Step-by-step guides on measuring floor plans, calculating GLA, and getting accurate square footage from any image or PDF.
Upload any floor plan image, trace the perimeter, set one known wall length, and get accurate square footage in under two minutes.
What file types work, how to prepare your plan before uploading, and how to get the most accurate result from any floor plan image.
How to photograph a printed floor plan or sketch and still get a reliable square footage measurement. Tips to avoid the most common mistakes.
What 1/4" = 1' and 1:100 actually mean, how to read scale bars, and how to set scale in the tool using one known wall dimension.
Accuracy ranges by source type: CubiCasa and Matterport plans are typically within 1-2%. Hand sketches and phone photos vary more.
CubiCasa exports accurate, to-scale plans but deliberately omits total square footage. Here is how to get that number in two minutes.
Matterport schematic floor plans are LiDAR-accurate but show no total square footage. Step-by-step guide to calculating GLA from any Matterport export.
iGUIDE produces highly accurate plans used across North America. How to export and measure square footage from any iGUIDE floor plan.
The tool supports direct PDF upload. What to do when a PDF has multiple pages, and when to use a screenshot instead.
GLA is the appraisal standard for residential square footage. What counts, what does not, and why it differs from the number on Zillow.
GLA excludes basements, garages, and unheated porches even if finished. Total square footage usually includes them. Here is how to tell them apart.
The ANSI Z765-2021 standard has been required on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac appraisals since 2022. What it requires and how to apply it when tracing a floor plan.
What does this guide library cover?
Step-by-step guides on measuring floor plans, calculating square footage, and getting accurate GLA from any image or PDF. Topics include CubiCasa, Matterport, iGUIDE, Apex Sketch, ANSI Z765, condo and townhouse measurement, multi-story homes, and accuracy tips.
Where should I start?
Start with "Measure Floor Plan Online" for the basic 4-step process. Then read "What Is GLA?" for the appraisal context, and "ANSI Z765 Measurement Guide" for the official standard. Topic-specific guides cover specialized cases (condos, basements, irregular shapes, etc).
Do the guides apply to commercial floor plans?
Most guides focus on residential floor plan measurement (homes, condos, townhouses, manufactured homes). The general principles (perimeter tracing, scale calibration) apply to commercial floor plans, but commercial uses BOMA standards rather than ANSI Z765 for square footage.
Are these guides for appraisers only?
No. The guides are written for anyone who needs to measure a floor plan: appraisers, agents, homebuyers, homeowners, landlords, investors, contractors, and renovation planners. Each guide identifies its target use case at the top.
How accurate is online floor plan measurement?
For a clean to-scale floor plan, results are typically within 1 to 2 percent of a field measurement. Hand sketches and angled phone photos vary more (3 to 10 percent). The "Floor Plan Measurement Accuracy Tips" guide covers how to maximize accuracy.