Measurement Flashcards
What is the RICS Professional Statement for measurement?
RICS Property Measurement (2nd Ed.) January 2018 (incorporating the International Property Measurement Standards)
When did it come into effect?
May 2018
What was the purpose of issuing this professional statement?
Aimed at establishing consistencies within property measurement to be adopted by governments and the industry on a global basis
If a client asks you to measure of NIA, should you only measure on that basis?
Not necessarily, Members are encouraged to measure and report on a dual basis, until IPMS is embedded into market practice.
When is it mandatory to measure on IPMS?
Mandatory for all RICS members when measuring office and residential buildings (Unless you receive written instructions from the client)
What are the requirements to comply with RICS measurement?
1) Provide a date when the measurement is taken
2) State the measuring methodology adopted
3) Provide the reference and scale of any plans used
4) State the conversion factor from metric/imperial and any rounding
4) measurements and calculations must be clearly documented
5) Retain a record of the RICS member responsible to certify the above
Key Definition: Common Facilities
Key Definition: Component Area
Key Definition: Finished Surface
Key Definition: Internal Dominant Face (IDF)
The inside finished surface comprising more than 50% of the floor to ceiling height for each IDF wall section.
Key Definition: IDF Wall Section
Key Definition: Limited Use Area
Key Definition: Useable Floor Area
In terms of Offices, when would you use IPMS 1?
For planning or building costs purposes
(GEA)
In terms of Offices, when would you use IPMS 2?
For Agency and Valuation purposes (effectively GEA)
In terms of Offices, when would you use IPMS 2?
For Agency and Valuation purposes (effectively GIA)
In terms of Offices, when would you use IPMS 3?
Also for Agency and Valuation Purposes (effectively NIA)
IPMS 1 definition
Used for measuring the area of a building including external walls on a floor by floor basis
IPMS 2 definition
Used for measuring the interior of an office to include all areas available for direct uses, measured to the ‘Internal Dominant Face’ of the wall on a floor by floor basis in ‘component areas’
IPMS 3 definition
Used for measuring the occupation of floor areas in exclusive use using same assumptions as IPMS2.
Measured to the IDF on a floor by floor basis
Using the floor area available on an exclusive basis to an occupier.
What measurements are INCLUDED, but stated separately, in IPMS 1
- Covered galleries
- Balconies
- Generally accessible roof terraces
(GEA did not include galleries and balconies)
What measurements are EXCLUDED, but stated separately, in IPMS 1
- upper void levels of an atrium
- Open External stairwells
- Patios, refuse areas, external parking at ground level.
What measurements are INCLUDED, but stated separately, in IPMS 2
- Covered galleries and balconies
- Generally accessible roof terraces
What measurements are EXCLUDED, but stated separately, in IPMS 2
- Open light wells and upper level voids of an atrium
- Patio and decks at ground floor level
- External parking and equipment yards, cooling equipment and refuse areas
What measurements are INCLUDED, but stated separately, in IPMS 3
- Covered galleries and balconies
- Generally accessible roof terraces
What measurements are EXCLUDED, but stated separately, in IPMS 3
Standard facilities providing shared or common facilities, such as:
- stairs
- lifts
- motor rooms
- WCs
- Cleaners cupboards
- plant rooms
What are the main 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 internal dominant face are included
- On floors with multiple occupiers, 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
When did IPMS come into effect on Residential Buildings?
1st May 2018
What do IPMS 1, 2 & 3 relate to with residential property?
IPMS 1 - External
IPMS 2 - Internal
IPMS 3 - Occupier, exclusive basis to the occupier (Further broken down to 3 sub areas)
How is IPMS 3 broken down further in residential measurement?
IPMS 3A - Measurement to the outer face of the external wall and center line of shared walls
IPMS 3B - Measurement of the area in exclusive occupation, including internal walls and columns, measured to the IDF and finished surface
IPMS 3C - Measurement of the area of exclusive occupation, excluding the walls and columns, measured to the IDF and finished surface
If you are not measuring office or residential, what is the best practice guidance you should refer to?
RICS Code of Measuring Practice 2015
Eg, retail, industrial
What are the bases of measurement contained with the RICS code of measuring practice?
GEA
GIA
NIA
When would you use GEA?
Town planning
council tax valuations
building cost estimates for houses
When would you use GIA?
Estate agency
Rating
Building cost est. for commerical assets
Valuation of industrial/warehouses
Valuation & rating of retail warehouses and food stores
New Homes valuations
What is an approximate way to calculate GIA from GEA?
Approximately a 2-3% deduction from GEA
When would you use NIA?
Same as GIA, but for shops
What is an approximate way to calculate NIA from GIA?
Approximately a 15% deduction from GIA
When measuring an Industrial/Warehouse unit using GIA, what do you INCLUDE?
Columns
Lift Wells
Mezzanines with permanent access
Loading bays
When measuring an Industrial/ Retail Warehouse unit using GIA, what do you EXCLUDE?
Canopies
Fire Escapes
Covered Ways
How would you measure ancillary office within an industrial unit?
Using GIA
If you are measuring a retail unit using NIA, with a full height partition fitted by the tenant, how would you find the full build width?
Remove a ceiling tile
Try to get behind the partition, safely
inspect basement or first floor too
Scale from floor plans, having taken on site check measurements
Take sufficient on site measurements to calculate ITZA
What do you INCLUDE when measuring offices using NIA?
- Atria with clear height above and entrance halls if not used in common area
- Notional lift lobbies and notional fire corridors
- Kitchens
- Built it cupboards and the like occupying usable area
- Ramps, sloping areas and steps within the usable area and stated separately (and pavement vaults)
- Areas occupied by ventilation and heating grilles
- Areas occupied by skirting and perimeter trunking
- Areas occupied by non-structural walls subdividing accommodation in sole occupancy
When measuring offices using NIA, what do you EXCLUDE?
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
There are 2 others….
How would you measure full height glazing in an office using NIA?
the measurement should be taken to the glazing if it is full height, unless elements of the window structure render the space substantially unusable.
Internal Eaves Height Definition
The clear height between the floor and the lowest point on the underside of the roof,
E.g. at the eaves
Site Depth Definition
The measurement from the front to the rear boundaries
Shop Depth Definition
The measurement from the notional display window to the rear of the retail area, including the thickness of the display window
Built Depth Definition
The maximum external measurement from the front to rear walls
Gross Frontage Definition
The overall external measurement in a straight line across the front of the building from the outside of the external walls or the center line of the party walls
Net Frontage Definition
The overall frontage of the shop line measured between the internal face of the external walls
When describing a measurement exercise you have done, what are the key things to rememeber?
The Professional Statement/Code that applies
the Basis of Measurement
What you included
What you excluded
How would you measure land?
One way is that you could check the boundaries accurately on site with an OS plan and/or Land Registry title document, prior to calculating the area using Promap
Alternative option, is you could use a trundle wheel on site
What is a plot ratio?
This is the ratio between the size of the site and the building footprint (GEA)
Also known as site cover
What is the ratio between an Acre and a Hectare
1 Acre = 0.4046 Hectares
What does IPMS say in regard to the accuracy/ tolerance of measurements
That the measurer should state the degree of tolerance reported as a percentage.
And that all measurements are supported by computer generated drawings and verified on site.
What is a building line
A line within or coinciding with, the property line, beyond which it is illegal to build
What are commonly used scales?
1:50 Room plan
1:100 Building plan
1:1250 Street/Location Plan
1:2500 Location Plan
1:50,000 Road/Walking Map
What are some examples of measuring tools?
a Tape
Rod
Laser device (Distometer)
Software, such as Promap
What degree of accuracy do Laser operate within typically?
typically 1.5mm up to 200m
However bright sunlight can distort measurements
How would you check the accuracy of a measurement tool
Against a known distance, and then record the results in a log
Or
In the case of a Distometer/ Laser, have it calibrated by the manufacturer, which should be done annually - and the date of last check should be on the device.
How do you convert sq ft to Sqm and vice versa?
So to go from sq ft to sqm you divide by 10.7639
to go from sqm to sq ft you times by 10.7639,
How to deal with measuring a difficult space?
What is a letter of reliance?
