How do I get the square footage of our home?

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by aida2003

I like this kind of measurement, but I learned that it's inaccurate/incorrect.

I'm sure the L x W isn't accurate, but it should give a ballpark estimate. I also have to pull out the mortgage papers, appraisal, etc. and see if it is listed anywhere.

I'm just curious because there are so many threads where it comes up talking about taxes, utilities, etc. I know what I pay for everything, but not how big my house is so it makes it impossible to see where I stand relative to others.

[irmanator]

gee if my house were really worth what zillow.com says i would make an awesome profit. lol i think they are really off. it does know how much i paid for it though i guess that is public record.

[Like2Plan]

disneysteve,
I always thought the definition was finished above ground living space, but it seems the finished basement is sometimes added in the calculation.
Here is a link to About.com
How to Measure and Calculate Residential Square Footage (About.com)

I go by what the County has listed because I am not sure about the basement. For us, the county has:
Above Grade Living Area Total Sq. Ft 1,620

It has a separate listing (as attached structures) for a porch 120 sq ft and attached garage 672 sq ft.

The co. website only says there is a basement--no sq footage listed. (It is a finished basement with an exterior entrance).

Maybe the rules vary from county to county?