QA

Quick Answer: How To Measure Square Footage Of A House

If you live in a property that’s a perfect rectangle, simply measure the length and width and multiply the two numbers. For example, if your one-story house is 60 feet by 40 feet long, then your property is 2,400 square feet (60 x 40 = 2,400).

What is included in the square footage of a house?

When an appraiser calculates the square footage of a home, it will only measure interior spaces that are heated and cooled. This includes bedrooms (and closets), bathrooms, hallways, kitchen, and living areas, as well as enclosed patios, and finished attics.

Is house square footage measured inside or outside?

The standard practice calls for measuring square footage from your exterior walls, as opposed to measuring the actual interior dimensions of each room. This includes each wall as part of your square footage, although it obviously isn’t usable space.

Is basement included in square footage?

As a general rule of thumb, listing agents and appraisers don’t count a finished basement toward the overall square footage, especially if the basement is completely below grade—a term that means below ground level. Whether an appraiser includes basement living space ultimately depends on which state you live in.

How do painters calculate square footage?

Painters calculate the square footage by multiplying the length of each room in your home by their corresponding width to determine the total amount of square footage in a particular space.

Who verifies square footage in a home?

An agent may calculate square footage based on how much living space there is—in other words, areas of the home that are heated such as the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, and so on. The appraiser, on the other hand, evaluates the total value of a home.

Does stairs count as square footage?

Stairs: Runs/treads and landings both count in square footage totals. They are measured as a part of the floor “from which they descend,” so are generally counted twice in a typical two-story home with a basement.

How does Zillow calculate square footage?

Multiply the rectangle’s length by its width to get the area in square feet.

What is considered livable space in a house?

HABITABLE SPACE is space in a building for living, sleeping, eating or cooking. Bathrooms, toilets, hallways, storage areas, closets, or utility rooms and similar areas are not considered habitable spaces.

Does ceiling height affect square footage?

The square footage of a room is the total floor area of that room — so a high ceiling, or height, plays no role.

Do basement bedrooms count on an appraisal?

Think of a basement bedroom as a bonus: It counts as a bedroom, but is identified separately from the above-grade room count in an appraisal. This space must meet basic living standards to earn the bedroom title, including: Windows with dimensions meeting your local building code.

How do you measure the exterior square footage of a house?

1) Simple Method for Calculating Your Exterior Square Footage Find the interior square feet of livable space in your home. Add the square feet of any attached portion, such as a sunroom or garage. This gives you a “ballpark” figure for the exterior sq. ft.

How much does it cost to paint a 1200 sq ft house?

Three gallon cans of paint cover up to 1200 square feet. This is enough to cover a large room or a couple of average-sized rooms adjoining each other. You may want to consider this extra can if you are doing a room with vaulted ceilings.

How do I calculate the exterior square footage of my house for painting?

The first part is easy. Measure the perimeter of your house (the distance around it) – the main part, not including porches or other appendages. Then, multiply that number by the height, and you have the square footage (the area to be painted).

Can a Realtor lie about square footage?

As a real estate broker, you are required to accurately represent the property. Providing a wrong or conflicting square footage might lead to a real estate lawsuit.

Do Realtors lying about square footage?

Providing inaccurate or conflicting square footage of a home can lead to a real estate lawsuit. Horiike v. Coldwell Banker is just one example. In this case, the selling agent overstated the home’s square footage in the listing and did not correct or disclose knowledge of the inaccuracy.

Are taxes based on square footage?

These taxes, known as property taxes, are based on the market value of the property. For homeowners, the market value is determined by a government assessment or appraisal of the worth of the property. The appraised value is based on a variety of factors, including square footage.

How do I conceptualize my square footage?

To find square feet, multiply the length measurement in feet by the width measurement in feet. This yields a product called the area, which is expressed in square feet (or square inches if you are calculating a much smaller space, such as a dollhouse).

How is livable square footage measured?

Multiply all length and width measurements. Add all the measurements to obtain the total square footage of the home. Measure the length and width of any unheated areas, and subtract the unheated square footage from the total square footage to obtain the total living area square footage.

How many square feet is 12 stairs?

For a typical set of 12 box stairs, you’ll multiply the 36” width by the 18” tread and riser, then multiply by 12 stairs. The total is 7776 square inches of carpet, which equates to 54 square feet.