Unlocking the Blueprint: Learning How to Read a Floor Plan

Building a new home? Knowing how to read a floor plan is essential to make the end result the best it can be and exactly what you hoped for. 

First, a definition: A floor plan is a detailed drawing that shows the layout of your home, including where the walls, doors, windows and much more will be located. Understanding the functionality of a home’s design is important. Here are some tips to navigate your way through construction drawings. 

Size and Location: Scaling New Heights

When diving into the details of reading a floor plan it’s important to understand the scale. The scale helps you determine the size of the rooms in the home.  Usually found on the side of the floor plan, the scales shows how inches or centimeters on the plan correlate to feet or meters in the finished home. Gaining a better understanding of the scale will help you visualize the room sizes and the home layout.

Taking a look at what each room is labeled, whether it’s the kitchen or the office is the next step. Paying close attention to where the design locates doors and windows is also critically important so you have good natural lighting and ventilation.  Arrows on the plans show the direction in which doors will swing. 

How will you move through the rooms? How many windows will be in each room? These are important questions to consider when looking at floor plans for a proposed patio home, townhome or single family home.

Room Layout

Furniture placement is another important aspect. Some floor plans may have symbols to show the location of various pieces of furniture. These are perfect for visualizing where you want each piece in a room and if it will fit. Ensuring this is accurate is important especially when it comes to decorating later on.

Notifying your designer of anything specific you want with your furniture is essential. With any larger items, they will want to take into account where it may look best or if it can fit comfortably in a room.

Doors, Kitchens and More

A well-designed set of drawings includes the plumbing and electrical plan. These documents can be reviewed with your designer or builder for a better understanding of these essential components in your new home. Thinking about where to place outlets, light fixtures and other elements will be important for furniture placement.

Don’t forget the need for outlets outdoors. During the holidays if you want those lights included, these are a simple addition for the designer. Think about other additions you want potentially in an outdoor living space or an outdoor kitchen, and what electrical needs those areas will represent.

Thinking about where you want your kitchen sink and stove to be placed in the kitchen is important to consider. Same with your bathroom sink and shower. You should be able to see your water and sewer lines, as well as electrical panels in your home. These can help if you think about future renovations and making sure not to disrupt these important parts.

Questions on How to Read a Floor Plan? 

Considering the exterior of the house is the final step. Any outdoor spaces or porches should be shown. Paying attention to where the windows and doors are in relation to these structures is also important. An understanding of the exterior can help you when it comes to designing landscaping. 

Our builders enjoy helping clients understand how to read a floor plan. This is an important step in seeing your home before it is built and ensuring everything is just the way you want it. If you have any questions regarding reading your floor plans don’t hesitate to ask.

With careful consideration and a River Pointe Estates builder on your team, you can create a beautiful and functional home that you’ll enjoy for years to come.

 Contact us today to discuss your vision for your dream home in Hebron, Kentucky.