We can help with measurement services

In need of measurement services? Let us help.

Our appraisers can give you an accurate calculation of the square footage of your property to help you determine a fair value when buying or selling a home, cut down property taxes as a result of incorrect public records, or market to potential buyers when selling a property.

Let Scott Appraisal Co. be your choice for home measurement or floorplan services

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What is a measurement or floorplan service?

A measurement service is just what it sounds like: Based on what you need, an appraiser will measure your home's dimensions and calculate the square footage.  We will provide you with a sketch of the outline of the house and garage with square footage calculations. This a document that can be used to show the Gross Living Area (GLA), the total livable space, of your home. This service is designed to provide our clients with an accurate and affordable solution for determination of a home’s GLA (gross living area). This basic service can be instrumental in assisting homeowners or Realtors with the listing of their homes. These services are useful and often necessary when disputing property taxes, listing or selling a property.  This is our most popular measurement product.

A Floorplan service will include the above and add interior wall partitions with room labels. We can also provide a highly detailed floorplan which shows appliances, fixtures, bathroom layouts, etc.  Additionally, we can provide the floorplan with room measurements to assist in determining if furniture will fit or to assist with the placement of furniture. 

How does a floorplan service work?

Depending on the level of detail you request, during a home measurement or floorplan service, an appraiser measures the home with a measuring tool — generally a tape and or laser measuring device. As they walk the home, they note the layout of the rooms and other features, like closets, entryways, and fireplaces. They may draw a rough sketch of the property. Then, the appraiser creates a report that will show the perimeter with garage, the calculated square footage. 

Every level of service will show the perimeter sketch of house and garage with the calculated square footage measurement, and depending on the level of detail chosen, will provide one of the following:

1) Basic measurement provides the outline of house and garage (Perimeter);
2) Perimeter Measurement with general location of the rooms;
3) Perimeter Measurement with interior walls and room labels;
4) Perimeter Measurement with interior walls, room labels and room dimensions (helpful for planning and arranging furniture).

The finished product is a document that can be used to prove certain details about your property — like the Gross Living Area (GLA) — on tax documentation, home listings, and more.  

When are floorplan services required?

Property taxes

Tax records frequently reflect inaccurate area of a property because the values can come from several sources, and occasionally go unproven — meaning you may be taxed for more square footage than you actually have! Unless an appraiser has recently completed an evaluation on your property (after any updating that might have affected square footage), you'll need an appraiser to perform a home measurement service before disputing what you're taxed. An appraiser will establish an accurate Gross Living Area (GLA) of your property so your taxes reflect your actual square footage — and you can stop overpaying.

Marketing a listing

A floorplan service will ensure that you're paid a fair price for your property. Living space is one of the biggest factors potential buyers look for when purchasing a home — but since these values are frequently estimated rather than accurately measured, your home listing might show less Gross Living Area (GLA) than it can take credit for. An inaccurate GLA not only reduces the selling price for your home, but possibly even the number of interested buyers. The only sure method of using a precise GLA when listing your property is to reference a previous appraisal or home measurement service performed by an appraiser (after any updating that might have affected square footage).


Aren't the Court House Square Footage Figures Accurate?


Sometimes, but not always. In my years as an appraiser, I've seen more times than I care to think about where the Assessor's Records were off.  I know of at least two instances where the Realtor listed the property based upon the Assessor's figures, and the house actually had almost double the square footage. I have personally seen several Assessor's Data Sheets where the second level was completely ignored in the Assessor's records. 

The late long time local appraiser Charles Jones, told me that Washington County at one time hired a company called Cole, Layer and Trumble to re-assess and re-measure houses in Washington County using a ten foot measuring stick that was flipped from end to end. This resulted in much less accurate measurements for those houses involved. Other situations that could result in variations of size could be where a garage was converted into living area, an addition built on, or a previously unfinished area was completed, but not reflected in the official records. For the most part, the Assessor's records are accurate, but not always.  As they say, Trust But Verify. 

Let Scott Appraisal Co. ensure that you have accurate figures when buying or selling your home. 

Information for real estate professionals

To ensure that your client's property sells at a price that appropriately reflects market value, we suggest seeking a measurement of the property. Your clients, and especially potential buyers, will be grateful for your attentiveness, and you can rest assured knowing the GLA on your client's listing is truly representative of their home. A floorplan measurement with rom partitions shown can also be a great marketing tactic for attracting potential buyers because they can view the layout and attributes of the property before and after touring. Get in touch with us to learn more about our measurement services.