One of the most important steps you can take in preparing for your renovation is to get correct measurements of your space. Whether you’re working off plans provided by a drafter or measuring the space yourself, accurate measurements ensure accurate pricing and make the renovation easier for everybody.
It’s possible to find existing floor plans for your house, and we’ve outlined a couple methods for doing so below. We’ve also provided instructions on how to take your own measurements, which is our recommending method for obtaining accurate measurements.
Finding the existing measurements
More often than not, plans for your house already exist and may be easy to obtain. You might actually have access to plans that you didn’t know about in the first place. You can attempt to get ahold of your records through any of the following methods:
Talk to the contractor that built your house, if possible
This approach may depend on the age of your hose. If you’re living in a newer house, or know which. contractor/developer built your house, your floor plans might be just a couple phone calls away.
Locate the archives of the municipality or county where your house is located
It’s very possible that your county holds onto housing records for zoning purposes. If you go this route, One thing to consider is that you may have to pay a nominal administration or printing fee.
Locate the fire insurance maps for the community
Fire insurance maps (also called Sanborn) are typically used to appraise municipalities based on building material, proximity to other buildings and fire departments, the location of gas lines, and more. However, sometimes house floor plans are documented as well. While Sanborn maps are not the most straightforward approach, they’re an option nonetheless.
Visit your local building inspector’s office.
The original plans for your house may not be available, and if they are, they may be different from your current layout if renovations have already been done. However, if your home was inspected in the last decade or two, your building inspector’s office might have an accurate, up-to-date copy of your floor plans.
Please note: while there are many legitimate ways to obtain a copy of an existing floor plan, this may not always be the best approach. If you are renovating an older house, it could very well be possible that it has already been renovated in the past and accurate floor plans are no longer available. Additionally, even if you find a recent floor plan for your home, it might not be 100% accurate. Houses warp over the years, which means you can lose inches off the original measurements.
We strongly recommend taking your own measurements or having your contractor or installer take them for you.
The best practice is to take the measurements yourself. If you’re unable to take measurements yourself, obtaining the records is a suitable backup. Taking your own measurements, and cross-referencing them with an additional floor plan ensures the most accuracy.
How to take accurate measurements
Horizontal Measurements
- Measure from wall to wall at 36” height off the floor (this is the approximate height your counter will be at)
- Measure from a corner to window or door opening (to the edge of trim if any)
- Measure across window/door opening from trim edge to trim edge
- Measure from trim edge to far wall. Compare sum of #2, #3, and #4 measurements to step one to ensure they are the same.
- Mark location of water, drain, gas lines and any outlets or switches
- Measure from wall to wall above window to compare to #1.
Vertical Measurement
7. Measure from floor to bottom of window sill.
8. Measure from window sill to top of window.
9. Measure from top of window to ceiling
10. Measure from floor to ceiling: Compare to sum of #7, #8, and #9.
Accuracy always yields the best results
Your renovation starts with a design and measurements. While budget estimates are accurate based on correct measurements, bad measurements could lead to a reassessment of the build, or even slow down the renovation altogether. Luckily, between your own measurements and the resources available to you, your measurements will be exactly what we need to convert your kitchen or bathroom into your dream space.
