Calculating home squares, lot sizes, and floor plan measurements
If you don't work in the home building industry, understanding the different terms used when discussing home sizes can be challenging.
Squares, square metres and per square metre pricing are just some of the terms you'll come across when looking at homes to build or buy.
Knowing these terms and their differences is helpful if you're trying to figure out how much space you’ll have and where to place fixtures, fittings and furniture.
What are house squares or builder's squares?
Squares, sq or builders squares as they are sometimes known, are the most common measure of house size used in Australia. Squares are generally used to measure room or building size.
One square equals 100 square feet. The formula for calculating square feet is to multiply the width by the length of a space.
So, an item sized 10 feet by 10 feet is 100 square feet (10 x 10 = 100) or one square.
If your home was a perfect rectangle 70 feet by 30 feet wide, that would be 2100 square feet. To convert it to squares, divide by 100 (2100/100 = 21). So the home is 21 squares.
Footnote: a foot is 30.48 centimetres. There are 3.28 feet in a metre.
Square metres measure the length times the width of a space in metres - also called metres squared, sqm, m2, or square meters if you're in the USA. Square metres are generally used to measure block or lot sizes and, in some cases, building size.
The formula for calculating square metres is to multiply the width of a space in metres by the length of an area in metres.
For example, if you picture a square with each side being 1 metre, the square is 1m2 in size. A home block that is 10 metres by 20 metres is 200 square metres (10 x 20 = 200m2).
Squares to square metres
Converting squares to square metres may be simpler to visualise if you're unfamiliar with imperial measurements.
To calculate a home advertised in squares to square metres, multiply it by 9.290304. So a 54 square home is 501.6 sqm.
We recommend using an online converter tool such as the Real Estate Institute of Victoria conversion calculator or convertunits.com.
Quick conversion answers
How many square metres in a square?
There are 9.290304m2 in one square.
How many squares are in a square metre?
There are 0.1076391041671 squares in one square metre.
How do I calculate square feet to square metres?
Multiply the number of square feet by 0.09290304.
How to calculate house squares for your home
Knowing how many squares your home is can be handy for DIY projects, renovations or if you're thinking of selling.
If metric measurements are more familiar to you, we recommend starting with metres squared and completing a two-step conversion from m2 to squares.
- Break down the area by room. Measure a room's dimensions (width and length), and multiply these together. Do this for each room, add them together, and you have the total square meterage of your home.
- Divide this figure by 9.290304 to get the number of squares.
Remember that these figures will be approximate. L-shape or rounded rooms need to be calculated differently, usually by breaking the space into smaller shapes.
The table below is handy if you're not into doing calculations. These values are rounded, so check with an online calculator for an accurate figure.
Working out per-square-metre pricing
Calculating the price for each square metre of home construction is a meaningful way to compare different builders and understand the cost breakdown of similar projects. It can also help you plan your budget accurately.
The per square metre (m²) figure is a useful starting point, often used by builders to estimate pricing. This method involves multiplying the total floor area, measured in square metres, by the corresponding per square metre rate.
It's essential to carefully review the provided quote and clarify what is included and excluded to get a complete picture of the costs involved in your project.
Average home size in Australia
Australia is known for having the world's largest house sizes, according to data commissioned by CommSec from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The average size of a newly built Australian home in 2019/20 was 235.8 square metres (25.3813 squares). That's 2.9% larger than the previous year.
During the same time, the average Australian apartment size also grew to 136.8m2 (14.725 squares).
Before the pandemic, Australians had been building slightly smaller houses on average. According to the ABS, the average block size for new homes in Australian capital cities has steadily decreased, from 602 square metres in 2005-06 to 467 square metres in 2019-20.
Victorian housing size trends
Interestingly, during the same period, the floor area of house approvals in Melbourne saw an average increase of 10%. The average floor area of a home built in Melbourne was 250.3m2 (26.942 squares). The biggest townhouses and apartments are also found in Victoria.
These statistics highlight the changing trends in Australian housing. Lot sizes for new homes are becoming smaller while home sizes are becoming larger.
Measurements for Henley homes
Henley homes advertised for sale display Total Home Size in squares (sq). We also provide the size in m2 to save you from doing the calculation!
Our completed homes for sale feature a Total Lot Size in m2, referring to the size of the block upon which the house is built.
For more information about Henley Homes or a discussion about the ideal home size for your block or family, contact our friendly team.
