3D Matterport

• 3D Matterport 15

3D Matterport

• Do I need 3D Matterport floor plans and Scan Drafter plans?

  No. Scan Drafter and Matterport-derived floor plans are both scan-based options that produce similar results. If you already have a 3D Matterport tour, a floor plan can be derived from that existing scan at no additional appointment needed. If you don’t, Scan Drafter captures everything you need in the same visit as your photography. Either way, one is enough.

• What is the difference between Zillow 3D Home Tour and Open Homes’ Professional Floor Drafting?

  Zillow 3D Home Tours offers a floor plan drawing with their 3D Home tours, which by and large is a competitor to Matterport. Just like Matterport, Zillow 3D Home tours use 360-degree cameras like the Ricoh Thetas to stitch together 3D Virtual Tours of homes. And, like Matterport, Zillow creates 2D floor plan drawings from this photogrammetry stitching. This means they also suffer from poor accuracy and we recommend agents don’t use the GLA calculations.

  Note: Matterport Pro Cameras offer much higher dimensional accuracy than 360-degree cameras used in Zillow Showcase or other Matterport scans. Matterport Pro cameras are only used on request and may affect appointment availability.

• Are CubiCasa or Matterport Floor Plans accurate?

  CubiCasa and Matterport Floor Plans are useful, but not accurate enough to rely on for square footage calculations — and we have the data to support that.

  In our own testing, plans produced by CubiCasa averaged 11.48% smaller than our professionally drafted plans. When cross-referenced against county records, CubiCasa showed a −9.36% difference. Open Homes’ professionally drafted plans came in at only ±0.40% difference .

  Why the stark difference? The root cause isn’t actually the quality of the scan; it’s the methodology behind it. Automated tools must assume standard wall thickness rather than measuring it, and they can’t apply the expert judgment required for complex measurement scenarios like staircases, landings, bump-outs, or grade changes. Furthermore, tight spaces like closets and pantries can’t be accurately accounted for in the floor plan calculations. If it’s not scanned, it can’t be measured or drawn.

  For helping buyers understand the layout of a home, Scan Drafter and Matterport plans are a reasonable and cost-effective visual aid. For any listing where square footage needs to be accurate — especially in markets where price-per-square-foot is central to the conversation — a professionally drafted plan is the right choice.

• Why don’t you include square footage calculations on Scan Drafter or Matterport floor plans?

  The short answer: we can’t guarantee their accuracy, so we don’t include them.

  Scan Drafter and Matterport-derived plans are calculated from the interior perimeter of the home. For single-family homes, this matters a great deal when it comes to square footage. Why? Because square footage should be calculated to the exterior walls, which requires knowing the wall thickness.. Automated tools assume a standard wall thickness rather than measuring it. In addition to this, they can’t apply the judgement-based rules around grade changes, landings, bump-outs, and other features that a trained draftsperson knows how to handle.

  In our own testing, we found an average 11.48% Gross Living Area (GLA) delta between our professionally drafted plans and CubiCasa’s calculations. That gap isn’t about scanning hardware  — it’s about methodology. 

  In short, we made the decision to not include square footage figures when we know they carry the potential for that margin of error. Doing so wouldn’t serve our clients or their buyers well.

• Can I embed a Matterport tour on a listing website?

  Yes, 3D Matterport Tours can be embedded on MLS listings and property websites. Open Homes provides your Matterport link through your agent dashboard as soon as your scan is delivered. If you ordered a property website with us, the Matterport will also be uploaded automatically to your site for you.

  Zillow partnered with Matterport to allow real estate agents to add 3D tours directly to their property listings, so potential buyers can explore the property in 3D from the Zillow listing. To do this, copy the Matterport link from your Open Homes agent dashboard and paste it into the Virtual Tour URL field in your Zillow account.

   

• Can I transfer my Matterport scan to my own account?

  Yes. Open Homes can transfer your Matterport scan to your own paid Matterport account at no charge. To do this, sign up for a Matterport subscription, then email support@openhomesphotography.com with the email address linked to your Matterport account and the team will handle the transfer. This transfer option is worth considering if you manage a high volume of listings and want full control over your scan hosting without paying renewal fees per property.

• What is a Matterport floor plan and is it accurate?

  A Matterport floor plan is a layout generated from the 3D scan data rather than from physical measurements taken onsite. It gives buyers a clear visual of the property’s layout and room arrangement, making it a useful marketing tool. However, because it is derived from camera scans rather than precision measuring tools, it does not meet ANSI standards and cannot be used to verify official square footage. For listings that require verified measurements, Open Homes’ Professional Floor Plan service is the right choice.

• How long does a Matterport shoot take?

  Shoot time depends on the size and layout of the property. As a general guide, plan for about 45-60 minutes. Properties with detached structures such as a garage or ADU that need separate scans (Detached Scans) will require additional time onsite.

• What is Matterport and how does it work?

  Matterport is a 3D scanning technology that creates a complete, navigable digital model of a property. During the shoot, an Open Homes photographer moves through the home with a Matterport camera, capturing overlapping 360-degree scans in each room. Those scans are stitched together into an interactive “dollhouse” model that buyers can explore room by room on any device, at their own pace. It can also be viewed in virtual reality for a fully immersive walkthrough experience.

• What if I want my garage to be included in my Matterport floor plans?

  If you want the garage to be included in the floor plans derived from the Matterport Tour, it must be scanned an included in the 3D Matterport Tour. Garages are not usually scanned, so be sure to let your photographer know ahead of time or onsite if you want it included!

• What is a detached scan?

  Detached Scans are our term for the scans that are created when it is necessary to break the flow of 360-degree scans (360-degree scans are what make up your dollhouse). Sometimes, detached scans are necessary in order to accommodate an ADU, in-law unit, or an additional level not connected by an interior staircase. This added cost is calculated to account for the additional hosting fees imposed by Matterport, the added time editing in post-production, as well as the time spent creating a new scan(s) on site.

• What if I need to Cancel or Reschedule my appointment?

  We know there are a lot of moving parts to getting a listing up, and marketing is typically that last effort to go live, so we are happy to quickly cancel or work with you to reschedule appointments. However, we do need to adhere to some strict guidelines in order to keep our staff productive and not affect our other customers.

   

  Cancellation Fees:

  Appointments that are cancelled or rescheduled within 24 hours of the appointment time are subject to a $150 cancellation fee. Note: This is a differs from our past cancellation policy which was only applied if the appointment was cancelled or rescheduled on the day of the appointment.

  Twilight shoots are particularly dependent on weather, and if the reason for rescheduling is based on bad weather, the customer can avoid the cancellation fee if he or she gives us at least 2 hours notice.

  Aerial shoots are also particularly dependent on weather, and if the reason for rescheduling is based on bad weather, the customer can avoid the cancellation fee.

   

  Rescheduling Fees:

  OHP allows customers to reschedule an appointment one time at no charge. Additional rescheduling requests may incur a rescheduling fee of $50.

• What’s the difference between Professional Floor Plans and Matterport Floor Plans?

  At Open Homes Photography we offer a few different types of Floor Plan options in order to meet our clients different needs, budgets, or aesthetic choices.

  Our “Professional Floor Plan” service, which is the commonly known drafting service, includes sending out a qualified and highly trained draftsperson to your property to physically take measurements in person using precision measuring tools. This service is completed in accordance with ANSI standards, offering very accurate renderings of the property. These plans also include dimensions (room sizes) and square foot calculations free upon request, as well as fully measured non living spaces (such as closets, decks, etc..) by request.

  We also offer a “Matterport Floor Plan” service that can be generated from Matterport scans. Because these are derived from camera scans and not precision measuring tools, they are not based on the same ANSI standards and cannot include square footage, some room dimensions, etc. However, as a low cost add-on to our Matterport service these are a perfect marketing tool to give potential buyers the lay of the land, so to speak. While these plans DO NOT include closets, other storage rooms or non-living spaces, you can add on any additional “detached” space needed to these plans (such as decks, garages, and some other spaces) for $25 per additional scan, by having the Matterport artist specifically scan those areas.

• How long are Matterport Scans live and available to access?

  Matterport scans are kept live and accessible for 6 months. After that they are archived but not deleted. You can reactivate a scan at any time for a link renewal fee of $75 for an additional 6 months. This cost is a hard cost for us as part of our Matterport account limitations and simply passed on to the end user.

  If you want to keep scans active long term, Open Homes can also transfer your scan to your own Matterport account at no charge. Matterport’s own subscription plans start at around $120 per year depending on how many active spaces you need.

• What is the difference between a virtual tour and a Matterport scan?

  The term “virtual tour” is used in a couple different ways across the industry. Some companies use it to describe a listing’s property website. At Open Homes, a virtual tour means a 3D Matterport scan: a navigable, room-by-room walkthrough that buyers can explore on any device, at any time, at their own pace. The Matterport scan can also be viewed using virtual reality glasses, giving buyers an immersive walkthrough experience. If you are comparing vendors, always ask what the term means to them.