Until recently, producing a floor plan of a flat was a two-person job: one holds the tape measure, the other takes notes, and back at the office every dimension is typed into CAD by hand. With LiDAR-equipped iPhones and iPads that process now takes minutes. This guide walks through the steps of phone-based floor plans and the tricks for accurate results.
Why a phone?
A LiDAR sensor measures how long light pulses take to bounce back from surfaces, calculating distance. Scanning apps like DIMENS process that data to detect walls, doors and windows, producing a scaled floor plan from the scan. A typical room scans in under 30 seconds with accuracy up to ±2 cm.
Step by step
1. Prepare the space
- Clear wall lines where possible; the sensor should see the wall, not the wardrobe.
- Tie back curtains and fix doors fully open or fully closed.
- Make sure the room is reasonably lit.
2. Scanning technique
- Hold the phone at chest height, tilted slightly down.
- Walk the perimeter at a calm, steady pace; avoid sudden turns.
- Pause a second at corners - corners are the skeleton of the plan.
3. Verify
When the scan ends, check one or two critical dimensions with the in-app measurement tools (the long wall of the living room, for example). If door widths and window positions are right, the plan is ready to use.
4. Export
DIMENS exports your floor plan as DXF, PDF, OBJ, STL and GLB. The DXF opens directly in AutoCAD and similar software; PDF is ideal for sharing with clients.
Common mistakes
- Rushing past mirrors and glazing - reflections can confuse the sensor.
- Stopping a scan halfway and resuming the same room from a different spot.
- Scanning very large areas in one pass; scanning room by room and combining is more reliable.
Which devices qualify?
The LiDAR sensor ships in the Pro models of iPhone and iPad. Check compatibility on the DIMENS product page and the App Store listing - you can download the app and run your first scan today.