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How to: Check the scale of a supplied architectural drawing

Modified: 16 Jul 2026 Stabicad
Not version-specific
Stabicad
Context: Why check the scale? When you receive an architectural floor plan from an architect, you do not always know the units used to build it. If the architect drew in meters and you are drawing in millimeters, your installations and symbols will be placed disproportionately large or small.
Getting Started: Measuring the scale The easiest way to check the drawing scale is to measure an object with a standard real-world size, such as an interior door.
  1. Open the supplied drawing (.dwg) in Stabicad.
  2. Zoom in on any interior door in the floor plan.
  3. Use the standard measure function (Command DIST or click Measure Distance in the toolbar).
  4. Click on the start point of the door opening (Endpoint 1) and then on the end point (Endpoint 2).
  5. Read the measured distance in the command line:
    • Does it say ~900? Then the drawing is set up in millimeters (This is the standard and most desirable situation).
    • Does it say ~90? Then the drawing is set up in centimeters.
    • Does it say ~0.9? Then the drawing is set up in meters.
  6. Remember this unit. You will need this information when setting the plot scale in the cleanup wizard. (Alternatively, you can scale the drawing with the right factor)
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