RENDR Scanning Techniques and Accuracy Explained

Calibration: First, calibrate your phone by pointing it at the ceiling and floor when prompted.

Movement: Once calibrated and you see the light lines, step back if possible. Try to capture both the ceiling line and the baseline simultaneously. Move your phone smoothly from left to right. There is no need to "paint" by moving the phone up and down after the initial calibration, as this can cause irregularities and inconsistent results.

Lighting: Lighting is key; the more light, the better your scan results will be. Avoid working in too dim of a space.

Starting Position for Large Spaces: For larger scans with multiple rooms (comfortably up to around 2500 sq ft), it is always best practice to start somewhere in the middle of the floor plan and work outwards. Starting in a corner can lead to crooked walls in large scans because the phone tries to understand its position relative to the starting point.

Walking Path: Walk continuously through the space using the same scanning method. Walk through doorways without stopping between rooms; the app will map the entire floor plan in one go. Avoid backtracking through already scanned areas, as this can introduce inconsistencies.

Distance: The best distance to be away from something is usually six to ten feet. However, in tiny spaces like powder rooms or closets, you can often simply walk in and turn the phone above your head to capture the space.

Multiple Floors: Do not scan multiple floors in a single scan. Instead, scan each floor separately and save them as part of the same project to keep your scans organized and accurate.

Scanning Strategy: Some users scan an entire floor first and then go back to scan individual rooms separately to capture greater detail and accuracy where it matters most. Especially for kitchen projects using software like 2020, scanning just the kitchen as a single room can provide the greatest accuracy.

Capture Photos: Add photos of the space to your scan. While the app prompts you after saving the scan, it's suggested to skip that prompt initially and add photos later from your device's library. This allows you to take numerous photos during your site visit and upload them all at once by selecting them. These photos will sync automatically into third party integrations when the scan is linked.

Export and Markup PDF: Most users export their RENDR scans to a PDF right away. You can make notes directly on the plan using markup tools (especially useful on an iPad). This is valuable for marking up dimensions, identifying changes, sharing details, noting door swings, or drawing in features like bulkheads or return vents that may not show up.

Clear Obstructions: While RENDR is designed to ignore general clutter, larger obstructions like furniture or appliances may affect accuracy. Clearing the space as much as possible before scanning is recommended.

Complex Features: RENDR captures the overall shape and dimensions of a space, including soffits and bulkheads in some cases, but its performance can vary. It does not include fine details like light switches.

General Accuracy: RENDR is as accurate as mobile LiDAR scanning technology can get. For single-room scans, you can expect accuracy to the nearest inch, typically within an inch. For larger, multi-room scans, you may notice a few inches of variance (2-3 inches or 1-3 inches in some areas). Overall, scans typically provide measurements within 1% of actual dimensions. This variance in larger scans is considered normal.

Causes of Variance: Inconsistent results can sometimes be due to user error, such as excessive up-and-down motion ("painting"), working in dim light, or doubling back unnecessarily. For very large spaces, the starting position can affect accuracy. In multi-room scans, the AI reconciles wall thicknesses and differences it sees, which can lead to slight variances.

The Purpose of RENDR Accuracy: RENDR's accuracy is sufficient for the sales process and getting to the budget conversation sooner. The goal is speed to sale and speeding up the workflow. It helps you get further faster in the process.

Critical Measurements Still Needed: While RENDR provides highly accurate measurements for the overall layout, measuring for cabinets, windows, doors, and other critical details is still important. Critical dimensions should still be verified on-site. RENDR's primary purpose is to save you from lengthy field measuring until you know the job is moving forward. You can take quick critical measurements on-site while scanning, perhaps noting them on the exported PDF.

Verifying and Adjusting: Because RENDR measures to the nearest inch, critical dimensions may need to be verified and adjusted accordingly. A second site visit may be necessary to verify critical dimensions.

Comparison to Professional Scanners: RENDR's mobile LiDAR accuracy is typically within an inch for single rooms. More expensive stationary scanners ($30,000-$40,000) can achieve higher accuracy, down to a quarter inch, which may be necessary for precise work like custom millwork. For millwork requiring quarter-inch precision, exporting the single room CAD files can help preserve the exact measurements captured by RENDR.

Editing Quantities in JobTread: While parameters in the RENDR app's report tab are "locked and loaded" and cannot be modified there, you have the ability to edit quantities in JobTread, Buildxact and other third paerty estimate software that are informed by the imported RENDR parameters.