Guessing the size of a room during a home tour is never a good idea — especially when you’re trying to figure out if your larger pieces of furniture will even fit through the doorway. This is where a tape measure comes in handy and is an absolute must when going on home tours.
Take Furniture Measurements in Advance
Furniture is typically measured at the tallest, deepest, and widest points. Measure the length from the furthest points right to left, the depth from the furthest points back to front, and the height from the floor to the highest point of the item.
The diagonal depth for sofas and chairs is especially important when trying to fit these items around tight corners. Measure by first placing a straight edge from the highest point of the back frame to the front of the arm. Then, measure from the bottom rear corner up to the point that intersects the straight edge.
Keep in mind that most sofas and upholstered chairs have legs that you can unscrew to give you some extra room. The base and top of dining tables can also typically be separated to easily fit through a doorway.
Measure Entries, Hallways, and Stairways
When you start touring homes, you’ll need to make sure that your furniture will be able to fit down hallways, up or down stairways, and through the front door if it’s ever going to make it to its destination.
Take out your tape measure, and measure the height, width, and diagonal width of areas where your furniture will be traveling through. Measure diagonally on any stairways. Take note of any corners, light fixtures, or railings that furniture would need to fit around.
You’ll also need to measure each room in detail, so that you are not only aware of its size, but also of any windows, doors, or fireplaces.
Measure the height and width of each entryway inside the door frame, as well as diagonally. Measure the length from the entry to the far wall to make sure items will be able to enter the room and that you can maneuver them in the direction that you choose. You’ll also need to measure the length and width of the room.
Make sure to measure the height of the room as well for any taller pieces of furniture, such as a bookshelf. If you plan to place any furniture against a wall with windows, take note of any windows, as well as size and height from the floor.
Get an Accurate Idea of How Each Item Will Fit
Now that you have all of your measurements, you need to determine if your pieces will even fit before you make an offer. There are two ways that you can do this: the old-fashioned way using graph paper and making a scale drawing, or you can use a room layout program on your computer or phone to map out your dimensions. While the size of your sofa shouldn’t be the reason why you pass on a great home, it could affect your overall decision-making process.