Misstated square footage is one of the most common sources of residential real estate disputes, and county records are wrong often enough that neither party in a transaction should be relying on them. This is a measurement service, bought mostly by people who would rather settle the number before it becomes an argument.
This is a measurement service only. No opinion of value is developed and the deliverable is not an appraisal.
County records are frequently derived from builder plans, exterior estimates, or field notes taken decades ago. They do not account for conversions, additions, enclosed porches, or the difference between finished and unfinished space, and nobody goes back to check them unless someone complains.
So the listing says one number, the tax record says another, and a buyer finds the discrepancy after a contract is signed. That is the expensive version. Measuring first is the cheap version.
ANSI Z765-2021 is the national standard for measuring single-family homes. It defines what counts as finished living area, how ceiling height affects inclusion, how stairs are treated, and how below-grade space is handled.
That last one causes most of the arguments. A finished basement is not automatically gross living area, and a house advertised as though it were is a house that will not survive a careful measurement.
Without a common standard, two people measuring the same house get two different answers and both believe they are right. The standard is what makes the number a fact rather than a position.
Agents, most often, and usually before a listing goes up rather than after a dispute starts. An independent measurement moves the square footage from something the agent asserted to something a certified appraiser documented, which is a materially different position to be in if it is ever questioned.
Sellers with an addition, a converted garage, or finished basement space. Buyers who think the listing overstates the house. Owners appealing an assessment built on a square footage that was never right in the first place.
Get an independent, ANSI-compliant measurement from a certified appraiser. That is substantially stronger evidence than either party's estimate, because it is a document produced to a published standard rather than an opinion produced by someone with a position.
It is also a document rather than an argument, which tends to shorten the conversation.
The number, documented
For settling a square footage dispute or correcting a tax record.
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The number and the layout
For listings, where a buyer wants to understand the house before they walk it.
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The full drawing
For renovation planning, space planning, and marketing an unusual property.
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Measurement is included in every appraisal I perform, so there is no reason to buy it twice. If you are ordering both, say so and the measurement is priced accordingly.
If the tax record and the listing disagree, neither of them is evidence. A measurement to the standard is.
Because county records are frequently wrong. They're often derived from builder plans, exterior estimates, or decades-old field notes, and they don't account for conversions, additions, or the difference between finished and unfinished space.
Misstated square footage is one of the most common sources of residential real estate disputes.
It's the national standard for measuring single-family homes. It defines what counts as finished living area, how ceiling height affects inclusion, how stairs are treated, and how below-grade space is handled.
Without a common standard, two people measuring the same house get two different answers and both think they're right.
No. A measurement service produces an accurate sketch and square footage calculation. No opinion of value is developed and the deliverable is not an appraisal.
They're separate services with separate fees, though measurement is included in every appraisal I perform.
Possibly neither. That's the situation this service exists for.
Get an independent, ANSI-compliant measurement from a certified appraiser. That's substantially stronger evidence than either party's estimate, and it's a document rather than an argument.
If the square footage on the tax record looks wrong, or the house has an addition, a converted garage, or finished basement space, yes. Getting it right before listing is far cheaper than correcting it after a contract is signed.
It depends on the package and the property. Three levels are available, from a basic GLA sketch to a detailed layout with fixture and door locations.
Call for pricing — and discounts may apply when bundled with an appraisal.
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You will reach Scott directly. Expect questions about intended use and effective date before a fee is quoted.
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