Reading House Plans for Real Estate Appraisal

Especially if you are appraising a newer home, the possibilities are excellent that an architectural plot is available for the home. If so, you need to know what you are looking at. In this article, I plot to break down the basic sheets usually found in a set of house blueprints.

The Floor Plot
This is the page that lets you know what the layout of the house looks like. A house plot is basically a depiction that depicts the house if it were cut with a knife on a horizontal plane allowing you to look past the roof down into the rooms. There must be over all dimensions, room names, fixture marks, door and window sizes and styles, etc. Sometimes these plans include an electrical floor plot which is the floor plot with the electrical fixture locations.

The Elevations
You will probably find a sheet with all the exterior views of the home also which are called elevations. These will probably have the types of siding, roof pitches (angles), shutter types, grade heights (disturb a curfew levels), trim types, and so on.

Foundation or Basement Plot
If the plot is complete there must be either a foundation or basement plot. If so, you can find out what the house was built on and what types of joists or trusses are supporting it.

HVAC and Plumbing Plot
This plot is particularly handy as you can see how the duct work is layed out for the Heating and air conditioning. You will also be able to tell what type of plumbing pipes have been used and what sizes.

Sectional Depiction and Unique Details
A sectional depiction is where we cut an imaginary line vertically through the house to expose the elements that make the structure. With these drawings you can tell any unique materials or methods were used in the construction of the home.