Frequently asked questions
Will an AI floor plan be accurate enough for a building permit?
No. AI-generated floor plans are sketches. They are useful for exploring options, communicating intent and starting a conversation with a designer, but they are not measured drawings. Any layout that will be built needs to be redrawn to scale by a qualified architect or draughtsperson, with proper dimensions, structural notes and compliance with local building codes.
What scale should I assume?
Most online tools output plans without a fixed scale; the proportions are approximately correct but the absolute dimensions are not. When you describe the total area in your prompt (“approximately 120 square metres”), the tool will keep room sizes roughly proportional, but a wall labelled 4 metres in the output might be 4.3 metres in reality. Always measure the actual space you are designing for before treating any AI dimension as final.
Should I work in metric or imperial?
Use whichever system you and your future builder are most fluent in. AI models handle both, but mixing them in a single prompt (“3 bedrooms of 12 sqm and a 9-foot kitchen”) produces inconsistent results. Pick one and stay with it.
How do I describe an irregular plot?
Describe the plot by its boundary shape rather than by trying to specify coordinates:
“The plot is a rectangle 12 metres deep and 8 metres wide, with the front of the building on the long west side. The north-east corner is cut at a 45-degree angle for 2 metres to accommodate an existing tree.”
This level of plain-language detail is usually enough for the model to produce a plausible footprint.
Can I generate a multi-storey plan?
Yes, but generate one storey at a time and explicitly describe how the two relate. For example: “This is the ground floor of a two-storey home. The staircase is on the north wall next to the entrance and rises towards the back of the house. The first floor will contain the bedrooms.” Then re-prompt for the first floor with: “Now design the first floor of the same home. The staircase arrives at the same position on the north wall.”
What export formats are useful?
For sharing with non-designers, PNG is fine. For a designer who will redraw the plan in CAD, SVG is more useful because each wall can be selected and edited. PDF is the most common format for printing and emailing. Avoid screenshots taken from a browser; they tend to lose proportion.
How private is the data I put into an AI floor plan tool?
This depends on the tool. Read the privacy policy before you describe a real address, dimensions of an existing home, or anything else you do not want stored. As a rule of thumb, never include identifying information in a prompt (“my house at 12 Oak Lane”) when a generic description (“a rectangular 110 sqm home”) would do the same job.
Can the AI tool also handle furniture layout?
Most tools can place furniture symbolically, but the placement is rarely good enough to use without manual adjustment. Treat furniture as a secondary prompt after the room layout is settled. Ask for one room at a time: “Place a queen-size bed, two side tables, a wardrobe and a small desk in the master bedroom.”
Where can I learn more?
The References and further reading page lists external guides, books and the online tools used to test the examples in this documentation.