Start with the scale
A plan is drawn smaller than real life. The scale, for example 1:50, tells you how much. Always check it before measuring anything.
Walls, doors and windows
Thick lines are walls. An arc shows how a door swings. Thin parallel lines in a wall usually mark a window. Columns and beams often appear as solid or dashed shapes.
Dimensions and labels
Numbers show lengths, usually in millimetres or feet and inches. Rooms are labelled, and a north arrow shows the direction.
Check how people will move
Imagine walking through the plan. Doors should open without hitting furniture, and walkways are usually kept comfortably wide. Leave space around beds, sofas and dining tables.
Common beginner mistakes
Ignoring the door swing, forgetting beams and columns, and placing furniture without checking its real size. Practise on a plan of your own home. Our courses teach this from the first weeks.