Home Square Footage Question

Square footage is based on living space. So this could include "finished" basements that have living space and only the finished part is calculated into the square footage. This does not include garages, porches and decks.

Here it's the living area, not the garage unless it's converted into living space.

I believe it's living space, not including the garage.
We have 3000 sq ft, so I hope I'm not some yuppy!

Usable areas inside the house, not including the basement, whether or not it is a finished basement. If they include all the stuff you are talking about, then they are just trying to make it seem that the house is bigger to their listener.

The reason square footage is suppose to just include what I have detailed above, is because that is the way real estate agents figure it for selling purposes. And they don't want to fudge because they can get sued for overstating square footage.

Dawn

When quoting square footage it should be the upstairs living area. Not the garage, basement or anything outside. Not to say everyone follows this mind you. Some people fudge and include the basement but according to friends that are realtors this should only be done if it is a living area according to code. In other words a basement bedroom is only a bedroom if it has a full window in it, the basement area only if it is a walk out.

What is interesting, probably only to me, is that homes really aren't different square footage, they are allotted differently. My home is maybe 50 sq ft bigger than my parents. Our hall bathrooms are about the same and that is where the similarities end. My kitchen the three times bigger, family room is twice as big and every bedroom sans the master is ten sq ft bigger. My master bedroom is almost twice as big with a master bath they would never dream to have. What I don't have is their 20 by 34 living room because growing up we were only in the living room once a year, Christmas morning.

Yes this does not take into account the mc mansions and homes of the crazy wealthy. Like my uncle was crazy wealthy, actually they all are. His home was maybe 200 sq ft bigger than mine. A crazy wealthy family now has a crazy big home. That probably messes with the average.

I find it kind of funny that people say garage and basement. That would put my home around 6,000 sq ft. If I listed it as that people would be really disappointed.

When we looked at homes and bought our first (and only) house our agent told us square footage referred to the HEATED living space or maybe in FL it would refer to the air conditioned living area...obviously some homes would have neither a/c or heat but I understood the sq footage to exclude most garages and basements.

rules have changed more about what you can and can not list. I think you can only list finished basement sq footage if it has an egress window for fire code purpose. As far as what is listed, its SUPPOSE to be living space. Not garage, deck, porch, landing, walkways, or patio's. I know that here in MN, when we were looking they were including 3 season sun rooms, and porches, even though they didnt have connected heat sources. I dont really know if its based on state by state requirements. However here in MN, back last Dec, when we were looking at home, it was really all over the place. We were wanting something more than 2000 and under 3500. Some houses looked right as far as size, but then some were obviously in correct about how they were listing it. I agree 1960 or older are usually much smaller, due to design, needs, and supplies. Not enough people were making the kind of money it would take to have a bigger home, and living in close quarters was not an issue then. We had smaller wardrobes as well back then.
The house we settled on was originally built in 1930's but then had 2 more enormous additions put on later, also garages, decks, porches added again before we moved in. Now its gorgeous and huge. It originally was a 1400 sq ft home, but by the time the previous owners were done with it, it was 3800. Then the last owner couldn't pay their mortgage and sold it for WAY less. That was our gain!!!

There is a difference between sq. footage and its "living area" and the entire property's, square footage.

The reason, why you see appraiser's websites including the "garage"... is that, even if most people do not consider this a "room", per architect blueprints and a home's ENTIRE square footage, this is, its square footage. You can't just cut out, a garage. Because it is ALL a part of the home.

Laypeople, think of a home in terms of "rooms" in which they live in. An Architect and per blue-prints, a "home" is ALL of its constituent parts.
That... makes up its square footage.

Then yes, there is a PROPERTY's square footage.

When we bought our house, they counted part of the unfinished basement, front and back enclosed porch into the total square footage on the listing. It's not accurate and I'm not sure it's even legal to do that? The actual living space square footage is much less.

I think, but don't quote me on it, it means everything from garage to basement to deck even. My BIL & SIL's square footage includes their garage and their rooftop patio. That's why I say it includes most everything. We don't have a garage or patio.

I can attest to the square footage of a 1960's house being much less than a new home! I live in one! Holy cow, no storage, closets and tiny rooms. This house is bursting at the seams. lol :)

Square footage is the LIVABLE space NOT the garage, deck, etc.

If the house has a basement that is used for storage, it is typically NOT counted in square footage. If the basement is "finished" (i.e. dry wall, bathroom, bedrooms, etc.) it is included.

For example: I have 3,000 square feet - 5 bedrooms, 3 full baths. 2 floors. I have NO basement. 2 car attached garage.

My girlfriend, Pam, has 3 "livable" levels - basement, main floor, bedrooms - she has 6,500 square feet (1500 per level). She has 5 bedrooms 4.5 baths and a 2 car attached garage (NOT INCLUDED in sq.ft)

My parents have 3,200 square feet. 5 beds, 3 full baths - 2 floors...3 car attached garage.

Bob's dad? It is a fabricated home...I think it's 1500 square feet total...no garage.

Does this help? I guess by your SWH I'm a yuppy. My home was built in 1971. My parents was 1997 and my GFs in 2004....I don't know when Bob's dad's house was made....so comparing my home to my parents home - there is no change. we both have the same...

It should be just the living space. For example, my house was built in 1952 and it's a typical 50's ranch with 1100 sq ft. That does not include the garage, attic or basement. We recently partially finished part of the basement so if ever we were to sell, we would have the home inspected to see if that renovation meets code and can now be considered living space, adding to the sq footage and value of the home. In the meantime, though, we haven't had it inspected because I'm not volunteering to have my taxes raised!

Square footage only includes living space. Not garages turned in to bedrooms that have plug in heat and air. They are still considered garages. To be living space it is part of the house and is in with the heat and air system.

When selling our house, we had it appraised, and they only counted heated/cooled square footage. Thus, even though the laundry room off the kitchen was fully finished (linoleum on the floors, sheetrock and paint on the walls and ceiling, outlets and light switch, doors), it didn't count because it didn't have any vents. [But then, they include the closets in the bedrooms, which of course have no vents, but not the closet storage space under the eaves off the upstairs hall.] {shrug} So, our house is officially 1800 sf + laundry room, though I would call it as being about 1850sf, since I count the laundry room as livable space. However, I would not count attic or unfinished space nor garages, decks, etc.

So, my best guess is that when generically speaking people talk about square footage of homes, they're talking livable space, and would not include any decks, garages, balconies, etc., nor attics, but just finished rooms under the main roof.