Is garage counts as part of the total square footage of a home?

We put our home up for sale and the square footage is way off! Is a garage usually considered in the square footage in a home? It is attached to the home.

Answer:-

Although a garage is attached to the home, it is not considered part of the home’s square footage. That is because only livable space is considered in the square footage calculation.

Calculating the square footage of a home is not as easy as it sounds. Neither real estate agents nor homeowners should attempt the calculation (at least not if you want a reliable figure).

Rarely are houses perfectly square, which is one reason for the difficulty. Appraisers map out the house on a piece of graph paper, calculate all the edges, come up with “mini-areas” for each rectangle – then add them all together. Plus, there are other intricate rules. If there has been an addition to the house and the owner did not receive a building permit, then that section of the house may not be allowable as part of the square footage.

The same with attic and basement conversions, lofts, and so on. It is best to rely on a licensed appraiser to recalculate the square footage of a house. When a home’s square footage is advertised, the figure usually comes from previous sales, perhaps as far back as the builder.

Homeowners and real estate agents don’t usually recalculate the square footage. Like we said, it is very very difficult to calculate the square footage of a home.

In Canada, whether a garage is included in the total square footage of a home depends on local real estate practices and the type of garage. Here are the general guidelines:

1. Attached vs. Detached Garage

• Attached Garages (connected to the house) are typically not included in the total living square footage unless they are finished (heated, insulated, and built to the same standards as the rest of the home).

• Detached Garages (separate from the house) are almost never included in the square footage calculation.

2. Finished vs. Unfinished Space

• If a garage is converted into livable space (e.g., heated, insulated, with proper flooring and drywall), it may be counted as part of the home’s finished area, but this must comply with local building codes.

• Unfinished garages (even if attached) are not considered part of the livable square footage.

3. Real Estate Listing Standards

• Realtors in Canada follow CREA (Canadian Real Estate Association) guidelines, which generally exclude garages from the main square footage unless they are legally converted living spaces.

• Some listings may mention garage space separately (e.g., “2,000 sq ft home + 400 sq ft garage”).

4. Regional Variations

• Practices can vary slightly by province or municipality, so it’s best to check with a local real estate agent or appraiser.

Key Takeaway:

If you’re evaluating a property, always confirm whether the garage is included in the square footage. Most of the time, standard garages (even attached ones) are not part of the official living area unless they’ve been properly converted.