Front elevation CGI, street scene or aerial view?
Each stage of a housing development needs a different kind of image. Here is which render to use, and when, so your spring launch is ready on time.
- Planning, hoardings, brochures and listings
- What to send for accurate renders
- Fixed price agreed upfront
Which job needs front elevation CGI?
Use front elevation CGI to show a house type clearly, a street scene to show how a group of homes sits together, and an aerial view to show the whole site and its surroundings. Most developments end up using all three, just at different stages.
If you are planning a spring launch, winter is the time to decide which images you need. Planning, hoardings, brochures, your sales website and portal listings all ask for something slightly different. Choosing early means one set of accurate renders can be reused across all of them.
This guide covers each image type, then what to send us so the renders match your drawings. If you want to understand how renders help you sell before the build is finished, read our separate article on CGI for new homes and selling off plan.
When is front elevation CGI the right choice?
Front elevation CGI is a straight-on or slightly angled view of one house type, showing its facade, materials, windows, roof and front garden. It is the workhorse image of most housing developments.
Use it when a buyer needs to understand exactly what a plot looks like. It suits:
- Brochures and plot sheets, where each house type needs its own clear image.
- Your sales website, where buyers compare house types side by side.
- Portal listings, where the first image decides whether someone clicks.
Because the camera is close, details matter. Brick colour, roof tile, door colour, cills and driveway surface all need to be right. That is why front elevation CGI depends heavily on the quality of the drawings and material choices you send.
If you only have budget for one image per house type, make it a front elevation.
What does a street scene add?
A street scene shows several homes together along a road, with pavements, planting, parked cars and neighbouring plots. It answers the question a single elevation cannot: what will it feel like to live here?
This view works well for:
- Site hoardings, where passers-by see the finished street long before the homes exist.
- Planning support material, where it helps explain scale and character. Check with your planning consultant what the application needs.
- Mixed house type developments, where you want to show variety along one frontage.
However, a street scene is only as good as the site layout behind it. Plot positions, levels, boundaries and landscaping all need to be confirmed, otherwise the image promises something the site plan does not deliver.
So it is worth finalising the layout before you commission this view.
Why use an aerial view for a development?
An aerial view looks down on the whole site from above. It shows the road layout, plot sizes, open space, nearby roads and how the development connects to the surrounding area.
It is the image buyers and investors use to understand the scheme as a whole. Use it for:
- The first page of a brochure, setting the scene before individual house types.
- Your sales website, as a hero image or beside an interactive site plan.
- Investor and lender presentations, where the overall scheme matters more than facade detail.
An aerial view needs more information than front elevation CGI, because the surroundings are part of the picture. Send a site plan and tell us which nearby features, such as fields, roads or existing homes, should appear.
Which render for which stage?
Use this as a quick guide when planning your marketing around a spring launch.
| Front elevation | Street scene | Aerial view | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shows | One house type up close | A row of homes in context | The whole site from above |
| Best for | Brochures, plot sheets, listings | Hoardings, planning support | Site overview, investors, website hero |
| Depends on | Elevation drawings and materials | Confirmed site layout and levels | Site plan and surroundings |
| Watch out for | Wrong brick, roof or door colour | Unconfirmed boundaries and landscaping | Missing neighbouring features |
What should you send for front elevation CGI?
The more complete your information, the fewer corrections you will need. For most jobs, send:
- Elevations and floor plansFor each house type, as PDF or CAD files.
- A site planShowing plot positions, roads and boundaries.
- Materials and colours, including brick, roof tile, windows, doors, cladding and driveways.
- Landscaping details, or a note of what you would like shown.
- Where each image will be used, such as a hoarding, a brochure or a portal listing.
The last point matters more than people expect. A hoarding needs a large, high resolution file, while a listing image needs a clean, well-lit view that works at thumbnail size. If we know the end use at the start, we can set up your front elevation CGI correctly first time.
If you are unsure what you have, send what exists and we will tell you what is missing.
Common mistakes when ordering front elevation CGI
First, ordering renders before the drawings are final. Changes to a window or roof after the image is made mean rework, so wait until the design is settled.
Second, using one image for everything. A brochure render is rarely the right shape or size for a hoarding or a listing, so list your uses up front.
Third, leaving the materials vague. "Red brick" can mean many things, so send a sample name or photo if you have one.
Finally, leaving it too late. Hoardings and brochures take time to print, so if you want everything ready for a spring launch, start the renders in winter. You can see how we handle this on our 3D CGI service page, and our new build CGI service for Norwich developers covers local sites.
Front elevation CGI questions
What is front elevation CGI?
Front elevation CGI is a computer-generated image of the front of a house, built from the architect's drawings. It shows the materials, windows, roof and garden as they will look when built, so buyers can see the home before construction.
Do I need all three types of image?
Not always. A small development might only need front elevation CGI for each house type. Larger schemes usually add a street scene for hoardings and an aerial view for the overview.
Can I use the same render on a hoarding and on Rightmove?
Sometimes, but it is better to say where each image will be used before it is made. A hoarding needs a large, high resolution file, and a listing image needs to read clearly when small.
How is the price decided?
We agree a fixed price upfront, based on the images you need and the information you send. You know the cost before any work starts.
Tell us which renders you need
Send us your drawings and tell us where the images will be used. We will recommend the right mix of front elevation CGI, street scene and aerial views, with a fixed price agreed upfront and no obligation.