Q: Is it possible to establish a color rendering company via internet with check out prices?

A: Sure it is! We are a color rendering company depicting FINAL material selections and colors on your final design preferably before you purchase your big ticket items or before construction begins. Once the final order form is completed and faxed photographs e-mailed, we re-create your design applying colors and materials utilizing the Box Rendering Method. The concept is that simple.

Q: Does HIR design home improvement projects?

A: HIR is solely a color rendering company, not a design company. Through color and materials, we re-create your home improvement project based on information that is faxed to us via FINAL MATERIAL AND COLOR ORDER FORM and FINAL PHOTO ORDER FORM, attachments, sketches, measurements and pictures (all submitted together). Although we create professional renderings at any stage of the construction process, it is beneficial for the customer to have been through the gauntlet of initial and final planning stages of their project. This means the customer should have already researched remodeling magazines and spoken to family, friends, Contractors, Architects, Designers, Planners and Retail Stores. To honor our MISSION STATEMENT and to save customer money, the term "FINAL" is used throughout our website to prevent the customer from purchasing numerous scheme and graphic changes on our website.

Surprisingly, there are customers who begin their research with HIR. Why? We can turn chicken scratch into professional renderings so that the customer can communicate more effectively with their Contractors, Architects, Designers and Planners in the early stages of their project. At the end of the day, HIR is a rendering company that gives the customer power and direction to communicate their own ideas in material color form rather than accepting influencing opinions resulting in a default color scheme.

Q: Does not the big box retail stores provide a coloring rendering service?

A: No. Detailed color renderings would hinder and decrease profit margin due to the complexity and extra time involved to color render a complete project. Sales designers must meet quotas or make commissioned sales in a short time span for their respective departments and managers. This is why black and white wire frame sketches are used as a media to communicate most sales to the customer. Big box office stores rely on primitive default color monitor settings to show designs to customers. These default color settings do not compare to the striking detail HIR is capable of delivering. In addition, HIR focuses on all interior home improvement projects rather than just kitchen and bath.

Q: Are your lead times consistent with other rendering companies?

A: We believe our lead times are consistent with true rendering company lead times. There are rendering companies claiming their lead times take 24-72 hours to complete. HIR has researched these companies and found their projects are not related to home improvement where intricate materials and patterns are used. In addition, the graphics and technological capabilities are substandard as compared to HIR's committed and articulated work. Bear in mind common home improvement special orders can take anywhere from four (4) to twelve (12) weeks with installation having a lead time of an additional one (1) to three (3) weeks. We humbly ask customers to plan accordingly in all phases of home improvement construction. For example, many customers place their cabinet special orders first because of the four (4) to six (6) week lead time. During this wait time, customers use HIR services to render those materials that are found in Home Improvement retail stores in conjunction with their special orders. When the cabinets finally do arrive (usually out of state), the color rendering process should be completed as to be used by the customer and contractor accordingly. Hence, HIR rendering lead times do not hinder the home improvement project time frame if one plans accordingly.

Q: Do you offer one-on-one consultation?

A: Home Improvement Renderings focuses on FINAL home improvement color renderings. HIR assumes the customer has already done all graphical and product research with pertinent parties which may include any appointments established with Architects, Designers, Contractors, Retail Stores and Home Builders. We just need to know what final color and materials the customer wants on their home improvement project. This is why we have created a FINAL materials form to be completed.

Q: What is Virtual Showroom?

A: Virtual Showroom is software showing the customer what a general color scheme will look like based on pre-determined rooms. These pre-determined or default rooms are not custom nor are they the design of the customer. Materials displayed are limited because products such as tile and wallpaper become increasingly discontinued which makes it difficult to update material inventories within virtual showroom databases. In addition, masonry products such as ashler stone and limestone are rarely downloaded, if not obsolete in virtual showroom. A customer cannot take home color-printed virtual showroom pictures but rather rely on one's memory to visually remember the final output. However, HIR does encourage the use of virtual showroom if material inventories are updated. Virtual showroom can help a customer research and choose material selections prior to customer submitting their home improvement project to HIR. In turn, HIR will then submit final output color product for the customer to see time and time again by means of product CD having multiple design files of the home improvement project.

Q: How detailed can HIR depict graphics?

A: HIR depicts very detailed home improvement graphics as shown throughout the website. However, there is a limit as to what can be graphically depicted in a home improvement rendering. For example, a customer wanting a chiseled and sculptured bear-like image imprinted on a dining room table may want to consider using a company that specializes in custom graphics imagery. In this example and to be cost effective, HIR will choose one of several dining room tables to depict for the customer to view in color based on her or his color selections (i.e. walnut stain on table and chairs; flower pattern for chair cushion). Here is another example: HIR has a total of over ten (10) different types of sleeping beds in our database. There are over one-hundred (100) types and styles of sleeping beds in the sleeping bed market today. HIR will choose the sleeping bed graphic that closely resembles the sleeping bed of the customer. Provided the customer sends a photo and is the owner of that photo, HIR can apply the material color on the bed (and pillows). The focus should not be on the bed "graphic" but on the overall home improvement materials used throughout the room such as the color of paint, moldings, paneling, carpet, etc. The color scheme or color rendering portion of the project is the ultimate goal for HIR. Please refer to the web-site section termed GRAPHICS, TERMS and CONDITIONS for more information.

Q: Why does HIR omit complex ceilings and shapes?

A: Complex ceilings and complex geometric shapes such as arches, domes, statues and pitched roofs (to name a few) will undoubtedly increase the price of HIR renderings. Our Mission Statement is to be cost effective and not create renderings overly priced as seen with many other color rendering and interior design companies, although this may differ depending on the square footage involved. Many home improvement materials are located at eye level or below ceiling level. Thus, HIR wants to focus on eye level or below ceiling level renderings. HIR is dedicated to home improvement renderings revolving around cubicle or box shapes which we believe is a very large market in the home improvement industry.

Q: How long does it generally take to color render a home improvement project?

A: 15 - 25 hours is average depending on square footage. Please refer to the links located in our Mission Statement of this website (i.e. ".$75.00 and hour for a 20 hour project." ).

Q: What separates HIR from other color rendering companies?

A: Color rendering companies excel with color. HIR excels with color, materials and leading manufacturer catalogs. HIR is familiar with cabinet wood grains, granite and marble veins, solid surface maintenance, appliance textures, wood flooring finishes, etc. We know what the final color rendering product needs to look like from the gloss of a granite sealant to the smoothness of limestone tile. HIR is very familiar with material characteristics and mood settings which we try to show with the utmost detail in our renderings.

Q: How does HIR solve the communication process between Contractor and client?

A: One of our primary goals is to mitigate the communication process between Contractor and Client. Many Field Contractors lack the resources to show what a home improvement project will look like. The only means of communication is through voice and gestures. Colored renderings produced by HIR express construction materials fluidly as to ease the communication process. The color rendering output can create decisions for the customer and avoid the customer living with erroneous color schemes for years to come.

Q: Does HIR prepare renderings for complete construction drawings or architectural blueprints?

A: Although we have the capability to draw the entire home plan in 3D, our prime focus is home improvement renderings per room . Typically, construction drawings are needed for new home construction. However, it is rare for field Contractors to have blueprints when remodeling one or two rooms in a home. This means the customer must make copies of 8 ½" x 11" specific rooms and fax accordingly with measurements to HIR. Specifically, the kitchen and bathroom are very popular for color and material selection. However, we have colored rendered numerous other projects that fall within our graphic capability according to the customer's directives.