A property CGI scope of work should state the deliverables and viewpoint count, the verification standard for planning visuals (verified view methodology, plus Landscape Institute guidance or the London View Management Framework where relevant), who supplies the survey and OS grid data, how many revision rounds are included, the final file formats and the delivery deadline. Keep planning images and marketing renders as separate line items.

TL;DR:

  • Give each viewpoint an ID and attach an original reference photo with EXIF data, OS coordinates or a survey point, and a location description.
  • Planning views should match survey control points, camera settings, and scale; cite Landscape Institute guidance and the London View Management Framework for designated views.
  • Name one approver per stage and assign responsibility for survey data, mapping, drawings, photography, and material schedules; late or missing inputs can delay delivery.
  • Define included revision rounds and rates for extras, distinguishing minor edits such as planting changes from new viewpoints, altered massing, or a redesigned facade.
  • Freeze the design revision used for verified views, price later design changes separately, and leave a buffer before submission for review and photography delays.
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Table of Contents

What deliverables and viewpoints should you list?

Start by naming every image or file you expect, then give each one an identity. Suppliers cannot quote or schedule against a vague request like “a few exterior views”. The standard deliverable types are verified photomontage, exterior CGI, interior CGI, aerial CGI, 3D animation, virtual tour, and 2D or 3D floor plans.

For each deliverable, the brief should record:

  • Quantity: how many images or files of that type you need.
  • Viewpoint ID: a short label such as V01, V02, V03, used in every email, drawing and file name.
  • Intended use: planning submission or marketing, because the two carry different technical demands.
  • Dimensions and resolution: pixel size and, for print, the physical size and dpi.
  • File formats: JPEG or TIFF for final images, with EXR or native 3D files only if you want them and have agreed a fee for them.

A viewpoint is only usable if the supplier can find it. Supply a reference photograph with EXIF data intact, the OS coordinates or the nearest survey point, and a one-line location description (“looking north-east from the pavement outside No. 14”). Without these, the supplier either guesses or stops to ask, and both cost time.

Say whether each image is a flat render, a composite on a photograph, or an aerial. A photomontage and a stand-alone render may look similar on a page, but the first needs site photography and verification work and the second does not. That difference drives price and programme, so it belongs in the scope, not in a later conversation.

What technical and verification standards apply to planning visuals?

Planning visuals are judged on accuracy, not atmosphere. A verified view methodology uses survey control stations and Ordnance Survey coordinates to verify the virtual camera and align the 3D model with the site photograph. Lighting is simulated from the correct latitude, longitude and time, and the final image combines the render with the photograph. Your scope should require this chain explicitly.

Verified view methodology: the virtual camera is verified against survey control stations and OS grid references, the 3D model is aligned to the site photograph, and the final image is a composite of the render and that photograph. (St Albans verified view methodology)

Write these requirements into the brief:

  • Survey control: a point list tied to Ordnance Survey coordinates (easting, northing and level), with identifiable horizon points.
  • Camera verification: set the virtual camera from surveyed coordinates, match surveyed points in both the photograph and the 3D model, and confirm field of view and focal length.
  • Image labelling: each image carries its viewpoint ID, date, focal length, a scale bar and a reference to the methodology used.
  • Guidance to cite: name the Landscape Institute technical guidance, and the London View Management Framework where a Designated View is involved. The Framework asks applicants to scope whether a proposal affects a Designated View and to use its defined Assessment Points and fields of view.

Local planning authorities may have bespoke standards on top of these, so ask the case officer what they expect before you fix the scope. The Planning Portal makes the same point for drawings generally: the requirements vary by application, and applicants are advised to discuss them with officers before submission.

If you want a deeper look at the process, our verified view methodology explains how survey, photography and modelling fit together, and our guide to a photomontage verification report covers the metadata planners look for.

Who supplies what, and in which file types?

Most scope disputes are really input disputes: the supplier waited for something the client assumed was already sent. Record the owner of every input in the brief.

  1. Survey data: state who commissions and supplies it, in what format, and whether it includes levels and the control point list.
  2. OS mapping: confirm who licenses and provides the base mapping.
  3. Architectural model or drawings: DWG or IFC files, with the drawing revision date.
  4. Materials schedule: finishes, colours and product references for facades, roofs, paving and landscape.
  5. Site photography: high-resolution originals with EXIF metadata, taken from the agreed viewpoints, or a statement that the supplier will take them.
  6. Model exchange formats: OBJ or FBX exports if the client needs them later, agreed up front.

Add a change log so every amended drawing or instruction is dated and traceable, and name the people who sign off at each stage. A render approved by “the team” is approved by nobody.

Pro Tip: Name one approver per stage in the brief. Conflicting comments from multiple reviewers can cause more revision rounds than technical problems.

How should revisions, approvals and delivery work?

Set the revision model before work starts. A common approach is to include a set number of rounds of amends in the fee, with further changes charged at an agreed hourly or per-image rate. Define what counts as an amend (colour, planting, furniture, small adjustments) and what counts as a change of brief (new design, new viewpoint, altered massing). The second is out of scope and should be quoted separately.

Tie milestones to your submission date, not the other way round. Work back from the planning deadline, and leave room for survey, photography, first draft, review and final verification. Turnaround for each deliverable type should be written into the brief as dates, not left as “as soon as possible”.

List the final delivery items so nothing is chased afterwards:

  • Flattened final images at the agreed resolution
  • Native scenes or project files, if included in the fee
  • Layered PSDs or compositing files, if required
  • Metadata including camera coordinates, focal length and scale

What can you copy into a brief?

Use this checklist, one line per item, then adapt the sample clause below it.

  • Deliverable: type and quantity of each image or file
  • Viewpoint ID: V01 onwards, matched to reference photographs
  • Technical standard: verified view methodology, Landscape Institute guidance, LVMF where applicable
  • Data owner: who supplies survey, OS mapping, models and photography
  • File formats: final and native
  • Revision rounds: number included, and the rate for extras
  • Deadline: delivery date tied to the submission date
  • Approval method: named sign-off person and how approval is recorded

Then follow these steps to turn it into a contract-ready scope:

  1. Paste the checklist into your brief and complete every line.
  2. Attach the reference photographs, survey point list and drawings.
  3. Paste the clause below, replacing the figures and names with your own.
  4. Send it to suppliers with the planning deadline stated.

Sample clause: The Supplier shall produce [number] verified photomontages (viewpoints V01 to V0X) for planning use and [number] marketing renders for promotional use. Planning images shall follow a verified view methodology using survey control tied to Ordnance Survey coordinates, with reference to Landscape Institute guidance and, where a Designated View is affected, the London View Management Framework. The Client shall supply survey data, OS mapping and architectural models by [date]. A set number of rounds of amends is included; further changes are charged at [rate]. Final deliverables are flattened images (JPEG or TIFF) at [resolution], with metadata, by [deadline].

Our commissioning guide for estate agents follows a similar step-by-step logic for marketing work.

How do you gather client requirements properly?

Requirements gathering decides whether the first draft is close or wide of the mark. Treat it as a short, structured exercise, not a chat. Start with design intent: what the building is meant to say, who will see the images and what decision they should help someone make. A planning officer, a buyer and an investor each need a different picture.

Collect the materials that define the look:

  • Mood boards and references: images of the atmosphere, planting, light and finish you want, with notes on what to copy and what to ignore.
  • Branding guidelines: logo placement, colour palette, typefaces and tone for marketing images, so they match brochures and websites.
  • Material and product choices: brick type, glazing, roof finish, flooring and furniture, ideally with samples or codes.
  • Context details: neighbouring buildings, planting, boundary treatments, street furniture and anything that will change before completion.

Ask for these in a single document or one shared folder, dated and versioned. Flag anything undecided and say who will decide it and by when, because unresolved choices are the main reason first drafts get reworked. Where the output is marketing rather than planning, add the mood and time of day you want (a bright summer afternoon or a warm dusk) so the supplier does not have to guess.

Finally, confirm the brief back in writing. A short “this is what we understood” note, signed off before modelling starts, catches mismatches while they are cheap to fix.

How does the CGI scope fit the architectural project phases?

CGI needs differ by project stage, and a scope that ignores this either over-delivers early or under-delivers late. Match the level of detail to the phase.

Conceptual design: images are exploratory. Massing studies, rough lighting and loose materials are enough to test ideas and win early support. Keep revisions generous here, because the design itself is still moving, and avoid committing to verified views until the form is stable.

Detailed design and planning: this is where accuracy matters. Drawings are developed, materials are chosen and the planning submission is prepared. Verified views and photomontages belong here, and the scope should freeze the design revision they are based on. A later design change means rebuilding the verified image, which should be priced as a change.

Construction and marketing: once the design is fixed, images shift towards marketing, sales brochures, interior visuals and animations. Updates may follow minor design changes made during construction, so agree how those are handled.

CGI scope across three project phases

Tie each phase to its own scope line or a staged fee. This lets you commission only what is needed now, and it stops early, loose images being mistaken for planning-grade work. Our property architect visualisation checklist and architectural visualisation service show how these stages connect.

What quality control checks should the scope require?

Name the checks in the brief, so “good quality” is something you can verify. Ask the supplier to confirm each one before delivery.

Render quality: images are free of noise, edge artefacts and visible stitching, and are delivered at the agreed resolution. Ask for a review at full size, not on a thumbnail.

Lighting accuracy: for planning images, sun position and shadow direction follow the stated latitude, longitude, date and time, as in the verified view approach. For marketing images, agree the mood and time of day, and check that shadows are consistent across all views of the same building.

Texture fidelity: brick bond, cladding joints, glazing reflections and paving scale should match the materials schedule. A brick that is the wrong colour or the wrong size is a common reason for rejected drafts.

Verification checks: for planning views, confirm the survey points match in the photograph and the model, and that the focal length and scale bar are recorded on the image.

Consistency: the same building should look the same in every view, with matching materials, planting and levels.

Add a short sign-off sheet: supplier completes the checks, client reviews against the same list. Where local guidance or the case officer sets a stricter benchmark, that benchmark replaces yours. Our guide to the role of visuals in planning permission explains what planners look for.

How should communication and project tools be set up?

Agree how you will talk before you start. One named contact on each side, one channel for decisions and one place for files will prevent most delays.

Practical protocols to write into the scope:

  • Single decision channel: email or a shared tracker for approvals, so decisions are recorded and not lost in calls.
  • Shared file space: one cloud folder with clear subfolders for survey, drawings, references, drafts and finals, plus consistent file names using viewpoint IDs.
  • Review method: annotated PDFs or marked-up images with comments numbered against the viewpoint ID, in a single consolidated round per review.
  • Response times: how quickly each side replies to queries and returns feedback, because delays on the client side move the delivery date.
  • Progress points: short check-ins at agreed milestones, such as model set-up, first draft and final verification.

The tool matters less than the discipline. A simple shared folder and a numbered comment list will beat a complex platform that nobody updates. Where a project already runs on a team tool, use it, but keep one master list of open actions. If your images feed a wider campaign, planning the schedule alongside your marketing team helps, and this integrated digital marketing guide shows how visuals fit into that wider plan.

How do you plan for scope changes and surprises?

Changes will happen: a redesigned facade, a late planning comment, a missing survey point or bad weather on the photography day. A scope that expects this is cheaper to run than one that pretends otherwise.

Build in these safeguards:

  • Change control: any change to design, viewpoints or deliverables is recorded in the change log, priced and approved in writing before work continues.
  • Design freeze point: a date after which the base design is locked for verified images, with later changes treated as new work.
  • Contingency time: leave a buffer between final delivery and your submission deadline, so a rejected viewpoint or late amend does not put the application at risk.
  • Photography backup: agree an alternative date or a fallback plan if weather or access blocks the shoot.
  • Missing data: state that the clock pauses when client inputs are late, and that delivery dates move accordingly.
  • Planner feedback: decide in advance how a request from the local authority for an extra view or altered image will be scoped and charged.

The Edinburgh Design Guidance notes that a site survey and area appraisal are essential and that input from several disciplines is common on schemes with a visual impact. That is a good reason to expect late input, and to plan for it.

What data security and intellectual property terms belong in the scope?

Drawings, models and unreleased designs are valuable, so the scope should say how they are protected and who owns what.

Cover these points:

  • Confidentiality: the supplier uses your files only for your project and does not share them without consent, and any unreleased scheme stays private until you publish it.
  • Storage and access: where files are held, who can access them, and how they are deleted or returned when the project closes.
  • Ownership of outputs: state who owns the final images and in what ways they can be used (planning, print, web, social media, investor material). If usage is limited by media or time, say so.
  • Source files: whether native scenes, layered files and 3D models transfer to you or stay with the supplier, and any extra fee for transfer.
  • Third-party material: the client confirms they have the right to supply any drawings, photographs, mapping or branding included in the brief. OS mapping and licensed photography carry their own terms.
  • Portfolio use: whether the supplier may show the images in their own portfolio, and after what date.

Write these as short, plain clauses and keep them consistent with your wider contract. If the images will be reused across several channels, agree the licence at the start, so a later brochure or advert does not trigger a dispute.

Our view: write the scope as if someone else will deliver it

Most scope creep we see starts in two places: unclear viewpoints and missing survey data. Both are cheap to fix before work begins and expensive afterwards. We work in-house, and a precise scope makes the work easier to honour. Our advice is to embed the authoritative guidance, Landscape Institute and the London View Management Framework, in the brief itself, so the standard is agreed on day one. If you want help shaping that brief, our London View Management Framework guide is a good starting point.

— Paride

Ready to scope your property CGI project?

If your project needs planning-grade or marketing images, we can produce them to your brief. We cover:

  • Planning visuals, verified views and CGI photomontage
  • Exterior and interior CGI for marketing

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FAQ

What is the scope of work in architecture?

It is the written list of tasks, deliverables, responsibilities, timelines and limits that define what a supplier will and will not do. For CGI, it covers images, viewpoints, standards, revisions and delivery.

What does a property consultant do?

A property consultant advises on buying, selling, developing or managing property, and often coordinates the specialists needed for planning and marketing. When CGI is needed, they usually help write the brief and manage approvals.

What is CGI in construction?

CGI is computer-generated imagery used to show a building or site before it exists. In construction and planning, it supports design review, planning applications, marketing and stakeholder communication.

What is CGI real estate?

Real estate CGI means computer-generated images, animations or tours of properties used to market them, often before completion. It differs from planning visuals, which must meet stricter accuracy and verification requirements.

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