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Guides · Floor Plan Measurement

How to Measure an Irregular or Complex Floor Plan

Floor plans with bay windows, angled walls, curved walls, and bump-outs look challenging. They follow the same measurement logic as any other shape — trace the exterior perimeter with a point at every change in direction, and the tool calculates the area regardless of shape complexity.

The fundamental principle

More corners = more accuracy for complex shapes. Don't try to simplify a 12-corner floor plan into a rough rectangle — trace all 12 corners and get the actual area. The tool's polygon engine handles any number of points and any shape whether convex or concave.

Angled walls

Homes with 45-degree or other angled exterior walls simply have more corners. Place a polygon point at the start of the angle, at each directional change, and where it returns to straight. A simple angled bay adds 2 extra points. A complex angular design might add 10 or more. Just trace the actual wall outline — no special handling needed.

Bay windows

A bay window projects out from the main wall, typically with two 45-degree angled sides and a flat face. It's conditioned living space and counts in GLA. Trace around the outside of the bay: points at the base corners (where the angled sides meet the main wall), the outer corners of the angled sides, and the ends of the flat face. A typical three-sided bay adds 4 extra points. The bay's projected area (typically 8–20 sq ft) will be included in your total.

Curved walls

True curved walls have no discrete corners, but you can approximate any curve with closely-spaced straight segments. Zoom in to the curved wall section and click along it every 1–2 feet of real-world wall length. For a 15-foot curved wall, 8–10 click points gives a polygon that closely approximates the actual curve with error typically under 0.5%.

Bump-outs and cantilevers

A bump-out is a small wall extension — perhaps a kitchen projecting 2 feet for a larger footprint. Trace around the bump-out including the projecting portion. It's conditioned living area and counts in GLA. Cantilevered second floors extending beyond the ground floor footprint are traced at the upper floor's actual (larger) dimensions.

Accuracy tips for complex plans

Zoom in before placing each point — more important on irregular plans where corners are close together. After tracing, zoom out and review the polygon outline. It should follow the exterior wall precisely. Any places where the polygon cuts through a wall or floats outside it indicate a misplaced point — find it and drag it to the correct location.

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