As a home buyer, there are various things that you need to look into before signing the documents. One of the main things to do is knowing precisely what you are purchasing. The best way to do so is by viewing the property. However, this might not be easy if the property is not yet complete or is under construction. In this situation, you need to view the floor plan.

Any symbol that is used on a floor plan usually has a meaning. Most homebuyers can only tell the number of bedrooms and bathrooms in the house. However, they can grasp more details from the floor plan if they knew how to read the floor plan.

DOORS

You can first check the visual used on the main door. Once you get the symbols used you’ll be able to tell the different entries on the plan. Doors are usually symbolized by a quarter-circle. Doors on a plan show you if the rooms are connected. The swing of the door also matters a lot. You have to check whether the swing is inward or outwards. In Singapore, the doors should always swing inwards. The space occupied by the swing will always be empty.

WINDOW

A window is an essential feature in any home. Most homeowners need their homes with proper natural lighting and also adequate ventilation. In Singapore, there are two standard types of window designs. On the floor plans, sliding windows are represented by thin hollow lines. For casement windows, the symbol is similar to that of doors, but they are in pairs.

WALLS

Majority of homeowners need open-concept homes. In this situation, the homeowners need to know if the walls to be removed are non-structural. Structural walls carry part of the building’s weight, and you can’t eradicate them. Non-structural walls on the other hand only separate the rooms and can be removed safely. Structural walls are indicated using thick lines whereas non-structural walls are indicated using thin lines.

FLOOR LAYOUT

As a homeowner, it would be vital to know how the house is laid out. Most of the modern homes have their main entry door opening into the kitchen. It is essential since most of the people come home carrying groceries. If you usually have a lot of visitors, it may be a good idea to have the main door opening to the living room. For parents, they would also prefer their master bedroom being close to their kid’s bedroom to keep an eye on them.

SIZE

The size of the floor plan can be represented by small numbers which are usually on the sides of the plan. The measurements are mostly done in millimeters and the data offered allows you to estimate the size of each room quickly.

SHAPE

The floor plan shows a homeowner the shape of each room. Ideal rooms should have box-shapes. Any odd shape would make it hard to get any store-bought furniture for your home. It would leave a lot of unused space and leave you with less space.

SERVANT’S ROOM

Most of the apartments have a servant’s room to cater for any lining-in house helps. It’s usually off the kitchen and has a small bathroom. If you have a maid, you can check if the floor plan has a maid’s room.

PRIVATE ENCLOSED SPACE (PES

This can be referred to as a private outdoor space for an condo where the sizes vary. It can be large or small depending on the architect. If you need to spend more romantic moments with your spouse, a PES may be a good idea.

CUPBOARDS

A house plan with cupboards is a perfect design. It goes a long way in saving the buyer a lot of costs which could be spent in renovating the bedrooms. From the floor plan, you can tell if the house comes with walk-in cupboards.

CONCLUSIO

A floor plan is essential to any homeowner. In some cases, you may not be able to view the complete house. Seeing a floor plan will be a perfect visual aid to the homebuyer. If the information is detailed, it will allow one to make better decisions.