Square footage is a simple measure of surface area. In homes and apartments for rent, it's commonly used to indicate floor space available if you want to rent out your property. For instance, an apartment ad might tout 700 square feet of usable space, or a home listing might mention a 50 square foot balcony. Square feet are also used to measure areas such as walls and counters.
There are several ways to calculate square footage, according to June Homes.
Tape measure
Using a tape measure is a classic way to measure square footage. To find the square footage of a room, measure its length and width with the tape measure, and then multiply these dimensions.
For instance, if a room is 10 feet long and 12 feet wide, its square footage would be 120 square feet.
Apps to measure your apartment
Numerous smartphone apps utilize your device's camera and sensors to measure distances and calculate square footage. Examples of popular apps include MagicPlan, RoomScan Pro, and Floor Plan Creator.
Feet approximation
If you don't have a tape measure or smartphone, you can estimate a room's size using your feet. An average foot is about 12 inches long, so you can measure the length and width of the room by counting your steps.
For example, if you take 10 steps across the width, each about one foot long, the width is approximately 10 feet. Repeat for the length and multiply the two numbers to find the square footage. Keep in mind, though, this method isn't as precise as using a tape measure or smartphone app.
Why you need to know square footage
There are multiple reasons why tenants, and homeowners should understand how to calculate square footage:
- Knowing the square footage of a room helps you check if your furniture will fit.
- It's crucial for estimating renovation costs; for instance, when replacing a kitchen countertop, knowing its square footage ensures accurate cost estimates.
- Calculating square feet is essential for ordering the right amount of supplies, such as paint for a wall.
- Knowing the square footage of homes or apartments allows you to compare prices effectively. For example, if Apartment A is $1,500 per month and 500 square feet, while Apartment B is $1,800 per month and 1,000 square feet, Apartment B offers more space for the money.
How to calculate the square footage
To calculate the square footage of a standard-shaped room like a square or rectangle, follow these simple steps:
- Use a tape measure to find the length of the room.
- Measure the width of the room.
- Multiply the length by the width to get the square footage.
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Calculating square footage for irregularly-shaped rooms
Finding the square footage of rooms with irregular shapes involves applying basic high school geometry. Instead of using the straightforward length-times-width method, you'll use a slightly more complex formula.
Circular
To find the area of a circle, use the formula 𝜋r², where 𝜋 (pi) is multiplied by the radius squared (r²). To measure the area of a circular space in square feet, first measure the diameter (the widest part of the circle), divide it by 2 to get the radius, square the radius, and then multiply by 3.1416 (pi).
Triangular
To find the area of a triangle, you use the formula ½ base × height. This means taking half of the base length multiplied by the height of the triangle. To calculate the area of a triangular room, measure the base length, divide it by two, and then multiply that result by the height from the base to the opposite corner.
Other irregular shapes
To find the area of any irregular shape, combine calculations for rectangles, circles, and triangles. For instance, if a room is mostly rectangular with a triangular alcove, calculate each area separately and add them. If there's a rectangular bedroom with a square walk-in closet, find each area separately and subtract the closet's area from the total.
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