Guides
Straight answers about square footage.
How to measure homes and plans, what ANSI Z765 counts, and how to turn a floor plan into flooring, paint and drywall quantities.
Appraisal and ANSI Z765
- 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
- UAD 3.6 and the New URAR: What Changes for Square FootageWhat the redesigned appraisal report (UAD 3.6) changes about reporting gross living area, levels and below-grade space, and when it's required.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
- Does a Garage Count as Square Footage?No: a garage isn't living area, even when finished or heated. How garages, converted garages and rooms over garages are counted.Open
- Ceiling Height Rules and Sloped Ceilings in Square FootageANSI Z765's 7-foot ceiling rule, the exception under beams and ducts, and how sloped ceilings, attics and bonus rooms are counted.Open
- Open to Below: How Two-Story Spaces Are CountedA two-story foyer or great room counts once, on the floor it sits on. Openings to the floor below aren't counted upstairs. With a worked example.Open
- How Stairs Are Counted in Square FootageHow ANSI Z765 counts finished stairs and landings, which floor they belong to, and the common mistakes that double count them.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
- Appraisal Sketch Software: Options and When to Use EachSketch software for appraisers compared by job: sketching in the field, scanning a home with a phone, and measuring an existing floor plan.Open
Measuring homes and plans
- How to Calculate Square Footage From a Floor PlanCalculate square footage from a floor plan or blueprint in four steps: check the scale, measure the outline, split odd shapes, and subtract what doesn't count.Open
- How to Scale a PDF Drawing and Measure ItSet the scale on a PDF drawing from a known dimension or the printed scale note, then measure distances and areas. Why 'fit to page' breaks scale.Open
- How to Read Floor Plan Dimensions and ScaleWhat 12'-6" means, which dimensions are to wall faces versus centers, and how to tell what scale your floor plan is drawn at.Open
- How to Measure a Floor Plan From a PhotoMeasure a photographed floor plan or room using a reference object: straighten the perspective, set the scale, then measure. How accurate it gets.Open
- Square Footage of L-Shaped and Irregular RoomsSplit an L-shaped or irregular room into rectangles and triangles, add them up, and handle angled walls and bump-outs. Worked examples.Open
- How to Measure Apartment Square FootageHow apartment square footage is measured, why rentable and usable area differ, and how to get accurate numbers for listings and unit turns.Open
Listings, buyers and county records
- 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
- 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
- How to Verify the Square Footage of a HouseCheck a home's square footage against the listing, county records and an appraisal, measure it yourself, and know when the gap matters.Open
- Property Tax Appeal for Wrong Square FootageIf the county has your square footage wrong, you may be overpaying. How to measure, document and appeal an assessment based on the wrong size.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
Flooring, paint, drywall and restoration
- How Much Flooring Do I Need? Square Feet, Waste, BoxesMeasure each room, add waste for the layout (about 10% straight, 15% diagonal), and divide by the box size. Worked example and waste table.Open
- How Much Paint Do I Need for a Room or a House?Wall area is perimeter times ceiling height, minus doors and windows. Divide by about 350 sq ft per gallon and multiply by coats. Room-by-room example.Open
- How Many Sheets of Drywall Do I Need?Add wall and ceiling area, add 10–15% waste, and divide by the sheet size: 32 sq ft for 4x8, 48 for 4x12. Worked example for a room and a house.Open
- How to Do a Material Takeoff From Floor PlansA step-by-step residential takeoff from a floor plan: floor area, wall area, perimeter, then flooring, paint, drywall and trim, with a template.Open
- How to Estimate a Remodel From a Floor PlanTurn a floor plan into a remodel budget: measure the rooms, take off materials, apply unit costs, and add the line items plans don't show.Open
- Measuring Water Damage: Square Footage and Flood CutsHow to measure affected floor and wall area for a water loss, estimate flood-cut drywall, and document room sizes for an insurance claim.Open
Measure your own plan.
Open a PDF, image or photo of the plan. FloorFigures finds the scale and the rooms and does the math. $10 once, for life, and nothing is uploaded.