Measurement

Question 1

Tell me about your understanding of RICS Property Measurement.

Answer 1

It is a professional statement, effective from May 2018, it applies to both residential and commerical properties, the key change was to include IPMS for residential dwellings, it’s in 2 parts, Professional statement: Property measurement and part 2: IPMS data standard

Question 2

When would you use NIA as a measurement basis?

Answer 2

It’s the usable area of a building so typcially it would be used in a commercial office setting when looking at a rental valuation

Question 3

When would you use GIA as a measurement basis?

Answer 3

It could be when measuring a flat for a valuation or reinstatement costs

Question 4

When would you use GEA as a measurement basis?

Answer 4

When you are needing to obtain the overall size of a property, measured on the exterior of the building.

It could be when measuring the total size of the building for an EPC

Question 5

Tell me about what is included in NIA/GIA/GEA?

Answer 5

Net Internal Area (NIA) is broadly the usable area within a building measured to the face of the internal finish of perimeter or party walls ignoring skirting boards and taking each floor into account. Broadly speaking the whole enclosed area of a building within the external walls taking each floor into account and excluding the thickness of the external walls. Gross external area (GEA) is the area taken to the outside face of the external walls of a building. It’s used when assessing areas for planning application purposes. Gross internal area (GIA) is the area taken to the inside face of the external walls of a building. So it includes the area of the internal walls.

Question 6

What measurement basis would you use for office property?

Answer 6

IPMS Office

Usually IPMS 3, but could be IPMS 2

Question 7

What measurement basis would you use for industrial property?

Answer 7

IPMS 3A - Industrial IPMS 3B - Industrial

Question 8

What measurement basis would you use for retail property?

Answer 8

IPMS 2 - Retail & IPMS 3 - Retail

Question 9

How does RICS Property Measurement differ from the old Code of Measuring Practice?

Answer 9

It has been updated to include IPMS Residential Dwellings

Question 10

Why is accuracy important when you measure buildings?

Answer 10

Because the information is relied upon for a number of reasons, notably financial decisions which can have a big impact on clients and the decisions that they make

Question 11

Tell me about how you use floor plans to facilitate measuring buildings?

Answer 11

I use it as a guide when doing it, to ensure that I have a measurement for each relevant surface, it also makes it easier when dividing up spaces for calculations

Question 12

How do you calibrate a laser measurer?

Answer 12

Take a measurement against a known distance

Question 13

Why do you take check measurements?

Answer 13

To ensure that the measurer is accurate, so that your outputs are also accurate

Question 14

Tell me about a strength and weakness of a measuring technique you have used.

Answer 14

Using a laser as the accuracy can depend on the surface you are measuring to, if the disto is level & if it’s out of calibration.

The strength is that they can be accurate when done right and are a great time saving device

Question 15

When would you use a tape measure?

Answer 15

Taking smaller measurments like window reveals or where I can’t get a decent surface for the laser

Question 16

When would you use a trundle wheel?

Answer 16

For larger areas, I have used them externally, or when a straight line measurement is needed

Question 17

What is a potential source of error when measuring?

Answer 17

Incorrect placement of the device, slumping in the tape, disto is at an angle, trundle wheel not in full contact with the floor

Question 18

What is IPMS?

Answer 18

International Property Measurement Standards, it’s the measurement bible and the standards to be used when measuring property

Question 19

Why has IPMS been introduced?

Answer 19

To ensure that property was measured in a consistent way, ensuring standards and trust in the profession

Question 20

Which IPMS standards are adopted by RICS?

Answer 20

IPMS 1, 2 & 3 - Measurement of offices & IMPS 1, 2 & 3 Measurement of Residential dwellings

Question 21

What is dual reporting and when would you use it?

Answer 21

It’s when 2 standards or measurement are used. So when IPMS must be used but a client asks for another standard then dual reporting should be used.

Question 22

What is IPMS1/2/3 (a, b and c) and when are these used?

Answer 22

They are the basis of measurement, IPMS 1 is similar to GEA, IMPS 2 is similar to GIA, IPMS 3 is divided into a, b & c - a is GEA of area of exclusive accomodation, b is GIA and the measurement of internal walls, c is EFA is internal measurement, excluding internal walls

Question 23

How do they differ to their former Code equivalents?

Answer 23

Measurements for IPMS 2 are taken to the IDF, with a definition of what the IDF is. IDF is a new concept added for this

Question 24

What are limited use areas and how do you report these?

Answer 24

It depends on market to market what consistutes a limited use area, however they are areas of a building which are incapable of occupation due to local or national legislation, such as no windows, low ceiling heights

Question 25

What is the internal dominant face?

Answer 25

The internal dominant face (IDF) is the inside finished surface comprising more than 50% of the floor to ceiling height for each IDF wall section. If such does not occur, then the finished surface is deemed to be the IDF.

Question 26

What other IPMS standards have been published or consulted on?

Answer 26

There has been a recent consultation on IPMS All Building Asset Classes which ran until March 2021, there are also IPMS standards for retail and industrial buildings, there is also IPMS 4a & 4b for facilities managers measuring a part of a building

Question 27

Have the other IPMS been incorporated into Property Measurement?

Answer 27

Not by the RICS at this time but following the consultation the probably will be

Question 28

When is this likely to happen?

Answer 28

The consultation closed in March 2021, it will be incorporated when the new RICS Property Measurment Standards are published but I am not aware of a date for this

Question 29

What RICS guidance relates to the measurement of land?

Answer 29

There is the RICS Guidance Note, Land Measurement for planning and development purposes May 2021 & the International Land Measurement Standard, Due Diligence for Land and Real Property Surveying

Question 30

How does a theodolite help ensure accurate measurements?

Answer 30

The method of setting up helps ensure that it is level and directly above the survey point, plus the internal optical device makes reading circles more accurate than other devices, can be used on flat ground or slopes and still be accurate

Question 31

How do you use a theodolite to set out a construction site?

Answer 31

It is placed over a control point with known coordinates, it’s pointed to another known control point to orient it to north, the distances and bearings from the control point to the points which need setting out are then located and fixed with pegs, these can then be checked

Question 32

How do you calibrate a trundle wheel?

Answer 32

I would measure it against a know distance, ideally a metre, setting it off at the start against a pin, rolling it forward to another pin

Question 33

How do you ensure that you present your measurements clearly and coherently?

Answer 33

I take the time to draw a site plan which can be large enough to be easily read, and use a simple system to denote which surface is being measured

Question 34

Describe your role completing EPCs.

Answer 34

I was responsible for producing them prior to the property being let. I would check system notes, visit the property, draw a site plan, measure the property either with a GIA or GEA basis depending on the property type, using either a tape or disto, measure the window reveals using a tape and then calculate the square meterage for the property, noting it all down, including the calculations

Question 35

Belmont Close, Huddersfield, talk me through how you measured the GIA.

Answer 35

It was a flat so measuring the external faces was not possible. Therefore, using a disto I measured the interior of the property, noting my readings on a hand drawn site plan, using front to back and side to side measurements

Question 36

Tower blocks, Gipton, Leeds, how did you use the trundle wheel/laser device/tape measure to measure the concrete paving?

Answer 36

I climbed up a few floors of the block to take pictures and drawn a sketch plan of the area, then divided it up into areas, using the trundle wheel to measure the larger areas and a total external area. Then used a tape for smaller areas and the disto for speed is measuring towards a solid surface

Question 37

How did your measurements support your viability study?

Answer 37

They gave an area of the paving, which I then used to compare to SOR rates for patch repairing the paving and SOR rates for removal and replacement of the slabs with tarmac

Question 38

How did you ensure the accuracy of your measurements?

Answer 38

I measured twice and used the tape to confirm some of the measurements where I’d used the trundle wheel

Question 39

Manor Farm Drive, Leeds, how did you use your measurements to calculate the square meter area to be replastered?

Answer 39

I squared out the area, then used the tape to take the dimensions of the exterior of the patches

Question 40

What changes are due to the IPMS

Answer 40

The suggestion is that All Buildings will replace asset specific requirements so the standards will apply to all buildings, it'll be IMPS 1 & 2 for whole buildings, 3 for areas in exclusive occupation by the occupier and 4 for selected areas
IPMS 1 - External Measurement
IPMS 2 - Internal Measurement
IPMS 3.1 - External Exclusive Use
IPMS 3.2 - Internal Exclusive Use
IPMS 4.1 - Including Internal Walls
IPMS 4.2 - Excluding Internal Walls

Question 41

You’ve read the RICS Professional Statement: RICS Property Measurement, 2nd Edition January 2018, how is it structured?

Answer 41

Application for this statement
Technical Definitions
IPMS Office as applied in the RICS professional statement
IPMS Residential applied in the RICS professional statement