Do you want to define your property correctly in cadvilla before starting your house planning in detail? In this tutorial, you will learn two practical methods for creating a property in your project, depending on whether the shape is rectangular or irregular. First, we show you how to adjust the planning area quickly via the Environment settings. Then, we explain how to create a custom property shape with guidelines, terrain elements, and material editing for a more precise result.

Please note: The zoom functions demonstrated in the video are only valid up to version 5. In newer versions, you can zoom simply by scrolling the mouse wheel. For further details, please refer to our post on zooming in the 2D and 3D view.

There are two different methods for displaying and defining a property.

Method 1: Change the Size of the Planning Area (Environment Layer)

This method is especially suitable for simple, rectangular properties. It is quick, easy to manage, and ideal if you only need a clear outer boundary around your project.

[00:48] Select the Environment Layer

• In the 2D view, the planning area surrounds your project like a large rectangular frame.
• This planning area is located on the Environment layer in the Projects panel.
• Right-click on Environment and select Set as current element (CTRL+C+S).
• As a result, the planning area becomes the active element and can now be edited directly.

[01:28] Open the Properties

• Select the Environment or the planning area.
• Then right-click and choose Properties....
• The Area dialog opens.
• In this window, you can adjust the geometry of the planning area in a precise and controlled way.

[01:39] Define Width, Depth, and Offset

• In the Area dialog, you can enter the exact values for Width, Depth, Offset
• This allows you to adapt the planning area to the size of your rectangular property.
• Important: The setting Segments should normally remain at 1.
• This value is only needed for special cases and should not be changed in standard property planning.
• Finally, confirm your entries with OK.

Method 2: Create a Property Polygon

This method is ideal for irregular, angled, or more complex property shapes. It is also very useful when your terrain does not follow a simple rectangular outline.

Note: From cadvilla version 11 onward, there is a dedicated function for this. You can find it under Terrain > Plot > Enter polygon. The workflow is essentially the same as the method shown below with a Bed.

[02:20] Deactivate Grid and Line Width

• Before entering the property shape, it is helpful to simplify the 2D view.
• Therefore, deactivate the grid and the line width display.
  
• This makes snapping easier and improves the visibility of your guidelines.

[02:30] Insert Guidelines

• To define the rough shape of the property, use guidelines first.
• Select 2D & Layout > 2D guidelines > Guideline > Free guideline.
• In this example, Free guideline is used because the property is entered roughly and individually rather than by exact rectangular dimensions.
• Right-click in the drawing area and choose Properties... if you want to adjust the appearance of the guideline.

[02:56] Adjust Guideline Appearance

• In the dialog Properties ..., click Appearance.
• Then change the guideline Color, for example to green, so the lines are easier to distinguish from the rest of the drawing.
• Confirm the settings with OK.
• Afterwards, draw the guidelines around the planned property area.

[03:11] Sketch the Property Shape with Guidelines

• Place several guidelines so that they roughly define the outer shape of the property.
• Use the intersections of these guidelines later as snapping points for the polygon.
• Once all required guidelines are in place, press the ESC-Key to finish the guideline input.

[03:51] Draw the Property Polygon

• Now create the actual property shape.
• Select Terrain > Terrain elements > Bed > Insert with polygon.
• Then click the intersections of the previously drawn guidelines one after another.
• This creates a polygon that follows the exact property outline you want to define.

[04:31] Complete the Polygon Input

• After placing the final polygon point, right-click and select Complete with <Enter>.
• The polygon is now created as a terrain element on top of the planning area.

Important: All polygon points must remain inside the planning area. Ideally, keep at least one meter of distance from the outer edges of the planning area. If that is not possible, first enlarge the planning area as described in Method 1.

[04:38] Hide the Guidelines and Switch to 3D

• After the polygon has been created, you can deactivate the guidelines again.
• This keeps the drawing cleaner and makes the next steps easier to follow.
• Then switch to the 3D view to continue with the material assignment and visual adjustment.

[05:05] Transfer the Terrain Material

• In the 3D view, select 3D Functions > Transfer material.
• First, click on the existing terrain material, for example the grass surface of the surrounding environment.
• Then click on the newly created property polygon.
• This transfers the same terrain material to the defined property area.
• Press the ESC-Key afterwards to exit the tool.

[05:37] Edit the Material of the Planning Area

• To make the remaining planning area less visible, select 3D Functions > Edit material.
• Then click on the outer planning area.
• The Material Editor opens.
• This allows you to change the surface appearance of the planning area without affecting the newly created property polygon.

[05:46] Remove the Existing Texture

• In the material editor, right-click on the field next to Texture.
• Then choose Remove selection.
• This removes the currently assigned texture from the planning area.
• As a result, the area can be made visually much less dominant.

[05:56] Set Transparency

• Now enter a value such as 90% for Transparency.
• This makes the planning area almost invisible, but still slightly visible for later selection if needed.
• Therefore, you keep enough visual control while focusing mainly on the newly defined property.
• Confirm with OK.

[06:13] Transfer the Transparent Material to the Edges

• To make the outer edges of the planning area match the transparent surface, use 3D Functions > Transfer material again.
• Click the already edited transparent planning area material first.
• Then click on the edges of the planning area to apply the same transparent appearance there as well.
• Press the ESC-Key to finish.

Your property is now displayed correctly, while the remaining planning area becomes almost invisible. Consequently, the visual focus stays on the actual property shape you defined.

Final Tip

If your property is simple and rectangular, Method 1 is usually the fastest solution. However, if the property is irregular or more detailed, Method 2 offers much more flexibility. In addition, the combination of polygon input, material transfer, and transparency helps you create a cleaner and more professional 3D presentation. Therefore, choosing the right method at the beginning can save a lot of time later in the planning process.