Virtual Tours For Real Estate & Businesses

Virtual tours — frequently asked questions

What is a virtual tour or “digital twin”?

It's a 3D scan of a real space that people can walk through in their browser, moving from room to room and looking in any direction. Unlike a video or a set of photos, the viewer chooses where they go and what they look at. Because it's built from a scan rather than footage, the space can also be measured, turned into a floor plan, and explored in VR.

How much does a virtual tour cost?

We quote per job, because the price is driven by a handful of choices rather than a flat rate:

• Resolution — a standard tour shot at 18MP costs less than a high-end LIDAR capture at up to 134MP
• Website integration — whether you just want the tour link, or want it embedded into your site
• Platform — Matterport or an alternative, which affects both build and hosting
• Options — virtual furniture removal, 3D floor plans, measurement tools, Google Street View publishing

Tell us the space and what you want to do with the tour and we'll give you a straight number. Get in touch or email info@virtualrealityhire.co.nz.

How long does filming take?

Most sites are filmed in under an hour. Larger or more complex spaces take longer, but for a typical home, showroom or office it's a short visit. Have the space looking how you'd like it to appear — the scan captures it as it is on the day, though clutter and furniture can be removed virtually afterwards if needed.

How soon will the tour be live?

Usually less than a week. The variable is normally getting access to the site rather than the processing — once we've filmed, turnaround is quick.

Where do you travel to film?

We cover Auckland and the Waikato by appointment. If you're outside those areas, ask — depending on the job it may still work.

Is there an ongoing hosting cost?

Yes, hosting is additional, and what it costs depends on the setup. A single one-off tour is priced differently to several tours hosted together, and it also depends whether you're on Matterport or another platform. We'll make this clear in your quote rather than surprising you with it later.

Does the viewer need a VR headset?

No. Tours work in a normal web browser on a computer or phone — most people will view yours that way. A headset makes it more immersive if you have one, but it's never required.

Can the tour go on Google Maps and Street View?

Yes. We can publish your tour to Google Maps and Google Street View as well as embedding it in your own site, and you can also promote it directly from the Matterport platform.

Can you remove furniture or declutter a space?

Yes. Automatic furniture removal lets us virtually empty rooms, clear clutter and tidy a space — useful for showing a property's potential, or presenting a room without whatever happened to be in it on the day.

Do you provide floor plans?

Yes. We can produce detailed 3D floor plans from the same scan, which is often as useful to a buyer or tenant as the tour itself.

Can viewers measure rooms in the tour?

Yes. Measurement is one of the tools available inside the tour, so someone can check whether a space fits what they have in mind without another site visit.

What's the difference between your standard and high-end tours?

The sample tours on this page were captured at 18MP, which is plenty for most uses. For high-end work we can shoot in LIDAR at up to 134MP, which gives sharper detail and more accurate geometry — worth it for architecture, high-value property and anything where fine detail matters.

What kinds of spaces can you scan?

Real estate and new builds, architecture, hospitality and travel, galleries, factories, showrooms, commercial premises, events, and boats, yachts and ships. If people need to see inside it, we can probably scan it.