Stop Guessing the Square Footage, Know It!

You’ve probably seen it before: Estate agents plan of your property is 86 sqm, and the EPC says 74 sqm. You’re sitting there scratching your head, wondering which one is right.

Whose tape measure are we using here?

This confusion happens all the time. It’s because each measurement is created for a totally different reason.

So, let’s break it down and make it clear.

Understanding Property Measurements: EPCs vs. Estate Agent Plans

1. EPC Measurements — Energy, Not Accuracy

When an energy assessor comes out to do your EPC, they’re not there to map your home down to the last millimetre.

Their focus? Energy performance, insulation, heating systems, glazing, and efficiency data. The square footage? It’s just one checkbox in a much bigger software calculation.

So, can an EPC give you a ballpark size? Sure. Can it provide the precision you’d need for legal, architectural, or development purposes? Not a chance.

That’s like asking your car’s emissions test to tell you how fast it goes. Wrong tool, wrong goal.

2. Estate Agent Floor Plans — Marketing First, Measurement Second

Now, estate agent plans… those are built to sell the story, not to survey the structure.

These drawings are often created by photographers or third-party providers. They are designed to make a listing look sharp and understandable. They’ll also usually say right on the sheet: “Illustration for guidance only” or “approximate measurements.”

Translation? They’re there to help buyers visualize, not to guarantee square footage.

So if you’re comparing your agent’s brochure to a measured survey and notice a 1–10 sqm difference, that’s totally normal.

Their purpose is to support sales and help you visualize the property.

3. Measured Surveys — Precision is the Point

Now, if you actually want to know your property’s dimensions—not guess, not estimate—you need a measured survey.

This is the gold standard. It’s done by professionals using laser scanners and precision equipment to capture your building in full detail.

Unlike EPCs or agent floor plans, the entire purpose of a measured survey is accuracy. It is the foundation for architectural design, refurbishment planning, and any kind of professional documentation.

This is the data you can trust to build on.

Why This Matters

Here’s the deal: if you’re renovating, extending, or investing, being off by even a few square meters can throw off costs, layouts, and compliance.

You wouldn’t build a house on a “rough estimate.” You’d build on solid measurements.

So stop playing the guessing game between marketing plans and EPCs. If you want clarity, confidence, and credibility, get a measured survey.

That’s how professionals do it.

The Takeaway

This post was built to help you understand why those measurement differences exist. While EPCs, estate agent plans, and measured surveys all reference your property, they each serve very different purposes.

Start with the end goal in mind. If accuracy matters, choose the service designed for precision. If marketing speed matters, choose the one built for presentation.

At SpacePhoto, we provide Property Marketing services. At SpaceSurvey, we provide measured surveys. We have the experience in both and know exactly how each works and where the differences come from.

Peter