A few weeks ago appraiser blogger Tom Horn wrote about a great tool that appraisers should carry to check electrical circuits. That article got me thinking today when I pulled an important appraiser tool out of my car. I don’t use it often, but when I do, I’m not sure what I would do without it. Today I used my angle finder.
Once in a while I run across homes that are built on angles that are not 90 degrees or 45 degrees. When that happens, it is important to measure the angle so that the shape is drawn correctly into the computer, so the sketch closes, and the resultant square footage estimate is accurate.
Often angles can be measured by obtaining the rise and the run of the wall. However, this can be difficult if the length of the angled wall is long and there is little perspective to square up the rise and run measurement. The tool that I use is a digital angle finder from Amazon that fits easily into my pocket (when I think I might need it) and costs only about $20. One nice feature of this gauge is the reverse angle button that allows me to switch to the angle of incidence (the angle that drawing programs use for an input). There are other less expensive options available as well like an angle finder from Harbor Freight for under five dollars.
To insert the reading of the angle finder into an a la mode Total sketch, I simply draw a line and then select Tools, then Draw Angle to Left or Draw Angle to Right, and input the angle into the dialogue box. Angles can also be selected by clicking Modify and dragging the line to the desired angle, or by using the following key strokes (for the above example): 15 (length of wall), R (direction of angle), 31 (angle), Enter.
Here is a link to an a la mode training video that covers the two ways to draw angles with Total Sketch.
Did I leave anything out or do you want to join in the conversation? Let me know in the comments below. If you need a home measured, try our measurement floor plan sketching service (some call it “Room Service”).
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