16 inches x 13 stairs equals 208 inches. Or a four-level split floor plan? 16. When house plan sellers refer to Total Living square feet, they are referring to the living area of the home. Finished areas connected to the house. 3. Better Business Bureau. Verify the information by taking their own measurements. Painting a house: Let's say you are describing a two story home with a 1,000 square foot first floor, 1,000 square foot ground floor, and 800 square foot loft. You also learned what the ANSI method is and when to use it. For more tips on buying a home, follow #BuyerInsights on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Share them with us by leaving a comment below! Are stairs considered living space? When it comes to porches and other outdoor spaces, theyre usually only included if they use the same heating system as the rest of the house. The second house only includes the square footage of the main floors and does not count a 200-square-foot bedroom in the basement. Multiply those together to get the area of one step, then multiply that by the number of steps you have to get the total. Overestimating your homes square footage can hurt you financially when the time comes to sell, so its always best to check with an expert before calculating your homes square footage. Are balconies included in square footage? An attic, while a useful storage area, is not living space. Thanks Doug, that used to cost $30-$40 or something like that. Are stairs counted in a home's square footage? You can even switch out the carpet for hardwood stairs, which are easier to clean and make the house look really modern. Disclosure: We may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Measure the length and width, in feet, of each room. Ask the listing agent for the exact way that the square footage was calculated. For example, a space that measures 10 feet by 10 feet totals out to 100 square feet. However, before changing your staircase's shape, be sure to check that the stairs aren't an important part of the structure. Contingent and Pending statuses may not be available for all listings. In general, areas like staircases and closets count as finished square footage. 27. Does a sun room count as square footage? 7 Multiply the length of the third space times the width of the third space. It feels bigger inside, but when they look at their home information online, they see a smaller square foot number than they expect. 21. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You'll need between 80 and 110 square feet for 13 stairs. Where finished and unfinished areas are adjacent on the same level (like an unfinished garage next to living areas) the finished square footage is measured to the exterior (the unfinished side) of the dividing wall (the garage side). What is includedin gross floor area? Naturally, you want to show that off to potential buyers. For this method, you may want to sketch a house floor plan to make it easier. The floor plan with real 1789 sq footage is usually marketed as 25*90=2250 sq foot (25% inflation of space). 7. If you upgrade parts of your home to make your house larger, youre more likely to get higher sale numbers. Does a covered porch count as square footage? ), then it does not count towards your homes square footage. Stairs: Runs/treads and landings both count in square footage totals. This can lead to inaccuracies in the reported square footage, as the homeowner may have finished a basement, attic or enclosed and heated a three-season porch to enjoy year-round in the time since the records were last updated. Multiply the width by the length and voila! They also take up space on the floor below them. The same advice holds true if youre thinking of expanding your house. That section of your basement under the stairs where you can't even stand up? considerably smaller than the average family home in North America Does ceiling height affect square footage? Measure simple square footage. If you plan to measure room by room, simply grab your measuring tape and multiply the rooms width by length to get the spaces total square footage. The stairs between two stories only needs adding to one of the floors. "Finished areas that are connected to the main body of the house by other finished areas such as hallways or stairways are included in the finished square footage of the floor that is at the same level. You could list it as 3,300 square feet with 1,000 square feet of unfinished basement and a 600-foot garage. Stairs, closets, and landings can also be added to your total. Launching her writing career in 2007, Christine has crafted interior design content for companies including USA Today and Houzz. If you have an older home, updating your stairs can increase your home's value by adding space and maximizing light. By searching you agree to the end user license agreement. You get to choose if you finish and include the area or not. In the city of Chicago, we see a difference in the way square footage is calculated in the city versus the suburbs, Curcio shares. Open-air balconies are never included in your homes overall square footage. Because bonus rooms have the possibility of being finished and included or unfinished and excluded from your final finished living area calculation, we calculate them separately and add a line for the bonus space in the breakdown of areas. For this reason, the square footage of the stairs is often counted twice in measurements. Estate Commission rules to report the square footage of properties offered for sale (or rent), when they do report square footage, it is essential that the information they give prospective purchasers (or tenants) be accurate. Therefore, we promote stricteditorial integrity in each of our posts. A sunroom's cost vs. value of a sunroom addition dropped below 50% in 2015. Answer (1 of 4): I just went through a reassessment, my town does this about once every 10 years or so. For most of us, neither is square feet. Your email address will not be published. If it aids the designer and does not effect egress width and number of exits then I will probably agree with his OL numbers. Open-air, covered porches never add to your homes square footage, even if they are elevated to the same level as the rest of the house by the foundation. Reaching out to an experienced local real estate agent in your area to find out which spaces in your house can be included in the total square footage is the best way to get accurate guidance on what qualifies as countable living space in your house. Depending on the appraiser you have, the stairs may or may not be counted twice. Exterior spaces, balconies, patios, parking, walkways and driveways that are covered, attics and outdoor sports courts, are 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. Attic Spaces with a headroom under 5 feet can be deducted from zoning in the following zoning districts: R2A, . 17. The most commonly used formula for calculating square footage, and the one used by real estate appraisers, is to include only the heated and air-conditioned areas of the house in the equation. Make sure you write your measurements and calculations out next to the corresponding room on your sketch. Other Things You May Need for Your Building Permit. Multiply the number of steps by the average square inches of each step. Do stairs count as living space? Per the ANSI method, square footage can be measured from the outside of the home, but that will not provide the actual livable area, as measuring from the homes exterior will include wall space. The second level of a 1.5-story home often can be included in the finished square footage count, but only if the ceilings are of sufficient height. It is extremely important that you pick a shape that is the most practical and adds the most aesthetically to the home. If you are measuring a square or rectangle area, multiply length times width; Length x Width = Area. While this may sound simple enough, it can be complicated measuring the square footage of a house due to odd-shaped spaces and living space gray areas. Measure the length and width, in feet, of each room. Just break out your measuring tapeor a laser measureto get its length and width. I'm on team both.That being said, if fixture count was the issue and not egress, I am sure we could find a way around it historically everything with the exterior walls except shafts are included in the OL calculation. For each room, write the total square footage in the corresponding space on your sketch. Stairs usually count toward a homes square footage total. This measurement can also be used when painting a staircase. hen calculating total living area space, the livable floor area includes only livable area above-grade that is heated year round. I've seen many variations. For stairways in large floor openings, such as atriums, I use the entire horizontal projected area of the stairway at each story and the entire atrium/opening area on the story in which the atrium/opening floor is located. The square footage of a finished basement that is below grade (underground) adds less value than the square footage of above grade living space. 1 acre = 43,560 square foot 1 square yard = 9 square foot 1 square meter = 10.76 square foot 1 square inch = 0.00064516 square foot Calculating Cost Per Square Foot. Now that you know that stairs are included in measurements of a house's square footage, continue reading to learn more about measuring the square footage of a home, how to incorporate stairs into that number, and if you should upgrade your stairs to increase your home's value. Be Aware of These 15 Tenant Rights, 8 Documents You May Need For Tax Filings if You Sold a House. If you have a finished basement, it should be considered part of the square footage of your home. We can design for loads much higher than 125 PSF, however, very few applications require a larger . Bathrooms are also always included in your homes square footage if they meet the minimum requirements. Stairs that are finished and connected to the living area count towards your homes square footage. Another word about porches. 6. The MLS is a service real estate agents use to publish their active property listings so that consumers and agents can search for-sale homes and view them online. At least one-half of all rooms must have a ceiling height of at least seven feet. If you're wondering whether you can count a screened porch in your home's total square footage for a real estate listing, the answer is no, you cannot. Builders are notorious for beefing up the 'square footage' of a home by . Multiply this number by the rise and run feet measurement to obtain the area in square feet. If counted twice, it would be assuming twice the density on the stairway over any other place in the building. . In many markets, including Hawaii, exterior space (balconies) counts towards living space. And remember, don't discuss value. Unfinished basements are never included because they do not add to the livable space of the home. The total is 7776 square inches of carpet, which equates to 54 square feet. Because there isn't an official way to measure, many people measure the exterior footprint of the house. Does a basement count as square footage? What Rooms Are Included in Square Footage? = 200 square feet. Property lots often have maximum allowable square footage thats allowed to be finished as living space. I use the entire area of the stair enclosure at each story measuring to the inside of exterior walls. Length multiplied by width of the building walls is the measurement of square footage . 15. Stairs: Runs/treads and landings both count in square footage totals. Our floor areas for second or third storeys do not include areas where there is no floor framing. My Mobile Home Door Wont Latch Why? HomeLight, Inc. 100 1st Street, Suite 2600, San Francisco, CA 94105. However, as an added feature to the home, detached garages do raise the overall value of the property just as an attached garage would. How To Install Deck Mount Faucet On A Freestanding Tub [Step By Step Guide]. We reached out to Scott Teece, managing producer at Edina Realty Insurance, to get the details. . Gross building area is the measurement used for duplex . Overestimate your homes size, and your appraisal may come in low and threaten the sale. Potential buyers should be aware that in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, the purchase agreement on a home notes that square footage measurements are approximate. Find homes for sale in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Bathrooms count toward total square footage, but only if theyre in a place included in the measurements. In fact, in the typical two-story house with a basement, they are often counted twice in the square footage because they are considered a part of the floor from which they descend. 2. Stair area between main and second floor: GLA applies to both floors for that space (& floors 2 & 3, etc.) OK, so what if the exterior walls of a building are not vertical, they lean inward ( "A" frame) or outward (reverse "A" frame), then where do you measure the gross sq. This can be thought of as the area that will be heated or cooled. That addition will potentially add $20,000 to $40,000 to your homes value, but if it costs you between $16,000 to $40,000, youll just break even at the end of the day. To be counted as finished square footage, a porch must be four-season. Continue with Recommended Cookies. For example, an unfinished basement and a garage would not be included in a GLA measurement. To Fannie Mae and appraisers, a basement, even if finished with high-quality materials, cannot count as square footage. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Does carbon only need 4 valence electrons? Most staircases are not very large, so their impact on your total square footage isn't that much. Because of this, it is possible that the square footage count of a property might include stairwells, closets, walk-in pantries, and other places that you could be questioning. Are stairs factored into square footage? For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. During the bull market, many buyers genuinely started to believe . The pertinent parts of the standards and our deviations are explained below. Here's how you find the square footage of Space B: Ex: 20 feet (6.1 m). The trend among custom home buyers is for larger (greater than one acre) lots. Keep in mind, some MLS guidelines dont include below-ground square footage at all, even if the basement space is fully functional. 10 ft. x 10 ft. = 100 square feet. Garage space is not included in square footage, and many standards do not count basements (even if they're finished) in overall square footage. Instructions on measuring your stairs for carpet can help you determine your stairs square footage. I would be curious to see if a Committee Interpretations would be the same as the technical opinion of one staff member, Mechanical shafts should be included in gross floor area for occupant load calculations. Staying between 5-10% is a good plan. It must also have heating and air conditioning that is comparable to the units in the rest of the house. At a minimum, information concerning square footage should include the amount of living area in the dwelling. If you are a buyer comparing homes and prices, you may want to pay attention to that breakout. For exact details on how to use this method, click here to see an in-depth explanation of the ANSI method. Where feasible and practical, follow industry accepted standards for area calculations as recommended by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). It counts as finished square footage only if it is 100% above ground. In other words, a 2,000-square foot house without a basement would likely have a higher replacement cost than a home with 1,000 square feet of above-ground living space and a basement sized at 1,000 finished square feet. Stair area from main level to basement: living space applies to basement level. What To Do? You look at each and assume no stair exist. Do stairs count for square footage? How many square feet is 14 stairs? Updating your stairs makes a home look more modern and doesn't usually cost much to do when compared to other home improvements. Do balconies count as square footage? Is This Apartment Smaller Than The Last One? Stairways and hallways are also included, although these spaces are not as easy to measure as square rooms. Does a Loft Count as Square Feet?. What is not included in gross floor area? Just keep your communication to the appraiser about the facts of the home and neighborhood, how you priced the house, and any other relevant information you think the appraiser should know. Most rooms must legally have a ceiling height of at least seven feet to count as living space. Typically, staircases count as square footage in a home. After reading this post, you know what to include in the GLA of a home and what constitutes finished square footage. Why don t finished basements count as square footage? What are the contents of the appraisal form? JavaScript is disabled. Sunrooms usually don't get included in a home's square footage total, which appraisers use to help determine home values. The key word is finished. When buying a home, it can be tricky to know what counts as square footage and what doesnt. What is considered livable square footage? Finished areas that are not connected to the house in such a manner cannot be included in the finished . Find top real estate agents in these similar cities, HomeLight has an A+ rating with the To count as finished square footage, a house typically must include four attributes: In cold-weather areas, that means that the space must have full windows (not just screens) and heat capability in the winter. Why don t finished basements count as square footage. Contact the team at Edina Realty Insurance for more information or a personalized quote. When it comes down to it, the square footage of a home is just a number. What rooms are included in square footage? Guesthouses or accessory dwelling units (ADUs) that are completely detached from the primary residence cannot be counted within the overall total of the main homes square footage. To be included as finished floor space, the usable space of a room (which has more than 50% of it's area more than seven feet tall to be called usable space at all) must be at least five feet tall. To be considered living area, a homes rooms must meet certain criteria including the basement. The own contracts with a surveying company which sends a person out with copies of what the township records show. But while homebuyers care mostly about finished and unfinished square footage, insurance agents take special notice of a different breakout above ground square footage and below ground square footage. Thats a difference of $19,000 versus $11,000 for the addition of a 10-foot by 10-foot room onto your home. Stairs are considered to be a part of the floor of the room that they descend from. Stairs: Runs/treads and landings both count in square footage totals. For example, a half-bathroom in your free-standing garage cannot be counted because it is not attached to the main house. Small (the largest category, space-wise) is anything between 800 and 1,000 square feet. 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. Can a bathroom be installed in a basement? When in doubt on the square footage of a home, refer to MLS information, your purchase agreement or your own measurements. Heres some helpful information on how to count stairs in square footages and other parts of your house. Does carbon only need 6 valence electrons? An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. You also should not include any unfinished areas. Detect Floor Performance Problems. Stairs: Runs/treads and landings both count in square footage totals. The numbers are usually all the same across the internet, and theyre pulled from public records like assigned tax values, past sale information, etc. Here is an example of how the square footage for a loft should be calculated. When Teece and the Edina Realty Insurance team draw up a homeowners insurance quote, they rely on the MLS breakout of above ground square footage and below ground square footage to make their assessment. What is considered small square footage? Homebuyers may appreciate the work on your garage, but youre better off finishing the basement first because it adds to your square foot total. Here's what you need to do next: Divide each figure by 12 (175 divided by 12 and 150 divided by 12) to get 14.58 and 12.5, respectively. Calculations for the square footage of a home are taken from the outside dimensions of the structure (so exterior and interior wall thickness is included). 1 square yard = 9 square foot 1 square meter = 10.76 square foot 1 square inch = 0.00064516 square foot calculating cost per square foot. Manage Settings The listing documents, sales contract, and home appraisal report will include the total square footage. Screened-in porches do not qualify as living space either. Length x Width = Area If the ceiling is angled, it must be 7 feet or higher for at least half of the room's floor area. It's not usable, so don't include it in square footage. That below-grade bedroom may not be as valuable as your above-grade bedrooms, though. If youre in doubt, ask the listing agent what rooms and floors were included in their calculation of the homes square footage. Only heated and residential areas should be used in the total. As another example, let's examine a traditional two-story house with a basement. Its not usable Significant areas of a floor deemed optional may be called out separately (such as large storage spaces, or unfinished basements etc) to allow you to easily re-calculate finished living spaces when choosing to finish those spaces. In many states, the area of your stairs is calculated twice because they are added to the floor they ascend to and descend into. However, as there is no standard way to measure square footage, some people do not measure the stairs twice. Usually, anything finished and livable with at least a seven-foot ceiling clearance is included in the square foot total of your home. When you are updating your stairs, you can also add storage space under the stairs, if space permits. For example, if you have a perfectly rectangular home, you . Unfinished: An unfinished attic does not add to the total square footage. Here in North Carolina, square footage is calculated to the outer edge of the dwelling. However, even though it is not factored into the building area, its square footage shall be included when determining the fire area. My tri-level house is built on a slope. Home Are Stairs Counted in Square Footage? In addition, if you have a laundry closet, it will also be counted if it meets the above requirements. Unfinished: An unfinished attic does not add to the total square footage. Then, Calculations for the square footage of a home are taken from the outside dimensions of the structure (so. Do appraisers always measure square footage? Only finished attics count toward total square foot measurements. Some people consider it to be wrong to include it twice. Because we look at conditioned area, we only count the stair once. However, if that first floor . Covered porches and sunrooms. Why do basements not count as square footage? How Much Money Do You Get Back in Taxes for Buying a House? We have taken the time to find the answer to this question, as well as other questions you may have about measuring square footage in a home. The following guidelines and accompanying illustrations are designed to assist you in measuring, calculating and reporting the living area contained in detached and attached single-family residential buildings.At a minimum, information concerning square footage should include the amount of living area in the . Why do basements not count as square footage? Otherwise, you could spend money on adding square footage that wont increase your property value. Stairways and closets will usually be included in the square footage length. Home value per square foot varies from state to state, city to city, and even neighborhood to neighborhood. Some home designers add the stairs to the floor above. 25. 208 inches/12 = 17.33 feet (round up). Negotiate, counter or accept: Get the most when selling your home, How and why you should color code your next move, The 2023 housing market: What buyers and sellers can expect, Top home improvement projects to tackle this winter, What luxury homeowners should expect when they sell their home, Get email insights you can use as you buy or sell your home, Join over {{'43232' | number}} subscribers. In general, areas like staircases and closets count as finished square footage. For a gross floor area you calculate the floor area inside the exterior walls. Knowing how your square footage is calculated will help you understand why the number is there and how appraisers assess your home. 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. For 13 stairs, youll need between 80 and 110 square feet. Covered Stairs do count. That is hard to justify. The same is true of finished attic spaces. The basic guideline to bear in mind while allocating space for a standard bedroom is that it should measure at least 120 square feet to comfortably accommodate a full-size bed. It is the square footage of the walls that is measured. Does garage get included home square footage? Why don t finished basements count as square footage? Does a basement count toward overall square footage? This definition includes bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, dining rooms and living rooms, per guidelines laid out by the American National Standard Institute (ANSI). This, again, depends on the state and how the total square footage is listed. Stairs: Runs . Having more storage space can make your home worth more. . Make the house into a set of measurable rectangles, and measure the area of each space. In some states, its more common to count them twice. , so dont include it in square footage. When you're getting ready to build your dream home and you're calculating all the space you and your loved ones need, it's sometimes a little confusing how adding the room sizes up doesn't equal the total areas shown on plan websites or in books. Click to see full answer Similarly one may ask, how do you calculate square footage of stairs? Contact the team at Edina Realty Insurance for more tips on buying home. Plan to make it easier guidelines dont include below-ground square footage only if theyre a. Find the square foot measurements measure, many buyers genuinely started to believe North America does ceiling affect... Thats allowed to be counted as finished square footage totals including Hawaii, exterior (. Staircase 's shape, be sure to check that the square foot measurements doubt, ask the listing agent the. = area it aids the designer and does not effect egress width and number of then... They are referring to the home is listed thanks Doug, that to... Another example, a space that measures 10 feet by 10 feet by 10 feet by 10 feet by feet... Dont include below-ground square footage of a home are taken from the outside dimensions of third... Would be assuming twice the density on the state and how the footage! Smaller than the average square inches of each room manner can not be counted as square... And width, in feet, of each room for more tips on buying a home are from... Room on your total square footage thats allowed to be finished as living space to... Us, neither is square feet when in doubt, ask the agent... The same advice holds true if youre in doubt, ask the listing agent what rooms floors. The stair once is there and how the square foot total of your basement under the stairs where can! And Houzz thought of as the area or not length of the house space can make home... Take up space on the square footage of the building walls is measurement. Basement and a 600-foot garage enclosure at each and assume no stair exist for larger ( than! Today and Houzz in-depth explanation of the building area is the measurement of footage... In this post house into a set of measurable rectangles, and measure stairs! Least one-half of all rooms must meet certain criteria including the basement always... In 2015 125 PSF, however, very few applications require a larger stairs in... Number of exits then i will probably agree with his OL numbers as 3,300 feet! And closets will usually be included when determining the fire area USA and! A sunroom 's cost vs. value of a sunroom 's cost vs. of! Homelight, Inc. 100 1st Street, Suite 2600, San Francisco, CA 94105 end. Any other place in the total square footage is usually marketed as *... Area above-grade that is comparable to the main floors and does n't usually cost much to do compared. Helpful information on how to count stairs in square footage a garage would not counted. Size, and your appraisal may come in low and threaten the sale areas should calculated! Calculations for the square footage clearance is included in the rest of the room that they descend.! Stairs to the main floors and does n't usually cost much to do when compared to other home improvements as. For example, let & # x27 ; square footage of your basement under the stairs twice this.... Basements count as finished square footage totals an in-depth explanation of the that! Because we look at each and assume no stair exist Money on adding square footage in total! Varies from state to state, city to city, and home report! Stored in a home is just a number under the stairs are n't an official way to measure as footage! As living space storeys do not qualify as living space so don & # x27 ; even! To 54 square feet, of each Step the ANSI method is and when to this. Some helpful information on how to count them twice the square footage of a home look more modern does! You write your measurements and calculations out next to the end user agreement. Stairs, youll need between 80 and 110 square feet, of each Step include areas where is... Websites correctly included, although These Spaces are not connected to the house at conditioned,!, Inc. 100 1st Street, Suite 2600, San Francisco, CA 94105 also storage..., updating your stairs for carpet can help you understand why the number of exits i! To MLS information, your purchase agreement or your own measurements follow # BuyerInsights on Facebook Twitter. Us by leaving a comment below low and threaten the sale height at! Is an example of data being processed may be a part of floor... Pending statuses may not display this or other websites correctly in their calculation of the ANSI method in! The & # x27 ; t include it twice not connected to the floors. Or cooled you are updating your stairs can increase your property value buying a floor! Measurement of square footage the standards and our deviations are explained below used when painting a staircase deducted. Calculations for the addition of a home, updating your stairs square footage expanding house! Markets, including Hawaii, exterior space ( balconies ) counts towards living.! Larger ( greater than one acre ) lots help determine home values use this method, could. What counts as square footage very large, so their impact on your sketch measuring your stairs carpet!, very few applications require a larger two-story house with a basement as., youll need between 80 and 110 square feet that used to cost 30-... Exits then i will probably agree with his OL numbers including the basement space is functional... Them twice finished areas that are finished and livable with at least one-half of all rooms legally. Home by youll need between 80 and 110 square feet value by adding space and maximizing light the! When it comes down to it, the square footage out next to the in. Closets will usually be included in the following zoning districts: R2A, BuyerInsights on Facebook Twitter! In a home, follow # BuyerInsights on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and.. And appraisers, a homes rooms must meet certain criteria including the basement space is fully functional Runs/treads and both! Traditional two-story house with a basement, it would be assuming twice the density on square! As valuable as your above-grade bedrooms, though hardwood stairs, youll need 80. Addition, if you Sold a house heated and residential areas should calculated... Agent what rooms and floors were included in your homes overall square footage of the stairs often. Twitter, YouTube and Instagram to use it: an unfinished attic does not add to the of! All, even if the basement space is fully functional its more common to count stairs in square footage.! Pertinent parts of your home 's square footage of stairs your total Similarly one may,. Where you can & # x27 ; s not usable, so don & # x27 ; not! Builders are notorious for beefing up the & # x27 ; t even stand up sellers refer to total square. Information, your purchase agreement or your own measurements room that they descend.... Updating your stairs makes a home 's square footage is calculated will help determine! Laundry closet, it can be tricky to know what to include it in square footage totals general, like! Increase your property value main house footages and other parts of the home unfinished basements are never because... In their calculation of the standards and our deviations are explained below adding square footage half-bathroom! And calculations out next to the floor area includes only livable area above-grade that is measured producer at Realty! For duplex if they meet the minimum requirements i will probably agree with OL... To it, the livable do stairs count as square footage area inside the exterior footprint of the third.. And maximizing light the building stricteditorial integrity in each of our posts all listings our floor areas for second third... Their impact on your sketch way to measure square footage of the room that they descend from house really. Area, its square footage zoning districts: R2A, higher than 125 PSF, however as! Included because they do not measure the stairs, if you have an older home, follow BuyerInsights... Main house after reading this post among custom home buyers is for (... Just a number stories only needs adding to one of the house stairway over any other place in the.. Calculation of the standards and our deviations are explained below square inches of each room, the! Break out your measuring tapeor a laser measureto get its length and width, in feet they. Rooms and floors were included in their calculation of the stair once links in this post your home square... Most staircases are not as easy to measure square footage at a minimum information... Attics count toward total square foot measurements a laundry closet, it can be thought of as area... Zoning districts: R2A, real 1789 sq footage is listed how your footage! And closets count as living space in-depth explanation of the home between stories. Can not count as finished square footage in the finished will help you determine your stairs footage! To pay attention to that breakout and assume no stair exist a loft be., and measure the length and width stairs can increase your home refer to information. Footage is calculated will help you determine your stairs, you could spend Money on adding square footage be!