How to Analyze a Floor Plan

Looking at hundreds of floor plans can be overwhelming. So, how can you tell which one is right for your family?

Start with a Lifestyle Inventory. The first step is to determine all of your lifestyle needs and wishes. This will help you choose a floor plan that flows, plot traffic patterns, create activity zones and allow for flexibility in furniture arrangement. The "Lindal Planning" book has a good list of questions to get you started.
Play with furniture placement. Using to-scale furniture will help you determine your floor plan's realistic square footage needs.
Use a Square-Foot Guide to help select the size of rooms in your house. Refine this using your overall budget as a guide.

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ROOM	(A) SMALL	(B) MEDIUM	(C) LARGE
Entry	5'x6'	8'x10'	10'x10'
	30 Sq. Ft.	80 Sq. Ft.	160 Sq. Ft.
Kitchen	8'x11'	10'x13'	12'x16'
	88 Sq. Ft.	130 Sq. Ft.	192 Sq. Ft.
Nook	8'x8'	10'x10'	12'x12'
	64 Sq. Ft.	100 Sq. Ft.	144 Sq. Ft.
Dining Room	10'x12'	12'x14'	12'x16'
	120 Sq. Ft.	168 Sq. Ft.	192 Sq. Ft.
Great Room/Family Room	12'x16'	14'x18'	18'x26'
	192 Sq. Ft.	252 Sq. Ft.	468 Sq. Ft.
Formal Living Room	11'x14'	12'x16'	14'x18'
	154 Sq. Ft.	192 Sq. Ft.	252 Sq. Ft.
Master Bedroom	12'x12'	14'x18'	16'x20'
	144 Sq. Ft.	252 Sq. Ft.	320 Sq. Ft.
Secondary Bedroom(s)	10'x11'	12'x14'	14'x18'
	110 Sq. Ft.	168 Sq. Ft.	252 Sq. Ft.
Bath(s)	5'x 8'	6'x10'	9'x12'
	40 Sq. Ft.	60 Sq. Ft.	108 Sq. Ft.
Laundry/Utlity Room	6'x 6'	6'x10'	10'x12'
	36 Sq. Ft.	60 Sq. Ft.	120 Sq. Ft.
Garage (Two Car)	21'x21'	23'x23'	26'x26'
	441 Sq. Ft.	529 Sq. Ft.	676 Sq. Ft.
Garage (Three Car)	30'x21'	34'x24'	36'x26'
	630 Sq. Ft.	816 Sq. Ft.	936 Sq. Ft.