Hey iGuiders
I’ve had a few conversations with Planitar and have been instructed to write this into the forums.
I feel as if the floor plans are in serious need of an overhaul. Here’s why:
Logos:
If we have options for branding an iGuide, why are there no options for branding a floor plan? It’s a legal requirement for agents to have their brokerage logo (at a minimum) on their marketing materials in Canada. Every time a floor plan is made, I have to download JPEGS and PDF’s to add branding to both. (Yes, I can also add to JUST the JPG and drop it in the PDF, but that is not the point so just shush) — If a change has to be made after the fact (the agent wants to re-label a room) I have to re-download, re-photoshop and re-upload the floor plans, every single time. There needs to be an option where we can add branding to our floorplans, just like iGuide has templates for brochures and the virtual tour iGuide itself we should be able to add branding to our floor plans. It’s easy.
Closets, Hallways, Exterior Spaces:
There needs to be an option for “Always On” for certain rooms, as we as operators need to manually edit every single floor plan if we want to show closets, hallway measurements, or exterior patio spaces on the floor plans. This is a serious bottleneck. Sometimes I miss enabling closets when zooming in, and then the agent writes back later “Hey, do you have the measurements for that lower bedroom closet by chance?” Well yes, of course I do…and Im wondering why they aren’t listed on the last page of the PDF even if they don’t fit or aren’t enabled on the floor plans themselves as they dont always fit.
Notes to Drafting Team:
I feel as if my notes are never read in the Stitch files or elsewhere. If I mention an area of attention, it is either missed entirely or not listened to. Such as measurements for outdoor spaces, etc. which then I have to request an Update to be fixed several times over again because the drafters keep missing items. This slows down the process significantly. Especially when we have to request an update to the team to include areas that were mentioned in the original Tar File. It’s even more-so frustrating if the floor plans have already been sent, and have to be designed all over again with logos, etc. ---- This is especially frustrating if I make a note saying, “Hey, the crawlspace was measured to the best of my ability and the clutter, please publish the iGuide as-is and I will handle the measurement disclosures.” to which I get the floor-plan back saying the exact same “Error Message” to me that I already know, which means I have to request an update or further explain the situation again, slowing down the floor plans by almost a day. I’m not a closet de-cluttering service, I can only scan what is given to me.
PDF vs JPEG Floor Plans:
Why, when we download the floor plans in JPEG Format, is there no Summarized First Page like we have with the PDF (which shows all the floors neatly summarized) on one page? That would be super helpful, as the JPEG would be always be included in the Photo Slide for the MLS, and the PDF would be a MLS Supplement realtors share with each other in the system. So, why do the JPEG files exclude the first page the PDF has?
Labels & Measurements on Floor Plans:
Square Footage needs to be neatly broken down on the first page (or every page, really) for that matter; Finished, Unfinished, Garage, Patio Spaces, you name it, neatly broken down on a small table visible on the floorplans somewhere. The agents always ask me, “Hey how much total square footage is the exterior patio spaces,” or “Hey, what is the total finished square footage of just the ____ Floor” — So my question is why can’t the team implement this onto our floor plans?
This is especially frustrating when something goes below grade; now it isnt even included in the finished square footage measurements it seems like, as the only finished square footage iGuide wants to mention is Above Grade. Okay, so the 2100 Square foot Basement that is full height and finished doesn’t appear on the calculations now? Why the heck not?
I feel as if the Total Finished Square footage needs to be neatly shown. It almost looks like misrepresenting the square footage if you present it in this matter. You can still meet any requirements you are likely going to excuse yourselves by, from simply including more measurements onto the pages. If you are going to fall back and say ANSI only allows you to ___that is not true, as every floor plan company in Canada for real estate breaks up their measurements in this way.
JPEG Labels:
The JPEG Files need to be labelled something else; do you know how many folders I have in my downloads that are simply labelled jpeg_en_1 or whatever? Please relabel them in the system to be reflected that of the title we give the iGuide in the first place, such as the address of the property. It makes navigating my own downloads folder when needing to RE-BRAND every floor plan with logos, much much easier.
Room Labels:
Can we request certain rooms be labelled certain things? We don’t use the word “Foyer” at all (and quite possibly is one of the ugliest words ever made) and we use the word Entry in our MLS System. How can I change this so the drafters stop writing Foyer into my floor plans? Secondly, is there a way to move floor plan labels? If I have to re-label a room from Laundry to Storage/Laundry, now it doesn’t fit in the floor plan properly; unless I move the tag, which I can’t do.
I really hope these issues can be addressed, as it’s in incredible bottleneck in a seemingly efficient process. I’d rather be shooting more properties than messing around with floor plans & logos. Especially when iGuide considers us to be “Hourly Camera Operators” in their processing fee table; at that rate then I am making pennies on the dollar as an operator with margins already so thin in real estate media.
Thanks guys.