How Laser Measuring Can Make a Difference in the Value of Your Home

Utilizing laser measuring devices are vital for an appraiser who strives to be accurate and efficient in home appraisals while simultaneously creating quality appraisal reports. Along with tablet technology that syncs instantly with the laser and records readouts, these tools are indispensable to a good appraiser.

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Does being a few feet off affect the value of your home?

Yes! Sometimes a home can have protruding features, such as an alcove, that is likely not accounted for in the square footage within the listing of a property. Measuring around these features by hand almost always yields human error in obtaining a true square footage measurement. A true square footage value is necessary to obtain an adjusted square footage value for a home appraisal which can result in hundreds or even thousands of dollars in difference.

How does measuring with a laser yield higher accuracy?

When calculating the true square footage of a property, there are structural details to consider. Most homes are not structured to be cut-and-dry in perfect rectangular forms. Many consist of various shapes and may even have knock-out features with oddly shaped walls that contain angles that are different from the standard 90 degrees. These take extra calculations to adjust for. Appraisers also consider features that affect the true square footage, such as the fireplace, that may take up a small portion of a room's square footage. Using the traditional method can take a significant amount of time and is more liable to result in errors.

How much more precise is measuring with a laser than measuring with tape?

Measuring with a laser gives the appraiser an instantaneous measurement down to the last millimeter readout. The appraiser will hold the laser against the wall adjacent to the area that needs to be measured and project the laser so that it hits the opposite wall, giving a fast and accurate reading within a second. On areas that may lack a solid wall to measure from, the tablet can take the place of that missing wall. With this technology, there is no risk of human error. When combined with utilizing a tablet, the appraiser can get an instantaneous readout of the full square footage after all measurements have been recorded.

How much faster is laser measuring than measuring with a tape?

When an appraiser utilizes laser and tablet technology, the appraiser can do the same job 80% faster and with higher accuracy than before. Along with the laser’s ability to give millisecond readouts, the process becomes more efficient and more mobile. For an appraiser who has to measure every square inch of a home, this is crucial for a faster and more accurate measurement. Additionally, tablet connectivity makes measuring easier, faster, and more accurate than with just a laser alone. Tablet technology enables the appraiser to take the recorded measurements and instantaneously upload them into a program to create an accurate floor-plan sketch of the entire property.

What exactly does an appraiser consider in measuring a home?

An appraiser considers every feature possible when obtaining the true square footage of a property for a home appraisal. This includes any alcoves or columns within and outside of the home that can account for a significant adjustment in the true square footage value of a property.

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