How not to get lost in a floor plan
Text from 2022. Laws, rates and prices may have changed since then. Ask an agent
Photos, visualisations or, finally, a walk around the flat are key when deciding to buy a property. However, when we need detailed information about our new four walls, a well-prepared floor plan proves indispensable. What types are there and what will we find in them?
The sales plan: attractive, but how accurate?
Whether we decide to buy a flat from a developer or look for our dream home on the secondary market, there is a very good chance that the first plan of the property we receive will be a sales plan. What are its characteristics?
First of all, it is a simplified sketch, used, for example, in advertising brochures. Its job is to present the flat in the most attractive light possible; as a rule it is polished graphically and shows an interior arrangement proposed by the owner. All this comes at the expense of technical detail: from a sales plan we will not learn, for instance, the exact dimensions of the rooms, only the floor area.
The architectural plan: the flat from the inside out
Everything that the sales plan does not tell us, we will learn from the architectural plan. This type of plan is a detailed technical drawing made by a specialist draughtsman. It contains essential information about the property: from it we can read the exact dimensions, locate the load-bearing and partition walls, and learn the details of the plumbing and drainage.
A detailed drawing is especially useful when we can already picture ourselves living in our new four walls. It will help us decide whether the chosen property will meet all our functional needs, and assess to what extent our ideas for arranging it will be feasible.
What to watch out for when reading plans
When we are handed a plan of a flat that interests us, let us be sure to check whether we are dealing with a sales plan or an architectural one. Looking at a sales plan can give a general idea of the layout and size of the interior; it is always worth asking the flat's owner to let you see the technical plan, though.
When we move on to analysing the architectural plan, many people run into problems reading the technical symbols. No wonder: drawing up such a layout of a flat requires specialist knowledge. In such a situation the estate agent we are working with can offer their experience.
One issue that estate agencies in Katowice, as well as in other cities, often warn about is how misleading some floor plans presented by owners can be. It is not uncommon for the scale of the furniture and other furnishings shown on the plan to depart from reality, so that the flat may seem larger than it really is. That is why it is worth relying above all on the architectural plan and, where necessary, following the guidance of a trusted expert.
