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How to read a floor plan

Five things to look for, and three questions to ask.

Updated: November 4, 2026. Schedules, prices and conditions change; always confirm on the booking page.

Red-roofed houses on a hillside with mountains behind
Red-roofed houses on a hillside with mountains behind · Photo: Original image
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A floor plan is a drawing, not a promise. It can show you how rooms connect, but it leaves out ceiling height, finishes and noise. Use it to ask better questions.

Start with the scale and the area

Find the stated area and ask what it measures. Interior area, built area and total area (which can include terraces and shared walls) are different numbers. When two plans quote different figures, compare like with like.

Follow the walking path

Trace a line from the front door to the bed, the kitchen and the bathroom. Count the doors you pass and note any place where a path crosses another room.

Find the stairs

Stairs take area from two levels. Look at where they land, how many risers they have, and what happens at the top and bottom, for example whether you step directly into a bedroom.

Look for what the plan does not show

  • Ceiling height at each level
  • Window height and which way they face
  • Where air conditioning units and ducts run
  • Storage inside walls and under stairs

Three questions to ask

  1. Which area figure is this, and does it include the mezzanine and terrace?
  2. What is the ceiling height under and above the mezzanine?
  3. Is there a section drawing or a render that shows the vertical space?

Thinking of buying? Our preferred Costa Rica real estate partner, RealtyCostaRica.com, can answer property questions.