Send Elevations and Sections for 3D Rendering
Quick answer: Send elevations for every facade in view and at least one section through the main spaces, with levels, heights, window sizes, roof shape and material notes. Check that they agree with the plans.
What elevations and sections add that plans cannot
A plan shows the layout from above. It cannot show height. Elevations and sections supply the vertical information: how tall a wall is, where a window sits, how a roof slopes and how one floor connects to the next. For a 3D rendering, they are as important as the plan, because without them the model must be guessed in the vertical direction.
An elevation is a straight-on view of one side of the building. A section is a vertical slice through it, as if the building were cut with a knife and one half removed. Together, they define the third dimension. This guide explains what to send and what to check before you do.
What a good elevation contains
- Every facade that appears in a view. Usually four, but sometimes only two.
- Floor levels and overall heights. Marked with dimension lines or level markers.
- Window and door sizes and positions. Including head heights and sill heights.
- Roof shape and pitch. Ridge height, eave height and overhang.
- Materials called out. Brick, siding, stone, metal, glass, with notes or hatch patterns.
- Details that change the silhouette. Chimneys, parapets, canopies, balconies.
Elevations are also where material joints and patterns show up: board widths, panel layouts, brick coursing and mullion grids. The more that is drawn, the closer the render will be to the intended design.
What a good section contains
A section reveals what elevations hide: ceiling heights, floor thicknesses, roof structure, stairs, double-height spaces, basements and the relationship between the building and the ground. It shows how a wall is built, at least schematically, which helps the studio model window recesses, overhangs and the thickness of the roof edge.
- At least one section through the main spaces, cutting across the building's longest and shortest directions when possible.
- Floor-to-floor and floor-to-ceiling heights.
- Roof profile with slope and overhang.
- Stairs with the number of risers.
- Ground line, basement and foundation level if visible.
For interiors, a section along the main wall of a room gives us ceiling shape, window heights and the location of built-ins, which are exactly the things a camera sees.
Wall thickness, window depth and why they matter
In a photograph, the depth of a window reveal creates a shadow line that makes the facade look real. If a wall is modeled as a single plane with a window painted on it, the image looks flat. Sections and details tell us how thick walls are and how far windows are set back. Even an approximate note, such as "8 inch wall, window set 4 inches back", is enough to model a believable reveal.
The same goes for roof edges and parapets. A thin fascia looks different from a deep one. If the drawings do not say, ask the designer or send a photo of a similar building, and we will match it.
Hand-drawn or partial elevations
Early in a project, elevations may exist only as sketches. A hand-drawn elevation is workable when it has approximate heights and a note of the scale or a known dimension. Partial elevations, showing only the street side, are common as well. We can build the visible facade carefully and simplify the rest, as long as we agree on which views will be produced.
What we cannot do is invent design. If a facade has not been designed, tell us whether you want the studio to propose one. That is a design task, and it changes the scope and the quote, so we discuss it before starting.
Consistency between plans, elevations and sections
The drawings must agree. A window that is 6 feet wide on the plan and 5 feet wide on the elevation is a conflict, and a modeler must choose. We flag conflicts and ask, but you can shorten the process by checking the main ones yourself: window counts, overall heights, roof pitch and floor levels. If drawings come from different times, tell us which is the latest.
When a project has design options, label them clearly. A set that mixes option A elevations with option B plans creates confusion that can cost days.
Sending elevations for interiors
Interior elevations show the walls of a room flat, as if the room were unfolded. They are common for kitchens, bathrooms and built-in shelving, and they specify cabinet layouts, heights and finishes. If your interior view will show a wall of cabinetry or a feature wall, send its interior elevation. It removes the need to guess module widths or the position of a hood, an outlet or a shelf.
Where interior elevations do not exist, a marked-up photo or a manufacturer's layout drawing works well. Just tell us which is authoritative.
Common problems and how to avoid them
- Elevations without levels. No heights, only pictures.
- Mirrored or unlabeled facades. It is unclear which side is north, south, east or west.
- Missing roof information. The ridge and eave heights are not shown.
- Different scales on one sheet. No scale marked for each view.
- Old versions. Elevations updated but sections not.
- Hidden material notes. Finishes only in a separate schedule that was not sent.
Existing buildings: elevations from photos and field measures
For a renovation, the original drawings may be lost or wrong. In that case, elevations can be reconstructed from straight-on photographs taken from a distance with a long lens, plus a few field measurements such as the overall width, the height of a door and the spacing of windows. Tell us if the drawings you are sending are as-built or from the original design, since walls are moved and windows are replaced over the years. When the existing building is only context for an addition, a simplified reconstruction is enough, and that keeps the scope sensible.
Take the photos with the camera level, from the middle of the facade, and include something of known size in the frame. Send the originals, not screenshots, so the metadata and the resolution survive.
How much detail is enough
Not every project needs every detail. A massing image for a zoning hearing needs correct heights, setbacks and rough materials. A marketing image for a luxury home needs window profiles, trim widths and railing patterns. Tell us the purpose and we will tell you which details matter, so you do not spend time drawing what the camera will never see.
Reading heights: the numbers we look for first
When a studio opens an elevation, it looks for a short list of numbers before anything else. The first is the finished floor level of each story, because that anchors every other height. The second is the floor-to-floor distance, which tells us how much room there is for structure, ceilings and mechanical space. The third is the head height of windows and doors, which is usually consistent within a building and helps us check the drawing. The fourth is the ridge or parapet height, which sets the overall silhouette that neighbors and reviewers will judge.
If these numbers are missing, we can often measure them from a scale bar, but measuring from a reduced PDF is less precise than reading a dimension. A single line of dimensions along the side of an elevation is one of the cheapest ways to improve accuracy, and it costs the designer only a few minutes.
Sloped sites and changing grades
On a sloped site, elevations must show the ground line, because the building does not sit on a flat plane. A facade that is two stories on the uphill side may be three on the downhill side, and the render has to show that. Send the elevations with the ground line drawn, and add the survey if there is one, so we can match the terrain. See sending a survey or topography for how the terrain data fits in.
Retaining walls, steps and terraces are part of the same story. If they appear in the view, they should appear in the elevation, with heights. Otherwise, the studio will draw them by guess, and a two-foot wall can easily become a four-foot wall in the picture.
Glazing, mullions and metal details
Facades with large amounts of glass need extra care. The pattern of mullions, the thickness of frames and the presence of spandrel panels define the look of a curtain wall or storefront. If the elevation shows the grid, we model it. If it shows only a glazed rectangle, we choose a plausible grid and label it as an assumption. The same applies to railings, louvers, canopies and sun shades: send a detail or a product name, and the render will look like the real thing instead of a generic version.
A worked example: a two-story townhouse facade
A builder sends a front elevation, a rear elevation and one section of a two-story townhouse. The studio notes that the section shows a 9 foot ceiling on the first floor and 8 feet on the second, while the elevation implies equal floors. It asks, and the builder confirms the section is right. Without the section, the front facade would have been modeled with equal heights, and the window alignment would have been wrong.
The elevation calls out brick on the first floor and fiber cement siding above. The studio asks for a photo of the brick color, receives it and applies the finish. The image matches the built result closely, and the builder uses it for the next phase of the development.
What to send with elevations and sections
- Floor plans for every level in view.
- Site plan and orientation.
- Finish schedule or references.
- Photos of the site and neighbors.
- A list of views and purposes.
- Notes about what is final.
Questions to ask a studio about elevations and sections
- Will you check my elevations against my plans and sections?
- What will you do if a facade or a roof detail is not drawn?
- Do you need interior elevations for kitchens and built-ins?
- How will you tell me which assumptions you made?
- Can you work from a hand-drawn elevation?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to send both elevations and sections?
Yes, when available. Elevations show facades and sections show heights, roof shape and floor relationships.
How many elevations do I need?
Every facade that will appear in a view. For a full exterior set, that is usually four.
Can you render from plans alone?
We can make assumptions about heights, but the result carries more uncertainty. We list every assumption for your approval.
What if my elevations are hand-drawn?
They can work with a scale or known dimensions. Tell us which parts are approximate.
Do I need interior elevations?
For kitchens, bathrooms, built-ins and feature walls, yes. They remove guesswork about cabinet layout and finishes.
What if the elevation and plan disagree?
We flag it and ask which is correct before proceeding.
How detailed must a section be?
Enough to show floor levels, ceiling heights and roof profile. Wall construction can be schematic.
Can a photo replace an elevation?
For existing buildings, a straight-on photo with a known dimension can be used to reconstruct an elevation.
Related guides
This guide is part of our series on what to send a 3D rendering studio. Start with the overview, what to send a 3D rendering studio. Related: sending a site plan, sending a finish schedule, sending reference photos. When you are ready, send what you have through our quote request.