How do I use CubiCasa, Matterport, or iGUIDE floor plans with PlanSnapper?
All three produce to-scale floor plans that work perfectly with PlanSnapper. Export the floor plan image from each platform, prep it to remove labels, and upload.
Read answer →
Why does appraisal square footage differ from the MLS listing?
MLS listings pull square footage from county records, builder estimates, or prior listings. None of which are required to follow ANSI Z765. Appraisers use exterior dimensions and exclude below-grade space, low-ceiling areas, and garages. The difference is usually legitimate, not an error.
Read answer →
How do you measure an L-shaped or irregular home for appraisal?
Break the exterior into rectangles, measure each separately, and add them together. Identify the interior corner of the L, treat each wing as its own rectangle, and be careful not to double-count the overlap area.
Read answer →
How do I measure a manufactured home for GLA?
Manufactured homes are measured from the exterior per ANSI Z765, but exclude the hitch and any non-livable transport extensions. Additions count as GLA only if they are above grade, finished, heated, and directly accessible. Always measure yourself; do not rely on the HUD data plate square footage.
Read answer →
How do I measure an irregular or complex-shaped home for GLA?
L-shaped, T-shaped, U-shaped, and other irregular homes are measured by tracing the full exterior perimeter as a polygon, or by breaking the footprint into rectangles and summing the areas. ANSI Z765 exterior measurement rules apply. Digital tools like PlanSnapper handle any polygon shape automatically.
Read answer →
How do I measure an A-frame home for GLA?
A-frame homes are measured normally at the main floor. On upper levels, only the area with at least 7 feet of ceiling height counts as GLA -- measure from the 5-foot ceiling line inward, not from the exterior wall. If the qualifying area covers less than 50% of the upper floor, the entire level is excluded.
Read answer →
Does a sunken living room count as GLA?
Yes. A sunken living room counts as GLA in virtually all cases. The interior step-down is a design feature, not a below-grade condition. GLA grade is determined by the relationship of the floor to the exterior ground, not to adjacent interior floors. On sloped lots, verify the sunken floor is still above exterior grade on all sides.
Read answer →
How do you measure a garage conversion for square footage?
Measure a garage conversion the same as any room. From exterior walls, but only include it in GLA if it meets all ANSI Z765 criteria: finished to home standard, permanently heated, minimum ceiling height, and directly accessible from main living area. Unpermitted or partially converted garages frequently fail one or more of these tests.
Read answer →
How much square footage discrepancy is acceptable in an appraisal?
No single universal tolerance exists. Fannie Mae uses a practical guideline of roughly 10% before requiring explanation, but the real test is whether the discrepancy materially affects value. Appraisers must measure independently, disclose any variance from public records, and adjust comparables consistently.
Read answer →
What changed in ANSI Z765-2021?
The 2021 update clarified below-grade definitions (based on finished exterior grade, not interior floors), stairwell inclusion methodology, garage conversion requirements, and finished attic ceiling height rules. The core exterior-measurement principle for GLA did not change. Fannie Mae updated its Selling Guide to reference the 2021 version specifically.
Read answer →
Why does the appraisal square footage differ from the tax record?
Appraisers measure exterior dimensions following ANSI Z765, producing an accurate GLA. Tax assessors carry forward older records, use interior measurements, or rely on permit data that may never have been field-verified. The appraiser's measurement is almost always more accurate. Gaps of 5–15% are common; over 15% warrants investigation.
Read answer →
Can PlanSnapper replace a field measurement?
PlanSnapper measures from floor plans, not in the field. It can replace the manual calculation step when you already have a reliable, to-scale floor plan from CubiCasa, Matterport, iGUIDE, or a prior appraisal. It cannot substitute for a field visit when no floor plan exists or when physical conditions need verification.
Read answer →
How do I measure a house when I don't have a floor plan?
Check previous appraisal reports, MLS listings, permit records, and builder files first. A floor plan may already exist. If not, scan services like CubiCasa ($25-30) generate a to-scale floor plan from phone photos in a few hours. As a last resort, sketch the exterior yourself, note the wall lengths, and upload a photo of the sketch to PlanSnapper.
Read answer →
How do I read the scale on a floor plan?
Scale is usually printed in the title block (e.g., 1/4" = 1') or shown as a graphical scale bar. In PlanSnapper you don't need to calculate it manually, just pick any wall whose real-world length you know, click both endpoints, enter the length, and PlanSnapper handles the rest.
Read answer →
How do I get a floor plan for my house?
Check your original purchase paperwork, MLS listing history, county assessor records, or contact the original builder. For newer homes a builder floor plan may be free online. If nothing exists, CubiCasa offers a $39-$99 DIY phone-photo scan that returns a to-scale floor plan in hours. A licensed appraiser or draftsperson can also measure and draw one for $150-$400.
Read answer →
What are the appraisal sketch requirements for UAD?
UAD-compliant appraisals require a floor plan sketch showing all exterior dimensions, area calculations per level, and clear GLA vs non-GLA labeling. Sketches must use ANSI Z765-2021 exterior measurement methodology. Dimensions must be internally consistent. If they do not add up to your reported GLA, expect a Collateral Underwriter flag.
Read answer →
Can PlanSnapper measure commercial buildings?
Yes: PlanSnapper measures any to-scale floor plan, including small retail, office, mixed-use, and multifamily buildings. It is built around ANSI Z765 for residential GLA, but the measurement tool itself works for any building type. For BOMA-certified commercial measurements (required for leases and institutional appraisals), a certified commercial measurement professional is still needed.
Read answer →
Does a carport count as GLA?
Carports do not count as GLA under ANSI Z765-2021. They are open, unenclosed structures with no finished interior space. A carport converted into a fully enclosed, heated, and finished room can qualify, but the conversion must meet all GLA requirements and ceiling height minimums.
Read answer →
Does a mudroom count as square footage?
Yes. A mudroom counts as GLA if it is finished, above grade, heated, and has at least 7-foot ceiling height. Most mudrooms attached to the main living area meet all of these criteria and are included in the exterior perimeter trace. An unfinished, unheated entry vestibule or an attached mudroom on a below-grade level would be excluded.
Read answer →
Does a utility room count as square footage?
A utility room counts as GLA if it is above grade, finished, and permanently heated. Even if it only contains mechanical systems. Laundry rooms, mechanical rooms, and HVAC closets that are accessible from the main living area and meet ceiling height requirements are included in GLA. A utility room in the basement or an unfinished mechanical space is excluded.
Read answer →
Can real estate agents use PlanSnapper for listings?
Yes. Agents use PlanSnapper to verify square footage before listing, catch discrepancies with assessor records, and support price-per-square-foot calculations in CMAs. Upload any to-scale floor plan, trace the exterior perimeter, and get above-grade GLA in under two minutes. Matching the methodology appraisers will use at closing.
Read answer →
How do you measure square footage from a PDF floor plan?
Upload the PDF to PlanSnapper. Page 1 renders automatically as an image. Trace the exterior perimeter, set one known wall length as your scale reference, and click Calculate. Works with CubiCasa, Matterport, iGUIDE, architect, and appraisal PDFs. If your floor plan is on a later page, print that page to a new single-page PDF and upload that.
Read answer →
Do stairs count as square footage?
Stairs count as square footage on the floor where they originate but not on the floor above, where the stairwell creates an open void that is excluded from GLA. The net result is that a staircase contributes roughly its footprint area once. Not twice. Double-counting or zero-counting stairs is a $4,000 to $8,000 error in most markets.
Read answer →
Are there square footage requirements for VA loans?
VA loans have no minimum square footage requirement. VA Minimum Property Requirements focus on habitability. Adequate space for living, sleeping, cooking, and sanitation. Not square footage numbers. VA appraisers measure GLA using the same ANSI Z765 exterior methodology as conventional appraisals.
Read answer →
How do you measure an irregular shaped room?
Divide the room into rectangles (or right triangles), measure each one, calculate the area of each, and add them together. This decomposition method works for L-shaped, T-shaped, U-shaped, and any other non-rectangular layout. In PlanSnapper, simply trace each section as a separate polygon.
Read answer →