Get the square footage right before it's listed.

• Room sizes for the MLS

  Every room is traced to its wall faces and, on PDFs, named from the plan. The room schedule lists each room's area and every wall length.

• Living area by ANSI Z765

  Measured to the outside walls, with the garage, porches and below-grade space kept out of the above-grade total: the method appraisers use.

• Check the county figure

  Enter the county or previous listing size and the price. See the difference in square feet and percent, and the price per square foot both ways.

• Any plan you can get

  A PDF from the builder, an image from your floor plan provider, or a phone photo of a printed plan, straightened with four clicks.

• A record of how you measured

  A PDF report with the plan, the scale check, the area summary and the room schedule, with your logo and name on it.

• On your phone at the appointment

  Pinch zoom and a magnifier for touch make it work on a phone or iPad. Nothing to install, nothing to sign in to.

Most listing figures are copied from somewhere. Each source can be right, but each measures differently, and few of them show their work.

FloorFigures is free with no per-listing fee, so measuring every listing costs nothing. The figure is only as good as the plan: check the scale against a second dimension, and verify on site when it matters.

How do I measure square footage for a listing from a floor plan?

Confirm the plan's scale against a printed dimension, measure the outside walls level by level, and add the levels up. Leave out the garage, porches and unfinished space, and report finished below-grade space separately. In FloorFigures the scale sets itself on PDFs, Shift+A traces the outline without the garage and porch, and the totals follow ANSI Z765-2021 methods.

Should a finished basement be included in the listing's square footage?

Not in the above-grade living area. Under ANSI Z765-2021, finished space on a level that is partly or wholly below grade is reported as below-grade finished area, separately from gross living area. Many MLSs have separate fields for above-grade and below-grade finished area; follow your MLS's rules for which to fill in.

How are room dimensions listed on the MLS?

Commonly as width by length in feet, measured inside the walls, for example 12 x 14. For an L-shaped or irregular room, agents often list the main rectangle or note that the room is irregular, and rounding rules vary by MLS. FloorFigures gives each room's area and every wall length from the plan, so the figures come from the drawing rather than a guess.

Why doesn't my measurement match the county record?

County records are often based on older permits or exterior estimates, may not reflect additions, and may count basements, garages or porches differently. A difference explained by a basement or garage is a difference in method, not an error. Enter the county figure in FloorFigures' Compare tab to see the gap in square feet, percent and price per square foot.

Is there a legal standard for listing square footage?

Not a single national one. Rules vary by state and by MLS. For example, North Carolina doesn't require brokers to report square footage, but a figure they do report must be accurate, and Colorado has a mandatory square footage disclosure form that states who measured and how. ANSI Z765 is the method appraisers use, which makes it a sound default. Check your state's rules with your broker or a real estate attorney.

Can I put my brokerage's logo on the report?

Yes. The PDF report takes an optional logo and a 'prepared by' line. It includes the plan with the measured areas drawn over it, the scale statement and check, the area summary, the ANSI statement, the comparison and the room schedule. It's free, with no watermark.

• How to Measure the Square Footage of a HouseMeasure a house's square footage the way appraisers do: outside walls, level by level, leaving out garages and below-grade space. From a tape or a plan.Open
• Room Dimensions for an MLS ListingHow to measure and list room dimensions for the MLS: which way to measure, rounding, irregular rooms, and disclaimers.Open
• Why Square Footage Differs From the Listing or CountyListing, county and appraisal square footage often disagree. The usual causes, which number is right, and how to check it yourself.Open
• Who Is Responsible for Square Footage in a Listing?Who answers for a wrong square footage figure in a listing, what agents typically disclose, and what buyers can do when it's off.Open
• Square Footage Discrepancy CalculatorCompare listed or county square footage with a measured figure: the difference, the percentage, and what it's worth at the price per foot.Open
• Price per Square Foot CalculatorFree price per square foot calculator for homes, plus what a square footage error does to the price per foot.Open