How to Calculate Square Footage of a House
Understanding the square footage of your home is crucial for various reasons, whether you're buying, selling, renovating, or simply trying to estimate utility costs. Square footage represents the total area of a property's living space, measured in square feet.
What is Square Footage?
Square footage is a measurement of area, calculated by multiplying the length of a space by its width. For a rectangular room, it's a straightforward calculation. For an entire house, it involves summing the square footage of all habitable, finished areas.
Why is it Important?
- Real Estate Valuation: It's a primary factor in determining a home's market value.
- Renovation Planning: Helps estimate material costs (flooring, paint) and labor for remodeling projects.
- Furniture and Layout: Essential for planning furniture placement and ensuring items will fit.
- Utility Costs: Larger homes generally require more energy to heat and cool.
- Property Taxes: Often used by assessors to calculate property taxes.
How to Measure Square Footage
To accurately calculate your home's square footage, you'll need a tape measure and a notepad. Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Measure Each Room: Go room by room. For each rectangular or square room, measure its length and width from wall to wall. Round to the nearest half-foot or inch for precision.
- Break Down Complex Shapes: If a room is L-shaped or has alcoves, divide it into simpler rectangles. Calculate the square footage of each smaller rectangle and then add them together.
- Include Finished Living Areas: This typically includes bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, and finished basements or attics.
- Exclude Non-Living Areas: Generally, garages, unfinished basements, unfinished attics, outdoor patios, decks, and porches are NOT included in the total heated/cooled square footage.
- Sum It Up: Add the square footage of all individual finished living spaces to get your home's total square footage.
Example Calculation:
Let's say you have the following room dimensions:
- Living Room: 15 ft x 20 ft = 300 sq ft
- Kitchen: 10 ft x 12 ft = 120 sq ft
- Bedroom 1: 12 ft x 14 ft = 168 sq ft
- Bedroom 2: 10 ft x 11 ft = 110 sq ft
- Bathroom: 5 ft x 8 ft = 40 sq ft
- Hallway: 3 ft x 15 ft = 45 sq ft
Total Square Footage = 300 + 120 + 168 + 110 + 40 + 45 = 783 sq ft
House Square Footage Calculator
Enter the length and width for each finished area of your house in feet. Leave fields blank or enter 0 for areas you don't have or don't want to include.
Total Square Footage: 0 sq ft