Core - Measurement (L2) Flashcards
What Professional Statement did the RICS release to incorporate the International Property Measurement Standards?
RICS Property Measurement, 2018
What was the aim of RICS Property Measurement, 2018?
Establish consistencies in property measurement to be adopted by governments and industry on a global basis
Which IPMS measuring practices were adopted in RICS Property Measurement, 2018?
Offices and residential properties
What are RICS members encouraged to do until IPMS becomes embedded into market practice?
Report on a dual basis
Are you aware of anything that was published recently in relation to IPMS?
IPMS All Buildings, 2023
For what types of property is adoption of IPMS mandatory?
When reporting on residential and office space, unless the client provides a written instruction to use an alternative
What are the general principles of RICS Property Measurement, 2018?
All RICS members and RICS regulated firms must comply with the following requirements and retain the following information on file or in their report::
- purpose of the measurement instruction
- date of the measurement instruction
- date of measurement
- measurement standard adopted
- if IPMS is not used, document the reason for departure
- measurement methodology adopted (e.g. laser measurer or tape measure)
- scale of any plans used
- floor area schedule with relevant areas cross- referenced to floorplans
- unit of measurement and conversion factor, if applicable (e.g. square feet to square metres) and
- name of the RICS member and/or RICS regulated firm responsible for the instruction.
When did Property Measurement 2018 become effective?
1st May 2018
When is IPMS 1 - Offices used? What method of measurement does it most closely correspond to?
Planning – basis of measurement for planning applications and approvals, site coverage
GEA
When is IPMS 2 - Offices used? What method of measurement does it most closely correspond to?
Costings – a method of measurement for a basis of calculating building costs and reinstatement costs.
GIA
When is IPMS 3 - Offices used? What method of measurement does it most closely correspond to?
Agency, valuation and taxation
NIA
What does IPMS 1 - Offices include and exclude?
Measures the area of a building including external walls on a floor-by-floor basis
Include but state separately:
• Covered galleries and balconies
• Generally accessible roof terraces
Exclude:
• Upper void of an atrium
• Open external stairwell
• Patios, refuse areas, external parking at ground level
What does IPMS 2 - Offices include and exclude?
the sum of the areas of each floor level of an office building measured to the internal dominant face and reported on a component-by-component basis for each floor of a building.
Include but state separately:
• Covered galleries and balconies
• Generally accessible roof terraces
Exclude:
• Upper void of an atrium
• Open external stairwell
• Patios, refuse areas, external parking at ground level
What does IPMS 3 - Offices include and exclude?
Measures the floor area of an office available on an exclusive basis to an occupier but excluding the standard facilities and shared circulation areas. Measured to the Internal Dominant Face
Include but state separately:
• Covered galleries and balconies and roof top terraces in exclusive use
Exclude:
• Standard facilities providing shared or common facilities such as stairs, lifts, motor rooms, WCs, cleaners’ cupboards, plant rooms etc.
What are the differences between IPMS 3 and NIA?
Perimeter measurements are taken to the ‘Internal Dominant Face’
• No exclusions for restricted height of less than 1.5m
• All columns are included
• Area occupied by the reveals of a window when measured and assessed as the IDF are included
• On floors with multiple occupants, the area is taken to the midpoint of the partition wall between tenancies
• Covered galleries and balconies for the exclusive use of one tenant are included and stated separately
What are the THREE IPMS standards for measuring residential buildings?
- IPMS 1 - Residential: External
- IPMS 2 - Residential (Internal): Internal area of the building
- IMPS 3 - Residential (Occupier): the occupation of the building on an exclusive basis to an occupier
What are the THREE sub-areas of IPMS 3 Residential?
- IPMS 3A: measurement to the outer face of the external wall and centre-line of shared walls
- IPMS 3B: measurement of the area in exclusive occupation, including internal walls and columns, measured to the IDF
- IPMS 3C: measurement of the area in exclusive occupation, excluding the walls and columns, measured to the IDF
What document should you refer to when measuring retail and industrial property?
RICS guidance note Code of Measuring Practice, 2015
When would you use GEA as a basis of measurement?
- Town planning
- Council tax valuations
- Building cost estimates for houses
When would you use GIA as a basis of measurement?
- Industrial/warehouses, retail warehouses and food stores:
• Estate agency
• Rating
• Valuation - Building cost estimates for commercial assets
- New homes valuations
- Property management
When would you use NIA as a basis of measurement?
Shops/Offices:
* Estate agency
* Rating
* Valuation
* Property management
When you’re measuring industrial / retail warehouses on a GIA basis, what do you include and exclude?
Include:
• Columns
• Lift wells
• Mezzanines with permanent access
• Loading bay
Exclude:
• Canopies
• Fire escapes
• Covered ways
On what basis would you measure ancillary office space contained within a warehouse?
GIA
When measuring a shop unit that is fitted out with full height partitioning by the tenant, what are some of the methods you can use to estimate the actual built width of the shop?
- Remove a ceiling tile
- Try and get behind the partitioning
- Inspect the basement or first floor to see actual built width
- Scale from floor plans (having undertaken some on-site check measurements)
What is excluded in a Net Internal Area (NIA) measurement?
- WCs
- Plant and lift rooms
- Stairwells
- Meter and service cupboards and service risers
- Areas less than 1.5m in height
- Cleaners rooms
- Permanent circulation areas
- Space occupied by permanent, continuous air conditioning, heating or cooling apparatus if the space it occupies is rendered substantially unusable or it protrudes more 0.25m or more into a usable area
- Areas rendered substantially unusable with a dimension between opposite faces of less than 0.25m
- Measurements should be taken to the glazing for full height glazing unless elements of the window structure or design render the space substantially unusable
What is the internal eaves height?
The clear height between the floor and the lowest point on the underside of the roof e.g. at the eaves
What is the site depth?
The measurement from the front to rear boundaries
What is the built depth?
The maximum external measurement from the front to rear walls
What is the gross frontage for a shop?
The overall external measurement in a straight line across the front of the building from the outside of the external wall or the centre line of the party walls
What is the net frontage for a shop?
The overall frontage of the shop line measured between the internal face of the external walls
What could be used to measure the boundaries whilst on site?
Trundle wheel
How accurate do measurements have to be?
Table of Tolerances are set out in Appendix A of Property Measurement 2018
When carrying out measured building surveys, net area surveys and valuation surveys, an accuracy of ±25mm is required
What is a commonly used scale for a building plan?
1:100
What is a commonly used scale for a street plan?
1:1250
What is a commonly used scale for a location plan?
1:2500
What is a commonly used scale for a road map?
1:50,000
What are commonly used measuring tools?
- Tape measure
- Rod
- Laser device
- Trundle wheel (used for measuring land)
How do you check the accuracy of your laser measuring device?
Check a known distance and record the measurements in a log
Send devices to be calibrated at least quarterly or if accuracy begins to deteriorate
How do you measure land?
Check the boundaries accurately on site with an OS plan and/or land registry title document, prior to calculating the area using Promap. You could also use a trundle wheel onsite.
Define ‘Common Facilities’
Shared facilities within a building that will likely remain unchanged such as stairs, escalators, cleaners cupboards etc
Define ‘Component Area’
Extent at ground level, covered by roofing, to the outermost structural extension of the building. Similar to GIA.
Define ‘Component’
An element in which the floor area can be divded. E.g. a room.
Define ‘Finished surface’
Wall surface directly above the wall-floor junction, ignoring any skirting or trunking
Define ‘Internal Dominant Face (IDF)’
Inside finished surface comprising more than 50% of the floor to ceiling height for each IDF wall section
Define ‘Internal Dominant Face (IDF) Wall Section’
Internal finish of an External Wall, ignoring any adjoining structural columns that protrude or recess
Define ‘Limited use area’
An area incapable of effective occupation due to either:
* Lack of natural light
* Legal restriction
* Practical restriction e.g. height
Must be states separately under IPMS
Define ‘Useable Floor Area’
Part of the floor that can be considered useable for any sensible purpose
Submission: Level One
Why would a pharmacy be measured on a NIA basis?
Pharmacies are usually within shops, which Code of Measuring Practice states should be measured on a NIA basis for valuation and marketing purposes.
Submission: Level Two
Why would a hotel be measured on a GIA basis?
Code of Measuring Practice states that, where applicable, all leisure assets should be measured using GIA. This is because a leisure property could be subject to the requirements of several different bodies (e.g. licensing) where different areas need to be treated differently - therefore GIA is most appropriate.
Submission: Level One
When measuring rooms using scaled drawings, what was the scale that was on the plan?
1:50 for rooms
1:100 for the building
Submission: Level Two
What are the zone depths in England and Scotland?
England: 6.1m
Scotland: 9.14m
Submission: Level Two
When you measured the retail unit in Edinburgh what did you include/exclude as part of NIA?
I included everything to the internal perimeter wall at basement and ground level, ignoring any non-structural partitions.
I excluded the toilets at basement level, the stairwell and the area underneath the stairwell that was less than 1.5m. I also exluded the structural columns at ground floor level.
Submission: Level Two
When you measured the steel frame building in Aberdeen why did you decide it was appropriate to measure on a GIA basis?
Code of Measuring Practice states that, where applicable, all leisure assets should be measured using GIA. This is because a leisure property could be subject to the requirements of several different bodies (e.g. licensing) where different areas need to be treated differently - therefore GIA is most appropriate.
Submission: Level Two
When you measured the steel frame building in Aberdeen what did you include and exclude as part of GIA?
I included everything to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level.
I excluded the fire escapes and the voids over the central stairwells
Submission: Level Two
When you measured the steel frame building in Aberdeen you state that you checked the measurements of the floorplans. Were you able to confirm the accuracy? How did you determine what would be a satisfactory level of accuracy?
The check measurements were 1-2% different relative to the floorplans. I felt this was sufficient when considering the purpose of the measurement given the recommendation in the Code of measuring practice.
Ultimately, we were valuing the Property on its trading potential, with an MVSA vacant possession value also. Through measurement on a GIA basis, I would be able to establish a capital rate per sq ft value to compare to recent VP sales of other leisure Properties in the vicinity.
