Revision rounds in a 3D design quote: how many to include

For most 3D modelling and rendering jobs, two revision rounds included in the quote is a sensible default, with a third for complex or high-stakes work. The number matters less than the definition: a quote that says "2 rounds" without saying what a round is will still end in an argument. This guide covers how to pick the number, how to define a round, and wording you can paste into a quote or contract.

#How many revision rounds should a 3D quote include?

There's no standard, but these are reasonable starting points. They're examples to adjust, not rules:

Avoid "unlimited revisions". It sounds generous, but it tells the client there's no cost to vague feedback, and it removes the moment where they have to decide what they actually want. Clients tend to give clearer feedback when they know a round is a limited thing.

#What counts as a revision round?

Write this into the quote, because it's the part people disagree about. A workable definition:

• A round is one set of feedback, sent together, on one version. Ten notes in one message is one round. Ten messages over a week, each with one note, is still one round if you agree to wait for all of them before you start.
• A revision changes something that was in the brief. Make the handle thinner, change the colour, move the logo.
• A change of scope adds something that wasn't. A new part, a second colourway, a different use (web model becomes print renders), or new reference material that contradicts the old.
• Fixing your own mistake isn't a round. If the model doesn't match the agreed brief or drawing, correcting it is on you, and saying so in the quote builds trust.

#How to set up revision rounds in your quote

1. 1

   Agree the brief first

   Rounds only mean something against a fixed starting point. If you don't have one yet, see how to write a 3D modelling brief.

2. 2

   Pick the number for this job

   Use the table above as a start, then adjust for the client. A team with three stakeholders needs more than a founder who decides alone.

3. 3

   Define a round in writing

   Use the wording below, or your own version of it.

4. 4

   Set a feedback window

   Say how long the client has to send feedback for each round, and what happens if they don't. Without it, a project can stay open for months.

5. 5

   Price the extras before they happen

   Put a price per extra round, or an hourly rate, in the quote. It's much easier to say "that's an extra round at the agreed rate" than to negotiate a price mid-project.

6. 6

   Name the person who approves

   Feedback from someone else should come through them, as one set.

7. 7

   Track rounds as you go

   Tell the client which round they're on when you send each version: "Here's v2, the second of your two included rounds."

#Wording you can copy for your quote or contract

Adapt the numbers and rates to your own business. The figures in brackets are placeholders.

REVISIONS

This quote includes [2] rounds of revisions.

A round is one set of consolidated feedback on one version
of the model or renders, sent by [named approver] within
[5] working days of receiving that version. Please gather
comments from everyone involved before sending them, as
feedback received after a round has started will be
included in the next round.

A revision is a change to something described in the agreed
brief, such as proportions, colours, materials, lighting or
camera angles. Corrections where our work doesn't match the
agreed brief are not counted as rounds.

Changes outside the agreed brief, such as new parts, new
products, extra colourways, extra renders or a new use for
the model, are a change of scope and will be quoted
separately before we start them.

Additional rounds are charged at [amount] per round, or
[amount] per hour for small changes. We'll always tell you
before any extra cost applies.

If we don't receive feedback within [10] working days of
sending a version, we'll treat that version as approved
and close the project. The project can be reopened later
under a new quote.

That last paragraph is optional and worth thinking about. Some clients find it firm; others appreciate the clarity. If you keep it, mention it when you send each version so it's never a surprise.

#How do I tell a client they've used their rounds?

Say it before the last round, not after it. When you send the final included version:

This is v3, your last included round. If anything else needs
changing after this, I'll quote it before starting, at [rate]
per round as in our agreement.

When a request is out of scope, name it and offer the price in the same message:

Happy to add the second colourway. It wasn't in the original
brief, so it's a separate item: [price], ready [timescale].
Shall I go ahead?

Short, specific and with a price attached. Clients rarely argue with that; they argue with surprises.

#Where MeshMarkup helps

Counting rounds is easier when each round is a visible thing. In MeshMarkup each revision is uploaded onto the same model with Upload v2, so the version tabs (v1, v2, v3) show the client exactly which round they're on. Notes stay on the version they were written on, and anything still OPEN or IN PROGRESS is carried to the next version with its replies. For an out-of-scope request, reply on the note and set WON'T FIX, so the decision is written down.

At the end of each round, Report turns the version's notes, threads and statuses into a PDF, which is a clear record of what was asked in that round. On the last round, a Sign it off link records the client's approval of the version. Versions and sign-off links need the Solo plan or above. See managing 3D design revisions and export a round as a PDF.

#Questions

#Should I charge for the first round?

The included rounds are already part of your price. Charge only for rounds beyond what you quoted, and for changes of scope.

#What if feedback arrives in pieces from different people?

Ask for one approver to gather it, and agree in the quote that late feedback goes into the next round. Pinning everyone's notes on the same version also shows where they disagree before you start.

#Is a colour change a revision or a new deliverable?

Changing the agreed colour is a revision. Adding a second colour while keeping the first is a new deliverable.

#What if the client wants to go back to v1?

That's a revision, not a fix, but usually a cheap one if you kept every version. Say whether it counts as a round before you start.