APC - Measurement

Question 1

What professional standard did the RICS release to incorporate IPMS?

Answer 1

RiCS property measurement 2018

Question 2

What measurement guides are out there?

Answer 2

1. RICS COMP 2015 6th Ed
2. RICS Property Measurement 2018 2nd Ed
3. IPMS eff Jan 23
4. VOA COMP 1991

Question 3

What is the general basis of measurement

Answer 3

Shops - NIA
Office - NIA
Industrial- GIA

Question 4

Why do we not use IPMS for rating?

Answer 4

1. Not anough indication that general market has adopted this method as first choice
2. Task to large for VO to convert everything over
3. Although IPMS is mandatory DCLG (the VOA’s client) has requested that measurements for both NDR and CT are done based on the code of measuring practice 2007. On DVS IPMS has been adopted unless specifically not requested by the client.

Question 5

What is GEA and NIA/GIA?

Answer 5

GEA
Area of building measured externally. Excl. Fire escapes
GIA
Whole enclosed area of a building within the external wall face taking each floor into account excluding the external wall thickness.
NIA
Usable area within a building measured to the internal wall finish of the perimeter/party walls (ignoring skirts) taking each floor into account

Question 6

What does GIA include/exclude?

Answer 6

Includes:
1.Structural/non structural walls
2. Serviced accommodation like wc, change rooms and showers
3. Pillars, columns, posts
4. Lift romms/stairwells and plant rooms
5. Open sided covered areas

Excludes
For VO area now 1.5m
1. Balconies
2. Open fire escapes
3. Open vechile parking areas
4. Area under ctrl of external services
5. External wall thickness

Question 7

What does NIA include/exclude?

Answer 7

Excludes pretty much everything GIA includes apart from non structural walls.
Cleaners cupboards
Areas used in common circulation with other occ’s
Areas used for permanent fire access
Areas used by aircon/htg
Basically Excludes anything that cannot be used in direct connection with the businesses

Question 8

What is Zoning?

Answer 8

Approach to measurement not a valuation method. Does however alter how we collect information when measuring/valuing for e.g if pillar is in part zone a.

Zoning of shops assumes most valuable area of shop is front sales area, nearest to main customer area and display. The value of zone reduces further you move back from shops frontage. Standard depth is 6.1 meters.

Question 9

What tools would you use when measuring?

Answer 9

Laser
Tape measure
Trundle wheel
Electronic Mapping software

Question 10

What are the various scales when measuring?

Answer 10

Scale is a ratio of length in a drawing.
1:50 room
1:100 building
1:1250 street plan
1:2500 site location
1:50,000 road/walking map

Question 11

What is a building line?

Answer 11

The line within or coinciding with the property line, beyond which is illegal to build

Question 12

Conversion
Hectare / Acre
Meter / ft

Answer 12

1 hectare=2.471
Acre/2.471

1m2 = 10.7639 sft
Conversion = m2 x 10.764

Question 13

How many hectare in 1 acre

Answer 13

0.4

Question 14

What is accuracy of a laser?

Answer 14

Within 1.5mm to 200mm. Sunlight can distort measurements

Question 15

What is Gross/net frontage?

Answer 15

GROSS
Overall external width measured in a straight line across front of building, from the outside of external walls or centre line of party walls.
NET
Overall frontage of shop line measured between internal face of the external walls

Question 16

What is internal eaves height?

Answer 16

Clear height between floor and lowest point of the underside of the roof I.e at the eaves

Question 17

What is site/build depth?

Answer 17

Site depth: measurement from front to rear boundaries
Build depth: maximum external measurement

Question 18

What is shop depth?

Answer 18

Measure from notional display window to rear of retail area including thickness of display window

Question 19

What was the aim of RICS Property Measurement 2018?

Answer 19

Establish clearer consistency in property measurement to be globaly adopted within the industry

Question 20

What are the general principles of RICS property measurement 2018

Answer 20

1. Advise client of benefits to adopt IPMS
2. Document reason for not adopting IPMS
3. State measurement methodology/adopted
4. Ensure measurement calculations are clearly documented.

Question 21

Accuracy of measurement?

Answer 21

Code states between 1/10%

Question 22

What is internal dominant face?

Answer 22

Inside surface area comprising more than 50% of lowest 2.75m measured vertically from the structural floor or ceiling if lower. THIS IS FOR EACH WALL SECTION. if this does not occur then the finished surface is deemed the IDF

Question 23

Define the measurements under IPMS

Answer 23

IPMS 1 =GEA used for development/planning appraisal
IPMS 2 = Like GIA Used for industrials but measured to IDF. WARNING Excludes window reveals
IPMS 3 like NIA but measured to notional boundry. Exclusive occupation within multi occ building. Measured to notional boundry. For office/flats
IPMS 3.1 Inc. External wall thickness
IPMS 3.2 EXCLUSIVE external wall thickness
IPMS 4 [IPMS 3 was exclusive occ] select area and is like GIA but measured to finish surface.
IPMS 4.1 Inc pillars and columns
IPMS 4.2 Exc. Pillars columns etc

Question 24

L2 examples

Answer 24

Chorlton Office (Wilbraham Road)
Upon receiving a request to enter an office into the 2023 rating list following a full refurbishment, i re-measured it to NIA, ensuring to exclude chimmneys etc. I drew a plan onsite and concurred nothing had changed since the last inspection. Once completed, i updated the VOA records a filed a report with the relevant caseworker.

**Retail - Arndale Centre **
I measured a new retail unit in the Arndale Centre for rating purposes. Measuring to NIA, I focused on the usable areas, excluding non-relevant spaces such as staff toilets and staircases. I also zoned the premises to 6.1m ITZA for comparison purposes and noted two pillars situated in parts of Zone A and Zone B. I documented all value significant factors, created a scaled floor plan, recorded my findings on the VOA’s inspection template, and updated the agency’s records accordingly.

**Stockport Industrial (lab) ** Upon receiving a request from the BA to verify the measurements and survey data for an industrial premises, I scheduled and conducted a site visit. I performed a full risk assessment and ensured compliance with PPE requirements. After re-taking full GIA measurements of the unit, I confirmed that our current survey records were accurate and updated the BA accordingly

Question 25

Diff between IPMS 3 and NIA

Answer 25

Measured to notional boundary
Don’t exclude area below 1.5m
Inc. Columns
Multi occ area taken to middle point wall

Question 26

How to calibrate a Laser?

Answer 26

Follow LECIA guidance
Annual calibration test
1. Measure a point which has already been measured by calibrated device
2. Total of 10 measurements are taken after which a means average is taken and must be within 2mm

Question 27

What is IPMS?

Answer 27

Stands for International Property Measurement Standards

Formed in 2013 and has a coalition of 80 global professional organisations.

Targets industry sectors such as Office, resi, retail

IMPS all Buildings Jan 2023 now supersedes all previous standards.

Question 28

Explain the recent IPMS updates?

Answer 28

IPMS all buildings Jan 2023 supersedes previous versions

1. Shorter/concise format
2. clear definitions
3. organised into 4 groups
4. push to be accepted globally

Question 29

What is a scale?

Answer 29

It is the ratio of the length in a drawing to the length of the real thing. E.g. 1:10 anything with a size of 1 in the drawing would have a size of 10 in the real work.