How to Find Out the Square Footage of Your Home

If you are considering selling, determining its square footage could be a tool to estimate your homes worth. The calculations can also be useful when planning home improvements such as installing new carpeting or flooring. Whether you are selling, planning a home improvement project or simply curious, measuring the square footage of your home can be accomplished using fairly simple math.

Measuring tape
Graph or plain paper
Pencil
Calculator

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the exterior perimeter of the house. Round uneven measurements to the nearest inch. If the home is not perfectly square or has an addition, measure each section and record it on a sheet of paper.
- 2
  Take interior measurements for areas unsafe or impractical to reach on the exterior. This would include second floors with an overhang. Add 6 inches to the measurement to represent the thickness of the exterior walls.
- 3
  Draw a rough sketch of the exterior of your home. Write your measurements next to the corresponding exterior walls.
- 4
  Determine the actual living space in the home. Living space is defined as space intended for occupancy. The area must be heated, finished with materials consistent with interior construction and be accessible from other living areas. Measure and mark all of the unfinished areas on your sketch.
- 5
  Calculate the square footage of your home by multiplying the length by the width in square or rectangular shaped rooms. Calculate triangular shaped areas by multiplying the base length by its height and divide that figure by two.
- 6
  Determine the square footage of your unlivable space and deduct that figure from your total square footage. Round the total to the nearest square-foot.

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