How to Properly Read Floor Plans

When you’re out looking for a new house, the home builder will start with some essential documents, including construction specifications, community maps, and floor plans. The floor plan is perhaps the most important as it reveals the area and structure of the house along with all its components. But it is not always easy to understand, and if you misread it, you may end up with the wrong design. Here’s a short guide on how to read floor plans for a perfect house.

Visualize the Plan

The designer’s floor plans are drawn from a perspective view, better known as the bird’s eye view. It is from the top, which is quite different from how you’d otherwise see a house. So, it is crucial that you visualize the home while looking at the floor plan. An easy way to do that is to start with the door, similar to how you’d enter a home. Next, follow the floor plan’s flow down the halls and living spaces into the rooms and the garage.

Understand the Dimensions

After looking at the entire plan and visualizing it, the next step is understanding the size and space of the building. Every floor plan has the dimensions in feet and inches mentioned in the appropriate areas, signifying the house’s overall area. It is better not to rely on the overall open floor area as it does not give a clear picture of the dimensions. For example, two houses with identical open floor areas may have a completely different feel depending on the house features like the use of a large staircase, separate dining room, or an extra-large cooktop.

If you find it challenging to understand the size via the floor plan, we suggest you measure your current house using a tape measure and compare the measurements to the floor plan. This will give you a clear idea of the house’s overall space and ensure that the area is adequate for use. 

You will also see the ceiling height of the entire house on the floor plan. This is not consistent with the designers, so sometimes it can be in the corner of the plan, or in the corner of a specific room. Wherever it is, you should also consider the height carefully as it can make a wide room look cramped.

Recognize the House Components

A house has various components like windows, doors, staircases, furnishings and fixtures like the bathtub. An ideal floor plan always displays these components for easier understanding. A window is shown denoted with three parallel lines in a wall, and the doors are shown as straight lines at an angle from the wall. The door and the wall are connected by an arc, showing the hinge direction. And the staircase is demonstrated with a series of rectangles. Other components like furnishings, kitchen counters, spaces for appliances, etc. are shown with light illustrations, sometimes with dimensions too.

With these guidelines, you will be able to read a floor plan for your next house. However, it is vital that you choose the best construction contracting company for your next home who are masters at not only constructing the home but also designing it. Contact us to discuss your next home project in Edmonton.