RENDR is a powerful tool designed to streamline your remodeling workflow, enabling you to capture interior space data quickly and efficiently. It aims to reduce time spent on manual measurements, consultations, and creating drawings, helping contractors get to budget conversations and preliminary designs faster.
1. Device Compatibility To use RENDR, you need a LiDAR-capable iOS Pro device, such as an iPhone Pro/Pro Max 12 or newer, or an iPad Pro 2020 or newer. RENDR currently does not support Android devices due to the lack of widespread LiDAR sensors. You can easily identify a compatible device by the three cameras and a small sensor on its back.
2. Getting Started with the RENDR Web App (Desktop) The RENDR web app is your central hub for managing scans, your team, and your workflow from your desktop.
Logging In: Simply enter your email and password on the login page to access your account. A "Forgot Password" option is available if needed.
Project Dashboard: Once logged in, you'll see your project dashboard, where you can view all your projects, access scans, explore spaces and elevations, and invite others to scan.
Account Management: You can add or remove team members, update your subscription, or make changes to your settings. Admins can view and sort projects by different users on their team. Subscription management, including adding or removing seats, is primarily handled through the Stripe customer portal, accessible from the "Billings" section of the web app.
3. How to Start a Scan with the RENDR Mobile App The RENDR iOS app simplifies capturing interior space data using your compatible LiDAR-equipped device.
Initiate Scan: Open the RENDR app and, from the main screen, tap on the blue plus button in the lower right side of the screen, and select "Capture Space".
Calibrate Your Phone: Point your device at the ceiling and floor when prompted to calibrate.
Movement: After calibration, move your phone smoothly from left to right. There's no need to "paint" by moving the phone up and down, as this can cause irregularities. Keep it steady.
Lighting: Good lighting is key for better scan results. Avoid dim spaces.
Starting Position for Large Spaces: For larger scans with multiple rooms (up to ~2500 sq ft), it's best to start in the middle of the floor plan and work outwards. Starting in a corner can lead to crooked walls.
Walking Path: Walk continuously through the space, moving through doorways without stopping. Avoid backtracking over scanned areas. Once an area is scanned, RENDR has the data.
Distance: The ideal distance from objects is usually six to ten feet, though in small spaces, turning the phone above your head can work.
Multiple Floors: Do not scan multiple floors in a single scan. Scan each floor separately and save them as part of the same project to keep scans organized and accurate.
Capturing Photos: It's recommended to skip the initial prompt to upload photos immediately after saving a scan and instead add them later from your device's library, allowing you to upload multiple photos at once.
Clear Obstructions: While RENDR ignores general clutter, larger obstructions like furniture or appliances may affect accuracy. Clear the space as much as possible before scanning.
Accuracy: RENDR is as accurate as mobile LiDAR scanning gets. For single rooms, measurements are typically within 1 inch. For larger, multi-room spaces, a variance of 2-3 inches (or 1-3 inches) is considered normal. Critical dimensions, like cabinets and windows, still require verification. RENDR's 99% accuracy is intended to speed up the sales process, with precise field measures often happening later.
4. Space Overview (Features After Scanning) Immediately after scanning, the captured data is available for review and interaction within the app and on the web app.
Interactive Floor Plan: An interactive floor plan is generated instantly. You can zoom and pan, seeing measurements and labels for walls, windows, and doors. The graph paper background is scaled, with small boxes representing 6 inches and larger, darker squares representing 4 feet.
Wall Elevations: The "Walls" tab provides detailed wall elevations, allowing you to view window and door placement on any wall. It also provides information for areas with varying ceiling heights.
Rooms & Parameters (Reports Tab): The "Rooms" tab displays overall room parameters like ceiling height, square footage, and perimeter, which aid in planning and accurate estimating. The "Report" tab compiles general parameters (e.g., perimeter, total SF, SF Doors, SF Walls, SF Windows, Qty Sinks, Qty Toilets, Ceiling SF, Paintable SF, LF Base Cabinets, LF Wall Cabinets, SF Countertops), which integration partners use for rapid estimates. Room-based parameters are an upcoming feature.
Photos Tab: All your captured images are stored in the "Photos" tab, serving as a visual reference and keeping project documentation in one place.
Field Notes (New Feature): You can create digital markups and notes directly onto the floor plan within the "Notes" tab. This editable document allows you to add text and draw on the space, invaluable for capturing critical on-site dimensions, door swings, bulkheads, or return vents that may not be automatically captured by the scan. These notes will seamlessly appear in your projects outside of RENDR, in your design and estimation software.
Object Recognition: RENDR uses AI to automatically identify and place objects like sinks, toilets, kitchen appliances, and stairs on the floor plan, showing their location and size. These appear as blocks or outlines.
5. Exporting Scans RENDR offers various ways to export your scan data to integrate with other software.
PDF Export: You can generate a PDF of your space for digital markup and notes, which is useful for sketching changes or noting critical dimensions on-site.
DXF Export (for CAD Software): RENDR allows direct export to DXF files, compatible with CAD software like Chief Architect, AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Pro Kitchen, and Soft Plan.
For Chief Architect, enable the "CAD to walls" toggle when exporting the DXF to make the data adjustable, and select "Chief Architect Layers by Name" during import. This converts CAD lines into walls, windows, and doors automatically.
For highest accuracy, especially for single rooms or millwork, you can export a single line DXF without "CAD to Walls" and manually trace the walls in Chief Architect to preserve precise measurements.
2020 .xml Export: There's a direct "Export 2020 .xml" option for instant import into 2020 Design Live®, creating a "living plan" instantly.
Direct Integrations: RENDR integrates directly with platforms like JobTread and Buildxact. This allows you to sync project data, including photos, plans, and parameters, directly into these tools for rapid estimate creation.
6. Invite to Capture Feature The "Invite to Capture" feature is a powerful, time-saving tool that makes RENDR a remote engagement tool for contractors.
How it Works: Instead of making a trip for measurements, you can send an invite to a homeowner, project manager, designer, or trade partner with a compatible iOS Pro device.
Sending an Invite: You can initiate an invite from the RENDR mobile app or the RENDR web app. You'll enter the invitee's email and name, then send the invite.
Invitee Experience: The invitee receives an email with a link. This link guides them to download the RENDR app (if needed) and start the scan. They simply walk around the space, and the app handles the scanning. They do not need their own RENDR subscription to perform the scan.
Data in Your Account: Once the scan is complete, the data (floor plans, dimensions, photos, CAD exports) automatically appears in your RENDR account, and you receive a notification.
Benefits: This feature eliminates unnecessary trips, reduces travel time and gas costs, enables faster budget conversations, helps qualify leads, and allows for efficient change orders.