Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 09, 1999 12:11am | #1

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   Common sense: area under stairs should count once, or once for each set of stairs if there are more than 2 floors. I always choose this method for consistency and because it is ethically correct.

   Reality: certain people may fudge the facts to suit their needs. For example, a realtor may count a single set of stairs twice to make a house appear to have more square footage. A builder submitting plans for permit will count the stairs once to minimize the area (if the permit fee is based on area).

1. 
   Guest_ | Dec 09, 1999 04:02pm | #2

   *Suzanne,Usually it is not enough area to make a big difference in the house. If you are trying to be accurate you should measure the accessible area under the stairs. Then measure the length of the stairs from a side view not from a floor plan and use this to measure the sq ft of the stairs. The extra in the stair length will make up for the inacessible part under it. Or you can just save some time and count it for each floor.Rick Tuk

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   John_Bacik | Dec 16, 1999 05:41am | #3

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   Check out the ANSI Z765 standard for calculating square footage. This was first published in 1996, and spells out exactly how to calculate the area. (Stairs are added to the floor they descend from.)

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   Suzanne_ | Jan 05, 2000 05:23am | #4

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   In designing a home, how do you calculate the floor area for stairways? ie, is the area of the stairway counted once for the house, or is it counted once for each floor? THANKS!