Displaying the Square Footage, or Area, of a Room


Reference Number: KB-00009
Last Modified: August 31, 2023

The information in this article applies to:

Chief Architect Premier or Chief Architect Interiors



QUESTION

My room labels show the dimensions of the rooms. What do I need to change so that the room's square footage, or area, displays below the room name instead?


ANSWER

By default, Chief Architect shows the internal dimensions of a room in its room label. There are, however, ways to display a room's square footage, or area, in room labels. 


To specify how room size is shown in room labels

  1. From the menu, select Tools> Layer Settings> Display Options to open the Layer Display Options dialog, then scroll down to the layers with names that begin with "Rooms".

    Layer Display Options dialog with the Rooms layers selected


  2. Notice that there are three layers that refer to how room size can be described. Click to place a check in the Display column of any layer(s) that suits your needs:

    • Rooms, Standard Area is measured from the center of interior walls that define the room and from either the outside surface or the outside of the Main Layer of exterior walls, depending on the "Living Area to" setting in the General Plan Defaults dialog. It is rounded to the nearest square foot or mm and does not include the area within bay, box, and bow windows.

      20 foot by 20 foot building with a room label showing Living - 400 square feet

    • Rooms, Interior Area is measured from the inner surfaces of all the room's walls.

      Room Label showing Living - 361 square feet

    • Rooms, Interior Dimensions is also measured from the inner surfaces of the room walls. This option is selected by default.

      Room Label showing Living - 19 feet by 19 feet

Room information, including volume, can also be displayed using macros. Additionally, you can change how square footage, or living area, is calculated in Chief Architect. Please see the Related Articles section below to learn more.