Floor plan: Everything important about planning, creation, and interpretation

What is a floor plan?

A floor plan is a scale-accurate, two-dimensional representation of a property from a bird's eye view. It shows the room layout, wall thicknesses, doors, windows, and other structural elements of a building. As a central component of every architectural floor plan, it serves architects, builders, and potential buyers as an important planning and decision-making tool.

In the real estate context, this representation helps understand the spatial structure without physically entering the property. It is particularly important for property listings, valuations, and renovation planning. A well-designed floor plan enables realistic assessment of room sizes, traffic patterns, and living quality.

What abbreviations are there in a floor plan?

To read floor plan correctly and understand how to read floor plan symbols, you should know the common abbreviations. These abbreviations are standardized and make interpretation easier:

The floor plan legend symbols also include graphical representations such as solid lines for load-bearing walls, dashed lines for non-load-bearing walls, and special symbols for door swings and windows.

What makes a good floor plan?

A well-designed floor plan considers several factors that go beyond mere room layout:

Features of Good Space Planning:

• Functional Room Layout: Logical arrangement of rooms (e.g., sleeping area separated from living area)

• Optimal Traffic Patterns: Short routes without unnecessary pass-through rooms

• Natural Lighting: Sufficient windows for daylight in all rooms

• Flexible Use: Rooms that can adapt to changing life situations

• Adequate Storage Space: Storage rooms, built-in closets, utility room

• Proportions: Harmonious relationship between room size and ceiling height

• Accessibility: If needed, threshold-free transitions and adequate door widths

Modern floor plan ideas increasingly integrate open living concepts where kitchen, dining, and living areas flow seamlessly into each other. At the same time, the possibility for private retreat spaces remains important.

What belongs in a floor plan?

A complete floor plan contains all information necessary for understanding the property. Depending on the intended use, the level of detail can vary.

Essential Elements:

• Exterior Walls: Shown with correct wall thickness

• Interior Walls: Distinction between load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls

• Doors: With swing direction and opening angle

• Windows: With location and size

• Room Designations: Labeling of all rooms (living room, bath, etc.)

• Room Dimensions: Length and width of rooms in meters or feet

• Total Area: Living area in square meters or square feet

• Scale: Indication of the used scale (e.g., 1:100)

• Compass Direction: North arrow for orientation

• Sanitary Fixtures: Bathtub, toilet, sink

• Fixed Installations: Built-in kitchen, fireplace, built-in closets

• Stairs: Marked with direction of ascent

For professional purposes, a floor plan legend should also be included that explains all symbols used.

How do I get house floor plans?

There are various ways to obtain floor plans of your property:

Options for Obtaining:

1. Check Building Documents: For owned properties, building plans are often included in the documents you received upon purchase

2. Contact Building Department: Building departments archive building plans of approved structures. As an owner, you can request access

3. Hire Architect: Professional architects create precise, code-compliant plans

4. Surveying Office: Specialized surveyors create exact measurements

5. Ask Property Management: For condominiums, management often has the building plans

6. Create Yourself: With appropriate tools, you can draw floor plan yourself

Costs vary considerably depending on the method. While access to building department documents usually only incurs small fees (10-50 Euro), a professionally created floor plan can cost 300-1,000 Euro or more.

Can I design my own house plans?

Yes, in principle, you as an owner can create your own floor plans. For private purposes such as renovation planning or furniture ideas, this is completely sufficient. For official purposes such as building permits or administrative documentation, however, plans created by professionals are required.

Advantages of Self-Creation:

• Cost savings

• Flexibility with changes

• Better understanding of your own property

• Quick availability

When You Should Hire Professionals:

• For building permits

• For complex renovations

• For property sales (increases credibility)

• When precise measurements are needed for contractors

How do I make my own floor plans?

To draw floor plan requires care and the right tools. Here's a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Preparation and Measuring

• Get measuring tape, ruler, drawing paper, pencil, eraser, and straightedge

• Measure all room dimensions from wall to wall

• Note wall thicknesses (usually 10-30 cm)

• Measure position and size of doors and windows

• Document special elements (fireplace, built-ins, protrusions)

Step 2: Choose Floor Plan Scale

• Choose an appropriate scale (recommended: 1:50 or 1:100)

• At scale 1:50, 1 cm on paper equals 50 cm in reality

• The chosen floor plan scale should be consistent on all plans

Step 3: Plan Floor Plan and Draw

• Start with the exterior walls

• Draw in interior walls

• Mark doors with their opening radius

• Draw windows as interruptions in the walls

• Add sanitary fixtures and fixed installations

• Label all rooms

Step 4: Digitization (Optional)

• Scan the hand drawing or

• Use free software or paid professional software

Tips for Drawing:

• Work precisely – small errors add up

• Use graph paper for better accuracy

• Draw first with pencil to allow corrections

• Document your measurements parallel to the drawing

Is a floor plan mandatory?

The requirement to submit a floor plan depends on the respective context:

Mandatory for:

• Building Applications: Code-compliant plans are absolutely required for building permits

• Major Renovations: For substantial structural changes

• Energy Certificate: A plan is often needed for creation

• Condominium Declarations: When dividing buildings into condominiums

Not Mandatory, But Recommended for:

• Property Sale: Increases credibility and transparency of the listing

• Property Rental: Helps prospective tenants with pre-selection

• Insurance: Some insurance companies require plans for valuations

• Renovation Planning: Facilitates communication with contractors

According to a study, property listings with floor plans are clicked on average 30% more often than those without. This underscores the added value for property sales.