2D drawing vs 3D visualisation

What is a 3D visualisation?

A 3D visualisation is a spatial representation of your building plan: a render, a perspective or a 3D model showing what it will look like after the renovation. It is primarily a communication tool: it makes your plan understandable for people who find a technical 2D drawing difficult to read.

A 3D visualisation shows:

• How the volumes and proportions look within the space
• How the new section connects to the existing house
• How the building plan looks in the context of the street or garden
• The appearance of materials and colours

What a 3D visualisation is not: a to-scale document with construction dimensions. You cannot read distances from it that go directly to the contractor, and municipalities do not accept it as a substitute for floor plans, elevations, or sections. It is a supplement, not a replacement.

At Tekenpunt you can add a 3D visualisation as a standalone service, alongside a construction drawing set. The visualisation is built from the same model as the 2D drawings, so everything is consistent.

What does the municipality require?

The municipality assesses an environmental permit on two tracks: the environment plan activity (does the plan fit within the environment plan?) and the technical building activity (does it comply with the Bbl?). For both tracks, 2D construction drawings are mandatory. The Environment Regulation prescribes which documents you submit; the Omgevingsloket automatically provides a checklist when you fill in your application.

A 3D visualisation is in almost all cases not a statutory requirement. The municipality bases its assessment on the 2D documents.

There are two exceptions where a 3D attachment does make a real difference:

Aesthetics committee for a non-standard design Municipalities with aesthetic review policy assess whether your building plan fits the streetscape. For a simple standard dormer window or a rear extension this is generally not a problem. But with a non-standard design (a contemporary extension, a large sliding roof, an unusual facade composition) the aesthetics committee may ask for additional visual substantiation. A 3D visualisation then gives the committee a sharper picture than facade drawings alone.

Protected townscape or village scene If your dwelling is in a protected scene, the aesthetic review requirements are stricter. Municipalities can in such cases request additional visualisation to assess whether the plan respects the characteristic features of the scene.

In other cases, 2D construction drawings are sufficient for the permit.

When does 3D truly add value?

Even when 3D is not a statutory requirement, it can be very valuable to you as a client. There are four situations where a 3D visualisation makes the difference.

You are uncertain about the appearance A renovation is a major investment. If you are unsure in advance what the extension will look like (does the roof extension suit the rest of the dwelling? is the proportion between old and new right?), a 3D render gives certainty before the contractor starts. A small adjustment to the drawing costs little; an adjustment on the building site costs a lot.

Your plan deviates from what is common With a standard rear extension you have a rough idea of what it will look like. With a corner solution, a flat roof next to an existing pitched roof, or an unusual facade composition that is less obvious. 3D makes it concrete.

You need financing or are going to request quotes Contractors and mortgage lenders prefer a complete picture. A 3D visualisation alongside the 2D drawings makes the scope clear and reduces the chance of differences in interpretation when quoting.

You want to convince neighbours or a residents' association If you need approval from neighbours or a Homeowners' Association, a 3D render is much more accessible than a set of technical drawings. It makes the impact of your plan immediately visible.

When is 2D sufficient?

For most private renovations, a set of 2D construction drawings is entirely sufficient. You do not need 3D if:

• It concerns a standard dormer window, rear extension or garage where the appearance is predictable
• The municipality no special aesthetic review requirements applies for your address
• You already have a clear verbal and visual picture have of what you want, and the contractor can work with it
• Je not need to apply for financing or obtain a wide range of quotes

Tekenpunt's 2D construction drawing set (from €595) contains all the drawings you need for the environmental permit: site plan, floor plans, elevations and cross-sections in existing and new situation, at the correct scale and with the required dimensions. In most cases that is everything you need to obtain your permit.

Not sure whether 3D adds value in your situation? Send us your sketch or description and we will advise you free of charge.

How do 2D and 3D work together at Tekenpunt?

At Tekenpunt, the 3D visualisation is always created from the same drawing file as the 2D construction drawings. That may sound obvious, but it has an important practical advantage: 2D and 3D are by definition consistent. A dimensional difference that only exists in the 3D model but not in the 2D floor plan can cause confusion on the construction site. Because they come from a single source, that risk is eliminated. The flow is as follows:

1. We start with the 2D construction drawings as a basis: site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections
2. If you'd also like a 3D visualisation, we'll add it as add-on on the same model
3. You'll receive the 2D set as a PDF for the permit application and the 3D render as an image

The 3D visualisation costs €400as an add-on. You can add it at any time, even if you had the 2D drawings made earlier. If you are in a hurry, expedited delivery is available: +30% for delivery in 2 weeks (minimum €295) or +50% for delivery in 1 week (minimum €495), on top of the regular drawing work. Ordering a separate 3D visualization without accompanying 2D drawings is also possible, but rare in practice: the visualization needs the drawing work as its basis.

Common mistake: submitting a 3D visualisation as a permit document

We regularly see clients who have made a 3D model themselves in an online tool (SketchUp, Planner 5D, or similar) try to submit this to the municipality as a permit application. That does not work for two reasons.

First: the dimensions are missing or incorrect. A 3D model in a consumer program is not a scale-accurate construction drawing. The municipality cannot read dimensions from it that it needs for the assessment against the Bbl. Without explicit architectural dimensions on the drawing (external and internal dimensions, height, distances to plot boundaries) the application will not be processed.

Second: the submission requirements prescribe specific drawing types. The Omgevingsregeling requires a site drawing, floor plans, elevations and a cross-section. A 3D perspective is none of those drawing types. The Omgevingsloket gives an error message or the case handler returns the application with a correction request.

Result: you lose time and the 8-week decision deadline only starts once the application is complete. A professional set of 2D construction drawings prevents that. Tekenpunt has guided over 800 projects and achieves 90% approval on first submission to the aesthetics committee, partly because the drawings meet all submission requirements.

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