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Encircle Floor Plan - FAQ

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What is Encircle Floor Plan?

Encircle Floor Plan provides restoration and property insurance professionals with fast, accurate 2D floor plans captured right from any smartphone. Properties are captured with a simple 5-10 minute video scan, and a professional floor plan complete with room dimensions and labels is quickly returned to the Encircle claim file. With Encircle’s Xactimate Integration, you can import a floor plan for an instant Xactimate sketch file, allowing restorers to start estimates on day 1.

 

What user permissions do I need to use Floor Plan?

Users need Standard permissions or higher to create floor plans. Users with Limited permissions cannot create floor plans. Click here to learn more about user permissions in Encircle. Organization Administrators can also restrict access to the floor plan feature for individual users. 

 

How does the capture work?

In your claim in the Encircle mobile app, hold your mobile device upright (portrait) and start your scan. Walk the property continuously, keeping the device lens pointed downward toward the seams of the property (where the floor meets the wall). No need to stop and start separate scans for each room, or even for each floor. As you scan, built-in user guidance will provide feedback to ensure your scan is successful (e.g., “You are too close to the wall,” “You are moving too quickly”), ensuring you capture everything correctly every time.

We recommend picking a logical path through the property for your scan, ideally avoiding revisiting the same areas. If you need to walk through the same area more than once to capture the entire property (a hallway, for example), that's fine. Our technology knows your location relative to the rest of the property, and capturing the same location more than once will not interfere with the floor plan processing or creation.

For more detailed info, check our help articles on adding a floor plan and scanning best practices, or take our free Learning Hub training.

 

Do I need to do anything to prepare the property before scanning?

Before you begin your scan to capture your floor plan, it is best practice to ensure all doors are open into the areas you want to capture, all lights are on, and all blinds or window coverings are open to let in as much light as possible. We recommend doing this as you walk through the property while completing your initial inspection/scope video.

Should you forget to open doors before your scan, just be sure to point your camera lens away from doors as you open them, to avoid capturing the opening (or closing) of a door in your scan video.

Check out our tutorial video on best practices or our Learning Hub training course for more info.

 

How do I capture a property with multiple levels/floors?

To capture a property with multiple floors, continue your scan as you walk up or down stairs between levels. Our technology will detect that you are on a different level, and the 2D floor plan will return separate image files for each floor, with stair locations represented as well.

We recommend starting on the lowest level of a property and working your way up. Do not move back and forth between levels during a scan.

Check out our tutorial video on best practices or our Learning Hub training course for more info.

 

How do I capture small spaces (closets, showers, attics, crawl spaces)?

To capture small spaces during a scan, point your camera lens into those tighter areas to capture the seams where the floor meets the wall in all parts of the space. Point your device into the tight space for at least 10-15 seconds for an accurate capture. If the space is large enough to walk in, walk in and then back out along the same path to avoid a warning message that you are turning too quickly in that tight space.

Check out our tutorial video on best practices or our Learning Hub training course for more info.

 

What if there are a lot of objects, furniture, or clutter in the areas I want to capture?

To capture a property with Encircle Floor Plan, you don't have to remove contents, clutter, or furniture. Our technology can “see through the clutter” and fill in missing information if furniture, appliances, or general clutter blocks parts of the room. However, you need to be able to walk far enough into a space to capture where the floor meets each wall. So, in hoarder environments where you cannot get far enough into a room, you'll need to clear the room to a certain extent to capture an accurate scan.

Check out our tutorial video on best practices or our Learning Hub training course for more info.

 

What happens if there are people in the video?

It is best to avoid having people and/or pets captured in your scan video whenever possible. But if it does happen, it shouldn't impact your scan, especially if they are stationary.

 

How are rooms labeled on the floor plan?

While scanning, Encircle Floor Plan uses AI predictive technology to automatically label room names. You can edit the room labels on the returned floor plan within the Encircle web app.

 

How long does it take to receive my floor plan back?

Encircle Floor Plans are returned directly into your Encircle claim file within 6 hours. Our average delivery time is around 90 minutes for most standard floor plans, while large or complex properties can take longer to process.

*Note that the 6-hour delivery applies once your scan video has successfully synced to Encircle’s servers. If you captured your scan video in offline mode, you will need to re-establish your internet connection for your scan to begin processing.

 

If I scan a smaller area, will my floor plan be returned faster?

Yes. While we can only guarantee floor plans will be delivered in less than 6 hours, our solution can return smaller areas more easily and quickly. Our testing shows that smaller scanned areas are typically returned faster.

 

Does my time zone matter to receive my floor plan back within 6 hours?

Nope! No matter what time zone you are in, Encircle Floor Plans will be returned to you within 6 hours of your scan being submitted through the Encircle app.

 

How accurate is Encircle Floor Plan?

Encircle Floor Plan is 95% accurate — this is on par with competitive solutions like DocuSketch, and well within the tolerances of insurance carriers for mitigation estimates. Our accuracy increases to 97% if using an iPhone or iPad with LiDAR (iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro, iPad Pro).

 

How much does Encircle Floor Plan cost?

Encircle Floor Plans are priced at $29 USD per floor plan (charged by individual scan video submitted). When you purchase floor plans as part of a monthly subscription, the pricing is as low as $20 per floor plan.

Encircle customers can also integrate their Encircle and Xactimate systems to import floor plans for an instant Xactimate Sketch for an additional $10 USD per floor plan. Click here for more Encircle pricing information.

 

What file formats are available for Encircle Floor Plan?

Encircle Floor Plan files are delivered directly into your Encircle claim file as JPEG image(s). Encircle generates an image file for each level captured. The floor plan image(s) are automatically included in Encircle reports and can be downloaded for sharing through other means. Additionally, with Encircle’s Xactimate integration, you can import your floor plan to instantly generate an Xactimate sketch file.

 

What if I need to edit my floor plan?

If you need to update room labels, add text, or add measurement lines, you can use the Quick Editor in the Encircle web app.

If you need to correct a room dimension/measurement on your floor plan, you can submit a fix request through the Encircle mobile app. We'll reprocess the corrected floor plan and return it to you quickly.

 

What dimensions are included with Encircle Floor Plan?

Your Encircle Floor Plan will be returned with wall and room dimensions labeled directly on the floor plan file. Click here to see an example.

Note that exterior walls smaller than 3 feet (91 cm), interior walls, and fixed features (like cabinets, stairs, windows, doors, showers/tubs) will not have dimensions displayed on them directly for readability reasons. In Encircle’s quick editor, you can draw measurement lines on the elements you want, as the graphics displayed on the floor plan are intended to be dimensionally accurate.

If you import your floor plan into Xactimate for an instant Xactimate Sketch file, small exterior wall and all interior wall measurements will be available.

 

Does Encircle Floor Plan capture ceiling height?

Encircle Floor Plan currently defaults ceiling height to 8 feet. However, you can modify it through the quick editor or in your Xactimate sketch. We understand the importance of capturing ceiling height for accurate estimating and equipment calculations, and are working to add ceiling height detection into our solution.

 

Can I create individual room sketches from a floor plan?

Yes, you can use the Encircle Floor Plan tool to create individual room sketches. Users can also use these room sketches to create moisture maps for water jobs in Encircle Hydro.

 

Can I mark up/annotate my floor plan?

Yes! Once you use your floor plan to create individual room sketches or moisture maps, you can use our sketch tools to mark certain areas, enter moisture points, or place equipment.

 

I'm already getting 3D dollhouses made up. Why do I need this?

3D models are a nice-to-have for marketing, not a must-have for creating accurate estimates that will pass carrier scrutiny. Encircle Floor Plan works on every job and gives you accurate measurements to get your estimates started and get you paid faster. No need to check a criteria list to see if a property warrants Matterporting or DocuSketching. Plus, save time and money by not having to purchase or train your team on using that fancy gear.

Combining Encircle Floor Plan with 4 overview photos per room provides a great overview of the property with no extra effort. Plus, take advantage of video in Encircle to help tell the story of the loss, provide additional context that can't be captured in photos alone, and build a solid estimate. Learn more about leveraging video in your scopes here.

 

Can I use Encircle Floor Plan in offline mode (if I don't have service or an internet connection)? 

Yes! Encircle Floor Plan lets you complete a scan/capture of a property, even in Offline Mode. You will not be able to submit your scan for processing into a floor plan until you regain connection. Depending on the scan video's size, it may take longer to sync to our server than photos or other data you captured while offline. Encircle will deliver your floor plan within 6 hours of you submitting your scan for processing.

 

While in offline mode, how much storage will the scan take up on my mobile device before it syncs?

The size of the scan video file varies depending on the job and the device you use to capture. Here is the average size of the scan, based on device type, as a reference:

  • iOS (non-LiDAR): 23MB/min
  • iOS (LiDAR): 37MB/min
  • Android: 14MB/min

 

Will I be able to get an accurate floor plan if I'm in a low-light environment?

Like other 360 and 3D scanning solutions, decent lighting is important to capture an accurate scan of a property. If you are using an iPhone that has LiDAR, lighting will be less of an issue for your scans.

If you are concerned about lighting for the property you want to scan, we recommend opening all blinds in the scanning area to let in as much natural light as possible. For spaces with no windows, or if you are working in the dark, we recommend using an auxiliary light, like a Lume Cube.

 

Can I use Encircle Floor Plan on any size job?

Encircle Floor Plan can absolutely be used for any job you may encounter. We designed this product and our pricing model so that it could be used as part of a restorer's day 1 routine on site.

For properties larger than 10,000 sq ft, we recommend performing multiple scans to keep each capture below 10,000 sq ft. This will ensure your scans are processed properly and that you receive them within the 6-hour time window.

 

Will my floor plan be automatically pulled into my Encircle reports?

Yes, the Encircle Floor Plan will be displayed in Encircle PDF reports. If you use part of the floor plan for room sketches or use it as a moisture map within Hydro, those will also be captured in your report, the same way sketches and moisture maps are displayed today.

 

What device/operating system do I need to use Encircle Floor Plan?

Encircle Floor Plan can be used on ANY iOS or Android device that meets the minimum Operating System (OS) requirements, including tablets!

The minimum OS requirements are: iOS 18 and Android 10. Most, if not all, Android and iOS devices from the past 3 years meet this minimum OS requirement. However, your scan accuracy increases to 97% if you use an iPhone with LiDAR (our typical scan accuracy is 95%).

Go here to see a list of supported devices.

 

Can I use my floor plan in Xactimate?

You sure can! Encircle’s Xactimate Integration allows you to import your floor plan for an instant Xactimate sketch, without any tracing. That means you can go from field capture to an Xactimate sketch in under 6 hours!

Alternatively, you can also use the underlay feature in Xactimate to trace over your floor plan image (no integration required).

 

Can I use the video from my floor plan for photos, contents, or my video scope?

Once you submit your scan video for processing, you can no longer access it in your Encircle file. This video focuses on where the floor meets the wall within properties, has a low frame rate, and has no audio, making it less than ideal for your overall claim documentation.

We recommend recording a video scope using the video feature in Encircle, where you can narrate your initial assessment and indicate the anticipated scope. This will be a much more useful form of video documentation, with higher resolution and expert commentary.

 

Can I use Encircle Floor Plan to capture property exteriors?

Encircle Floor Plan is intended for interior floor plans.

 

Can I get floor plans with metric or imperial measurements?

You bet! Measurements are available in metric (meters and centimeters) or imperial (feet and inches). The floor plan will be returned with metric or imperial measurements based on your app’s user preferences at the time the property was scanned.

 

Will the scan capture framing or walls that are damaged/have exposed studs?

Yes. In our testing, we have been able to produce floor plans after demo, with damaged walls and exposed studs. While it can work with any phone, we recommend using an iPhone Pro device with LiDAR to help to ensure we can process scans with damaged or exposed studs.

 

Can my Encircle Floor Plan be imported into Symbility?

Yes! Symbility allows you to import your Encircle Floor Plan file to use as a base for your sketch.

 

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