Creating a floor plan is for a house can be a frustrating task. But it is an essential task whenever a home is to be sold or renovated. It is also vitally important that the floor plans are accurate. The implications of getting a floor plan wrong can amount to claims being made against you.
60% of measurements wrong.
According to the website totallandlordinsurance.co.uk 60% of the floor plans from estate agents were wrong by an average of 54 square feet. Read the whole article at https://www.totallandlordinsurance.co.uk/knowledge-centre/homes-failing-to-measure-up-to-floor-plans
Getting floor plans accurate is a must.
But achieving accurate floor plans require 3 things. These are having the correct technique (methodology), the right equipment (laser tape measure) to carry out the task and enough time to create (Draw) the floor plan and check the dimensions.
For the purpose of this article, I will only be concerned about providing information about the best laser tape measure for accurate floor plans.
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Considering buying a house.
If you are considering buying a house, then I would advise taking along a laser tape measure to a viewing. Especially the second viewing. Knowing that 60% of floor plans could be wrong a simple check with a laser tape measure could highlight potential issues and save you thousands of pounds or dollars or euros.
Whenever I have viewed a house, I have always checked some of the dimensions with a laser tape measure. Whilst I haven’t found the same high percentage of wrong measurements, I have found some inaccurate measurements.
For anyone looking at, or buying a house, I would recommend taking along a laser tape measure. The one I would opt for is the Mileseey S2.
- ✦ PRACTICAL FUNCTION & HIGHER ACCURACY - Measuring range 50m/165ft,accuracy: ±1/16 inch,unit:m / in / ft / ft + in,and distance, area, volume, Pythagoras (indirect measurement), continuous measurement, addition and subtraction, maximum values and minimum, can meet your different needs.With unique 2 Bubble Levels, providing more precise measurement compared to one bubble.
- ✦ LARGE LCD BACKLIGHT SCREEN & Mute Setting - Large backlight screen provides users with a better visibility.Mute setting allows your different needs .With accuracy up to ±1/16inch, the portable laser measure can perfectly finish a measure task ranging from 0.16 to 165 feet. Also 4 interchangeable units among m / in / ft/ ft+in are designed for people with different reading habits.
- ✦ EASY TO USE - Handy and compact mode provide good operating feeling; IP54 waterproof level and dust-proof function protect the laser distance measure to the maximum extent,It's suitable to use everywhere.
- ✦ WIDE APPLICATION - With multiple measurement modes like distance, volume, area measurement, continuous measurement and measurement by Pythagoras, the laser level is ideal for home, construction and industries, especially in large areas such as rooms, apartments, buildings, real estates, factories, warehouses, etc.
- ✦ Package Contents & Warranty - 1*S2 50m/165ft Laser Distance Meter; 2 AAA Batteries; Package Box; User Manual; 30-Day RETURN refund guarantee.
The Mileseey S2 is one of the 3 cheap laser tape measures I bought to see if they good. You can find out why I thought the Mileseey S2 was the best of the three laser tape measures in this article.
How to do a floor plan accurately.
The majority of my work is involved with large scale construction projects, but there are times when I need to do smaller surveys of buildings and offices. There are numerous steps to produce an accurate floor plan. Simply put start with the outside of the building and start with a sketch of the externals (doors, windows, etc) and then measure, draw, and label the rooms inside the building.
For a good guide on how to draw a floor plan have a look at this article on the Elements website
How to draw a floor plan: The simple 7-step guide for 2022 (elementsproperty.co.uk)
Why a laser tape measure and not a traditional tape measure?
The main reason for using a laser tape measure rather than a traditional tape measure is that it is easier to measure over objects like chairs and tables when doing floor plans. And you only need one person to take the measurement accurately.
They are also useful for measuring the larger rooms and also gardens if required. Most traditional tape measures will only be around 5m (15ft) long. Quite often room dimensions will be greater than this.
Laser tape measures are also very accurate. The most accurate laser tape measures will quote an accuracy of plus or minus 1.0mm (or about 40thou). This accuracy is often quoted for favourable conditions. The accuracy of laser tape measure can be affected by the atmospheric conditions the laser light is subjected too.
What laser tape measure features are needed for accurate floor plans.
There are certain features that you will want to have with any laser tape measure so that you can produce accurate floor plans.
- Great Measurement Accuracy.
- Long Measurement Range.
- Intelligent End Piece for Different Readings.
- Max/Min Measurement Readings
- 10 Measurement Memory.
- Bluetooth Technology.
- Free App Available on iOS and Android.
- Free Windows Software.
- Long Batter Life.
- Illuminated Display.
- IP54 Rating.
The main feature that is needed is accuracy. If the laser tape measure isn’t accurate, then it is not worth having. Nearly all the laser tape measures available currently have these features. But it is the Leica Disto range that has the intelligent end piece for different readings.
Why the Intelligent End Piece make the Leica Disto the Best Laser Tape Measure for Accurate Floor Plans.
The Leica Disto range of laser tape measures have an intelligent end piece that automatically adjust the measurement reading according to its position. There are several positions that the end piece can be used in.
The default position is closed (tucked away) and the measurements are taken from the bottom of the Leica Disto. This is ideal for butting up against a wall or floor and measuring to another wall or ceiling. The measurement given includes the length of the Disto.
The next position is the hook position. The end piece is perpendicular to the Disto. With the end piece in this position it is easy to measure distances by hooking the end of the Disto over a corner. This is useful when measuring how far a window is away from a wall or how far a kitchen top sticks out from a wall.
The last position is straight out from the base of the Disto. This allows the Disto to measure between corners of a room accurately. Most laser tape measures have a wide and deep bottom that prevents them from being put in a corner. This prevents most laser tape measures being able to measure the diagonal dimensions of a room. The Leica Disto is the only laser tape measure that I know of that can do this accurately.
Being able to measure the diagonal dimensions of a room (or area) allows us to check the accuracy of the other measurements. Checking measurements is one of the ways that we can find and reduce our measurement errors.
If more checks were performed on the measurements we take then we wouldn’t see the 60% of floor plans being wrong, As found by the Total Landlord Insurance website.
Which Leica Disto Would I recommend?
I think the best laser tape measure for accurate floor plans has to be the Leica Disto X3. Recently released by Leica the disto X3 is a rugged site tough laser tape measure. New features for the Leica Disto X3 include a display that rotates, and it can withstand a drop of 2m.
I think the Leica Disto X3 offers an excellent combination of features at an affordable price. Suitable for both the enthusiastic DIYer and the professional person too.
I must admit that I am a fan of Leica. And my bias comes from using Leica products for many many years without trouble. The Leica Disto in my opinion is the best laser tape measure available today. The Leica Disto was the one of the first laser tape measures to come to the market and is still the best one today. I have had a Leica Disto since 2007 and never had any trouble with it.
The Leica Disto X3 can measure up to 150m. This is in favourable conditions and to surfaces that reflect the laser beam well. Favourable conditions are most likely to be indoors. This is also where surfaces will be easy to measure to.
The quoted accuracy for the Leica Disto X3 is plus or minus 1.0mm. This is class leading accuracy.
The Leica Disto X has an IP65 Rating. This means that all the Leica Disto D2 dust tight and protected from water from water jets. Leica say that the Disto X3 is an indoor laser tape measure, but with an IP65 rating I would say that it competent outdoors too. Just do not store it in a wet condition. Always dry of the Disto before putting away.
The standout feature of all Leica Disto’s is the flip out end piece. This allows you to measure from both internal and external corners easily and accurately. And for the new X3 this end piece has been made longer. This makes corner measurements easier. When the end piece is being used the Leica Disto automatically incorporates the additional length into the measurement.
There is also the Leica Sketch App that is available on both apple and android smart phones.
With all these extra features and being site tough, the Leica Disto X3 deserves to be the best all-round laser tape measure.
Recently released by Leica the disto X3 is a rugged site tough laser tape measure. New features for the Leica Disto X3 include a display that rotates, and it can withstand a drop of 2m.
The quoted accuracy for the Leica Disto X3 is plus or minus 1.0mm. This is class leading accuracy.
The Leica Disto X3 can measure up to 150m.
With all these extra features and being site tough, the Leica Disto X3 deserves to be the best all-round laser tape measure.
Worth Considering as an alternative.
The Leica Disto D2.
The Leica Disto D2 offers an excellent combination of features at an affordable price. Suitable for both the enthusiastic DIYer and the professional person too.
The Leica Disto D2 can measure up to 100m. This is in favourable conditions and to surfaces that reflect the laser beam well. Favourable conditions are most likely to be indoors. This is also where surfaces will be easy to measure to.
The quoted accuracy for the Leica Disto D2 is plus or minus 1.5mm. This is for measurements in a range from 0.050m to 100m.
The Leica Disto D2 has an IP54 Rating. This means that all the Leica Disto D2 offers partial protection from dust that might harm the level and protected from water splashes with limited ingress and no harmful effects. The Leica Disto D2 is construction site tough. Just do not store it in a wet condition. Always dry of the Disto before putting away.
The standout feature of all Leica Disto’s is the flip out end piece. This allows you to measure from both internal and external corners easily and accurately. When the end piece is being used the Leica Disto automatically incorporates the additional length into the measurement.
There is also the Leica Sketch App that is available on both apple and android smart phones.
- Bluetooth Smart (4.0)
- Measure areas and volumes
- Flip-out end-piece – For measuring from edges or corners
- Pythagorean functions - Indirect width and height measurements for inaccessible positions
- Leica Disto Sketch
