Guides · Floor Plan Measurement
Measuring a two-story home is simpler than it sounds. The tool handles multi-story homes by letting you trace each floor as a separate polygon. Total GLA is the sum of all above-grade polygons. Here is the complete step-by-step process.
Create two polygons: one for the ground floor and one for the second floor. Each floor is traced independently. The tool shows individual area for each polygon and a running total. Both floors should be traced at the exterior perimeter (outside face of exterior walls) for ANSI Z765-compliant GLA.
For CubiCasa: each floor is typically on a separate PDF page. Export each page separately and upload individually. For Matterport: the floor plan download includes a separate JPG per floor level. For appraiser sketches showing both floors on one image: trace each floor as a separate polygon in the same session.
1. Upload the ground floor plan. 2. Set scale from a labeled dimension. 3. Trace the exterior perimeter of the ground floor above-grade living area: exclude garage. 4. Note the area (e.g., 1,050 sq ft). 5. Upload the second floor plan. 6. Recalibrate scale from the new image. 7. Trace the second floor exterior perimeter. 8. Note the area (e.g., 980 sq ft). 9. Total GLA = 1,050 + 980 = 2,030 sq ft.
Most two-story homes have a staircase opening on the upper floor: the floor doesn't exist above the stair run. When tracing the second floor, exclude this void. Trace around it by placing points at the corners of the void and excluding that area from your polygon. The tool handles concave polygon shapes correctly.
Many two-story homes have a smaller second floor than ground floor: a partial two-story with a cathedral ceiling over one section. Simply trace the actual second floor footprint as shown on the plan. The cathedral-ceiling area is included only in the ground floor polygon, not double-counted on the second floor.
For a simple full two-story home (same footprint on both levels), the ground and second floor polygon areas should be roughly equal. A significant discrepancy suggests a tracing error. For partial two-story homes, verify that the second floor polygon matches only the two-story portion of the plan.
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Start Measuring →How do I measure a two-story home from a floor plan?
Trace each floor as a separate polygon. Set scale on each floor (in case the visible reference dimensions differ between floors), and the tool sums both floors for total GLA. Don't try to trace both floors as one combined polygon.
What about a two-story foyer or open-to-below area?
Two-story foyers and open-to-below areas count toward the lower floor's GLA only, not the upper floor. When tracing the upper floor, exclude the open-to-below area from the perimeter so it isn't double-counted.
How do I handle staircase voids on the upper floor?
Subtract the staircase opening from the upper floor's perimeter. Trace around the open stairwell rather than through it. This avoids counting the stair void as upper floor GLA.
What if the upper floor has a different footprint than the lower floor?
Trace each floor's actual perimeter separately. Many two-story homes have partial second floors (the upper floor is smaller than the lower) or cantilevered overhangs (the upper floor is slightly larger). Either way, trace each floor's true outline.
Do I include the basement in a two-story home's GLA?
No. ANSI Z765 GLA includes only above-grade finished space. The first and second floors count if both are above-grade. The basement is reported separately as Below-Grade Finished Area.