Test a new-home floor plan with your furniture

Start with dimensions

Request a plan showing the main dimensions and clarify what each measurement covers. Record the full outside dimensions of your bed frame, wardrobe, table and sofa rather than mattress sizes alone. Ask for missing wall or doorway measurements. In a completed home, measure on site where permitted.

Place essential furniture first

Start with the bed, storage, fridge and any work desk you need daily. Draw the space used by opening wardrobe doors, pulling out drawers and moving dining chairs. A bedroom may fit a bed but still make reaching a cupboard or window awkward. Judge it by your needs rather than a standard number of furniture pieces.

Follow your normal routes

Trace the journey from the entrance to the kitchen and from the bed to the bathroom. Check whether furniture blocks the route or conflicts with sockets, air-conditioning and appliance space. Do not assume walls or wet areas can be moved freely. Check project restrictions and obtain suitable professional advice before relying on alterations.

Keep one usable arrangement

Retain a simple furniture plan with unresolved dimensions marked. If it depends on bespoke furniture or building work, include that cost in your comparison. A useful layout supports your daily life; it is not simply one that fits the most furniture symbols. For an unbuilt home, also match the plan to the eventual contract and handover specification.

Continue with: Compare the show home with the handover specification