What we need from you

People worry their photos aren't “good enough” to commission a model. Almost always, they are. Here's what we actually need.

One clear photo of the front

The single most important shot. Daylight is better than evening. Square-on is better than angled. If you only have one good photo, that's usually enough — we build the rest from architectural patterns and from talking with you.

Side, back, and roofline photos (if you have them)

We can build a credible front-only model from one photograph, but every extra angle sharpens the rest. A side shot tells us the depth. A roofline tells us the pitch. Even a low-resolution old photo of a different angle gives us something to work from.

Old photos welcome

If the home is gone — torn down, burned, lost in a move — old photos are exactly what we work with. Bring a single grainy snapshot from a family album and we'll handle the rest. Some of our favorite commissions have been built from one scanned Polaroid.

What about blueprints, sketches, or memories?

Send everything you have. Blueprints help with proportions. A hand-drawn sketch of a feature you remember (the porch swing, the dormer window, the shutters) gets included. If you don't have any of that, we can still build from photos alone — most commissions are.

What we don't need

• Professional photography.
• Multiple “perfect” angles.
• The home as it is today, if you want it as it was.
• High resolution (a clear 1995 disposable-camera shot is fine).

How to send them

Reply to the order confirmation with attachments, or email them to joe@clearcutcustomlab.com with your order number. We'll confirm we have what we need within 24 hours and ask any follow-up questions before we start cutting.

Still not sure?

Send what you have anyway. If we genuinely can't work from it, we'll tell you within a day and you won't be charged. We'd rather see a photo and tell you yes than have you hesitate.