How to calculate the area of a house
When buying, renovating, or renting a home, it's crucial to accurately calculate your home's square footage. Different countries and regions may have different calculation methods, but the core principles are similar. This article will detail how to calculate the square footage of a house and provide structured data to help you understand better.
1. Basic concepts of house area

House area is usually divided intoBuilding areaandUsed areaTwo kinds. The construction area includes walls, pool area, etc., while the usable area refers to the actual usable space. Here's a comparison of the two:
| Type | Contains content | Calculation formula |
|---|---|---|
| Building area | Walls, public area (such as elevators, stairs, etc.) | Exterior wall projection area + pool area |
| Used area | Actual usable indoor space | Building area - Wall area - Shared area |
2. How to measure the area of a house
Measuring the square footage of your home will require the following tools: tape measure, laser range finder, pen and paper, or electronic recording device. Here are the specific steps:
1.Measure room length and width: Using a tape measure or laser distance finder, measure the length and width from the inside of one wall to the inside of the other wall.
2.Calculate the area of each room: Multiply the length and width to get the area of each room.
3.Summarize all room areas: Add the areas of all rooms to get the total usable area of the house.
Here is sample data:
| room | Length (meters) | Width (meters) | Area (square meters) |
|---|---|---|---|
| living room | 5.0 | 4.0 | 20.0 |
| Master bedroom | 4.5 | 3.5 | 15.75 |
| Second bedroom | 3.5 | 3.0 | 10.5 |
| kitchen | 3.0 | 2.5 | 7.5 |
| bathroom | 2.5 | 2.0 | 5.0 |
| total | - | - | 58.75 |
3. Calculation of pool area
The common area refers to the area of public areas shared by the owners of the entire building, such as elevators, stairs, corridors, etc. The formula for calculating the shared area is as follows:
| Project | Calculation formula |
|---|---|
| Sharing coefficient | Common area / building area |
| Sharing area per household | Sharing coefficient × building area per household |
For example, if the total construction area of a building is 10,000 square meters and the shared area is 2,000 square meters, the shared coefficient is 0.2. If the building area of a household is 100 square meters, its shared area is 20 square meters.
4. Area calculation standards in different countries
Different countries may have different calculation standards for house area. Here is a comparison of several major countries:
| country | calculation standard | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| China | Building area (including public stalls) | The proportion of public pool area is relatively high |
| USA | Used area (excluding walls) | Usually measured in square feet |
| Japan | Used area (including half of the wall) | called "exclusive area" |
| United Kingdom | Used area (excluding walls) | called "internal area" |
5. Frequently Asked Questions
1.How to calculate the balcony area?
In China, enclosed balconies are calculated based on the full area, and unenclosed balconies are calculated based on half the area.
2.Are stairwells included in the square footage?
If it is a public stairwell, it will be included in the shared area; if it is a private stairwell, it will be included in the usable area.
3.Does wall thickness affect area?
Yes, wall thickness will affect the calculation of floor area and usable area.
6. Summary
To calculate the house area, you need to clarify the difference between the built area and the usable area, and understand the calculation method of the shared area. Calculation standards may differ from country to country, so be sure to confirm local calculation rules when buying or renovating a home. Through accurate measurements and calculations, unnecessary disputes can be avoided and your rights and interests protected.
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