Not Using LiDAR Tech Yet? Here’s Why You Should
Create accurate, customizable floor plans lightning fast with the power of this new scanning technology
Every now and then, a new technology offers so many proven benefits to save time and effort — and wow clients — that it’s practically a no-brainer to adopt it. LiDAR tech, combined with Houzz Pro’s 3D Floor Planner tool, is exactly that. Even if you’re reluctant to adopt new technology, this one is worth it. Here we’ll explain all about LiDAR technology and how it can completely transform the way designers and builders create floor plans.
What Is LiDAR? Where Can I Use it?
Short for “light detection and ranging,” LiDAR is an optical technology that uses eye-safe laser beams to collect measurements. The light bounces off objects and returns to the sensor, which calculates distance based on the amount of time it takes for the light to return.
For designers and builders, LiDAR can render a space and its components in 3D. It’s also used for things like sensing distance in autonomous vehicles. Even NASA and weather-monitoring agencies are already harnessing its capabilities!
You might already be using Houzz Pro’s Floor Planner to create 2D and immersive 3D designs for your home design or home improvement business. If you are, you can take full advantage of LiDAR’s possibilities. Simply scan a well-lit room slowly using the Houzz Pro app on your LiDAR-enabled mobile device, capturing every angle. In real time, this will automatically (yes, automatically!) create a floor plan complete with key measurements. Then you can adjust your floor plan however you like on your computer using the Floor Planner. For instance, keep all or some of the furniture and appliances, or add your own or other elements. It’s the easiest way possible to create a 3D design…all you have to do is scan with your device to start building a model of what the client’s space will look like!
Watch our video tutorial below.
5 Reasons to Use LiDAR for Floor Plans
- You can save lots of time on every floor plan you create. “With my prior design software, it would take me hours to build what I am building in minutes with Houzz Pro,” says general contractor Lanny Woods of Wire Works in Colorado. “I can go into a client’s house and do a LiDAR scan [using the Houzz Pro app] and within minutes have a plan [on my computer] that I can build out further.”
- Minimizes miscalculations associated with manual measurement or inputting errors.
- Gives you a competitive advantage, potentially increasing your “win” rate for landing projects. Why? Because you can wow clients by creating a floor plan in front of their eyes, and because the turnaround to provide a bid can be so much faster. “I really love the LiDAR room scan — my customers were blown away,” Woods says. Using the 3D Floor Planner [with LiDAR] in the sales cycle sets me apart from competition and makes me appear more professional. Most of my competitors don’t have these visualizations available…. I can see my win rates increasing over time."
- Integrates beautifully with the 3D Floor Planner, which allows the client to quickly visualize a space and a design. “If people can’t visualize it, they can’t quite connect with it,” Woods says. “Having a 3D floor plan when we start the project makes sure everyone involved is on the same page. It gives us all a base to start from, and my clients are much happier than they may have been otherwise.”
- It’s easy. All you have to do is slowly scan a room using your LiDAR-enabled device and Houzz Pro.
Which Devices Work With LiDAR and Houzz Pro?
The following Apple devices are equipped with LiDAR and can be used with the Houzz Pro app.
- iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max
- iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max
- iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max
- iPad Pro fourth generation or newer
Don’t Have a LiDAR-Equipped Device?
If you’re still using an older iPhone or iPad that won’t work with this new technology, consider that the typical upgrade time frame for an iPhone is three years. So if you’re still using an iPhone 11 or an outdated iPad, you’re likely past due for an upgrade — and the newer versions have better cameras (a boon for taking project photos and videos) and other added features. Consider it a great business investment, because scanning spaces with LiDAR-equipped devices creates floor plans that are significantly more accurate than those scanned without LiDAR-equipped devices, such as Android and non-pro versions of iOS devices. And it’s much faster and more convenient.
Take a giant leap for your business and see how LiDAR with Houzz Pro’s 3D Floor Planner can help you save time and effort, impress clients and potentially win more projects.

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