Appraisers
GLA from any floor plan, with ANSI Z765 rules built in.
Desktop and hybrid assignments hand you someone else's floor plan. FloorFigures measures it with the ANSI Z765-2021 rules applied, so you can check the GLA line by line instead of taking it on trust.
Free. No account. Plans never leave your device.
What you get
Everything GLA needs, from a plan you didn't draw.
ANSI Z765-2021, applied
Garage, porch, deck and unfinished space come out of living area. Openings to the floor below are subtracted, overlaps are merged so nothing counts twice, and totals round to the whole square foot.Above and below grade, apart
Mark each level above or below grade. Finished and unfinished area above and below grade get separate totals, so below-grade living space never lands in GLA.Ceiling-height rules
Set a room's ceiling height, or how much of it is under 7 ft or under 5 ft. Low rooms are excluded, sloped rooms need half the floor at 7 ft or more, and space under 5 ft never counts.A scale you can defend
On PDFs the scale is read from the printed dimensions and checked against the rest, with a warning when the scale note disagrees (a sign the PDF was resized). Measure any known wall to see the error.Sketches, scans and photos
Straighten a phone photo of a printed plan with four clicks. For a stretched scan, set separate horizontal and vertical scales.Ready for the workfile
Copy the statement into your report. Export a vector PDF with the plan, scale check, area summary and room schedule, with your logo and name, or a DXF, CSV or PNG.
How it works
From someone else's plan to a GLA you can stand behind.
You start with
A builder plan, listing floor plan or data collector's sketch
You end with
GLA by ANSI Z765 methods, a statement and a PDF for the workfile
01
Open the plan you were given.
A builder's PDF, the floor plan from the listing, or the sketch from a hybrid inspection. Multi-page sets open with a sheet per page, and a photo of a printed plan works too.
02
Confirm the scale.
On a PDF the scale sets itself from the printed dimensions. On an image, click both ends of a dimensioned wall and type its length. Then measure a second dimension and check the error.
03
Trace the outside walls, level by level.
Press Shift+A for the building outline without the garage and porch, or trace it and type exact wall lengths. Mark each level above or below grade, plus any open-to-below areas and low ceilings.
04
Copy the statement. Export the report.
GLA, below-grade finished area and the garage are totaled separately. Copy the statement, compare the figure with the listing or public record, and export the PDF for the workfile.
Compared with re-sketching
Measure the plan instead of redrawing it.
When the plan already exists, re-sketching it means reading every dimension and redrawing every wall by hand. Measuring the plan itself skips that step, and shows on the drawing exactly what was counted.
| Re-sketching from the plan | Measuring the plan in FloorFigures | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Read each dimension, redraw each wall | Open the file; the walls are already there |
| Walls without a printed dimension | Estimated, or scaled by hand | Measured from the scaled drawing |
| Checking the plan | By eye | Scale checked against other printed dimensions; warning if the PDF was resized |
| What was counted | Your sketch | Overlays on the original plan, in the PDF report |
| Forms software | Often built in | No integration: copy the statement, attach the PDF or PNG |
| Cost | Usually a subscription | Free, no limits |
Keep your sketch program for field work and your forms. Under UAD 3.6, mandatory for reports submitted on or after November 2, 2026, area is reported as several figures (finished and unfinished, above and below grade) rather than a single GLA. FloorFigures already keeps those totals apart.
Questions
What appraisers ask.
- Does Fannie Mae require ANSI Z765 for appraisals?
- For appraisals with an interior and exterior inspection, and for all hybrid appraisals, yes: Fannie Mae requires square footage to be measured and reported using ANSI Z765-2021. Gross living area is finished, above-grade space measured to the exterior of the walls; below-grade space and garages are reported separately. For desktop appraisals, ANSI is encouraged when feasible rather than required, and a floor plan is a required exhibit. Freddie Mac has also adopted ANSI Z765 for 1-unit properties.
- Can I calculate GLA from a builder or listing floor plan?
- Yes, if the plan is to scale and matches the house. Check the scale against two printed dimensions, trace the outside walls level by level, and keep below-grade space, the garage and open-to-below areas out of GLA. A figure from a plan isn't a field measurement, and the statement FloorFigures writes says so: measured from a scaled plan, not field-verified.
- How do I check a hybrid data collector's floor plan?
- Open the data collector's plan, set the scale from one printed dimension and confirm it with a second. Trace the exterior, then enter their GLA in FloorFigures' Compare tab to see the difference in square feet and percent. The overlays on the plan show where any gap comes from.
- Why isn't a finished basement included in GLA?
- Under ANSI Z765-2021, if any part of a level is below grade, the whole level is below grade. Finished space there is reported as below-grade finished area, separately from GLA, even when one side walks out. In FloorFigures, mark that level as below grade and its living space is totaled on its own line.
- Does FloorFigures integrate with appraisal forms software?
- No. FloorFigures doesn't connect to other software. Copy its statement into your report and attach the PDF report or an annotated PNG of the plan.
- Are client plans uploaded anywhere?
- No. FloorFigures runs in your browser, and plans are opened, measured and saved on your own device. Nothing is uploaded and there's no account, so borrower and client files stay with you.
Keep reading
Guides and calculators for appraisers.
- ANSI Z765-2021: The Square Footage Rules ExplainedWhat ANSI Z765-2021 says about finished area, ceiling height, below-grade space, garages, stairs and openings, and how to report square footage under it.Open
- How to Calculate Gross Living Area (GLA)Gross living area is finished, above-grade area measured from the exterior. Step-by-step calculation with what's included, what's excluded and an example.Open
- Fannie Mae's ANSI Z765 Requirement and the GXX001 CodeFannie Mae requires ANSI Z765-2021 for measuring homes in appraisals. What it covers, what the GXX001 exception code was for, and what replaced it.Open
- Floor Plans for Desktop and Hybrid AppraisalsDesktop and hybrid appraisals rely on someone else's floor plan. Where plans come from, how to check them, and how to measure GLA from one.Open
- Does a Finished Basement Count as Square Footage?A finished basement isn't gross living area under ANSI Z765 if any part is below grade. How below-grade space is measured and reported instead.Open
- ANSI Z765 Gross Living Area (GLA) CalculatorFree GLA calculator that applies ANSI Z765-2021: above-grade finished area by level, below-grade, garage and unfinished areas kept separate.Open
Your next GLA check is free.
Open the builder plan, listing floor plan or sketch. FloorFigures sets the scale, applies ANSI Z765 and writes the statement. Nothing is uploaded.