The quick answer
Measure each wall, the room diagonals, ceiling height, and the position and size of every door and window. Record the units and whether each dimension is a clear internal measurement or a wall-centre-line measurement before creating your digital plan.
Make a simple sketch first
Draw the room roughly on paper and label the walls A, B, C and D. Mark doors, windows, columns and fixed fittings. The sketch does not need to be to scale; it gives each measurement an unambiguous place. A tape measure, pencil and a second person are enough to begin.
Choose one unit for the survey. Record a measurement as 320 cm or 10 ft 6 in rather than an unexplained number. Use the same reference point throughout, such as the finished wall surface. Keep the original survey even after you create a digital plan.
Record more than width and depth
- Measure every wall, including short returns and recesses.
- Measure door and window widths, then the distance from each opening to a labelled corner.
- Note which way doors open and the space occupied by their swing.
- Measure ceiling height, window sill heights and fixed features such as radiators or counters.
- Measure both diagonals when possible; different diagonals can reveal a room that is not square.
Check what the dimension represents
A clear internal dimension is measured between the finished inner surfaces. A wall-centre-line dimension runs between the middle of the bounding walls. They describe different things, so copying one into a plan that expects the other changes the usable space.
For example, a 4.00 m clear width between two 0.20 m thick walls corresponds to 4.20 m between their centre lines: half of each wall thickness is added. Confirm the actual wall thickness rather than assuming this example applies to your home. Vela’s plan measurements follow wall centre lines.
Turn the survey into a Vela plan
Open room setup and select centimetres or feet and inches. Enter the dimensions for the room you are creating. For a whole flat, start with its overall measured footprint and use internal walls to divide the space. Compare the resulting clear room sizes with your survey.
Place doors and windows before furniture. Check a few known distances and door swings, then save a JSON backup. If a dimension looks wrong, return to the original survey instead of stretching furniture to make the layout appear to fit.
Before purchasing or building
Verify your measurements on site, including skirting, handles and other projections. A concept plan is useful for comparing arrangements, but it does not replace a measured survey or advice about structure, access and local regulations.
Continue planning
Explore Vela’s current features, follow the planning workflow or browse the FAQ. For product questions, contact Vela.
