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Finished Area

Finished area is space in a home built to the same standard as the main living areas: walls, floor coverings and ceilings are complete, and the space is heated as part of the house.

Under ANSI Z765, finished area must also be reachable from the interior of the home and meet the ceiling height rules. Finished space can be above or below grade, and the two are reported separately. A finished basement is the most common example of finished area that sits below grade.

Only finished area that is also above grade counts toward gross living area. See finished vs unfinished square footage.