The more up-to-date their equipment is, the more likely they are to produce high-quality projects.

Cad Crowd’s architectural visualization services at your disposal

At Cad Crowd, we have the privilege of working with hundreds of highly qualified architectural design freelancers. If you’d like our assistance, contact us today for a free quote.