I recently had a contractor visit my home to discuss a flooring project, which led me to measure the square footage myself. I came up with 1,308 square feet after accounting for closets and built-in cabinets, but the county records show 1,495 square feet. Is it common for these official records to be inaccurate? Am I possibly missing something in my measurements? The house was built in 1940, so maybe the standards were different back then.
3 Answers
I’m not sure how it works in the US, but in some parts of the EU, sellers must provide a certified measurement of the living area. If there’s a significant discrepancy, buyers can actually sue for a refund based on the stated area versus the measured area.
There are many standards for measuring square footage, and these vary by region and purpose. Typically, architects use 'net' square footage, which only counts the area within the walls, while 'gross' includes the entire exterior footprint. The county might also have a different way of calculating—like including thinnest walls or not counting lower-ceiling spaces. It can be really confusing!
That’s quite a difference! Are you measuring from the outside? Typically, square footage in county records is calculated using exterior measurements, which takes walls into account. I had a similar experience where the builder might have inflated the figures just to make the property look bigger.
I measured the interior dimensions of my whole house—including cupboards and hallways—so I didn’t factor in the exterior walls. That’s why my number is lower.
Exactly, it's like they inflate the numbers to justify higher prices. It's pretty common in real estate.