Measurement Flashcards
Tell me about your understanding of RICS Property Measurement
RICS Property Measurement, 2nd Edition, 2018 → professional statement
Provides techincal definitions and incorporates aspects of the IPMS suite of guidance
Updates the COde of Measuring Practice, 2007 (guidance note)
When would you use NIA as a measurement basis?
Estate Agency and Valuation: Shops, supermarkets, offices, business use
Rating: Rating of shops, supermarkets, offices
Property management; calculation of service charge apportionment
What is NIA and what is included?
Net Internal Area
The useable area within a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level
Includes: atria with clear height above, entranec halls, notional lift lobbies
What is GIA and what does it include?
Gross Internal Area
The are of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter wall at each floor level
Includes:
- Areas with headroom of less than 1.5m
- Areas occupied by internal walls and partitions
- Columns, stairwells, lift wells, lift rooms, plant rooms, fuel rooms
- Mezzanine areas with permanent access
When would you use GIA as a measurement basis?
Building cost estimation - recognised method of measurement for calculating building cost
Etstae Agency Valuation - marketing and valuation of industrial buildings, warehouses, department stores
Rating - Industrial, warehouses, retail warehouses
Property management - calculation of SC apportionment on industrial assets
What is GEA and what does it include?
Gross External Area
The area of a building measured externally at each floor level
Includes:
- Perimeter wall thickness and external elavations
- Areas occupied by internal walls and partitions
- Columns, stair wells, lift wells lift rooms, plant rooms
- Mezzanine areas with permanent access
What is excluded from GEA?
- Open vehicle parking areas
- fire escapes
- canopies
When would you use GEA?
- Town planning
- rating and council tax
- Building cost estimation
What is excluded in GIA?
Canopies
Fire escapes
Perimeter wall thickness
Covered ways
What is excluded in NIA?
- Toilets
- Plant and lift rooms
- Cleaners rooms
- internal columns
What measurement basis would you use for office property?
NIA or IPMS1-3
What measurement basis would you use for industrial property?
GIA
What measurement basis would you use for retail property?
GIA
how does RICS Property Measurement differ from the old code of measuring practice?
Introduces IPMS to avoid current inconsistencies in different countries
Improve global transparency
Replaces the measurement of offices and residential in the RICS Code of Measuring Practice
Why is accuracy important when you measure buildings?
To ensure there are no miscalculations or errors in the later prupose for which the measurement was carries out
→ e.g in rating, building cost, SC apportionment
Tell me how you use floor plans to facilitate measuring buildings?
To help understand layout and plan what should / shouldn’t be included within the measurement
To confirm measurements using scale
How do you calibrate a laser measurer (disto)?
- Establish a constand baseline → easy to access / not long in length. → measure with accurate steel rule
- Place disto on tripod or flat/secure surface and take the measurement from baseline at least 10 times
- Average the values measured and calculate the standard deviation
Why do you take check measurements?
To ensure accuracy of your measurements and equipment
Tell me about strength and weakness of a measuring technique you have used
Disto
Strength: accurate, straight, fast to use
Weakness: Delicate → precise calibration must be maintained. → dropping can cause inaccuracy
When would you use a tape measurer?
To measure small distances
Calibrate disto
Confirm disto measurements
When would you use a trundle wheel?
To measure a plot of land for valuation purpose
What is a potential source of error when measuring?
Human error:
Misreading, unsure what to include/exclude
Equipment error: check / calibrate annually
What is IPMS?
International Property Measurement Standards
Why has IPMS been introduced?
- Avoid current inconsistencies in definitions of measurement in different countries
- Improve global transparency
- Establish consistencies in global property measurement
Which IPMS standards are adopted by RICS?
IPMS for offices and residential
IPMS for industrial and retail drafted in 2018 and 2019 respectively and may be introduced in 3rd edition of RICS Property Measurement
What is dual reporting ?
Measuring to both RICS Property Measurement and RICS Code of Measuring Practice
E.g IPMS 3 and NIA
When would you use dual reporting?
When requested by a Client or if needed as comparables in valuation for properties measured to NIA only.
What is IPMS 1? (offices?
Measures the area of a building including external walls on a floor-by-floor basis
WHat is included in IPMS 1 offices?
stated seperately:
- Covered gallies / internal balconies
- General accessible roof terraces (excldued in GEA)
WHen is IPMS 1 offices used?
For planning or building cost purpose
What is IPMS 1 former cod equivalent?
GEA
What is the difference between IPMS 1 office and GEA?
IPMS 1 includes covered gallies → MUST be stated seperately
IPMS 1 includes accessible roof terraces → MAY be stated seperately
WHat is IPMS 2 offices?
Measure the interior of an office and includes all areas available for direct use → measured to internal dominant face on a floor by floor basis
What is included in IPMS 2 offices?
Stated seperately:
- Covered gallies and balconies
- Generally accessible roof terraces
When is IPMS 2 offices used?
For agency and valuation purposes
What is IPMS 2 former code equivalent?
GIA
WHat is the difference between IPMS 2 office and GIA?
IPMS 2 includes the area occupied by the reveals of windows when measured and assessed as the internal dominant face
Covered gallies / internal balconies included in IPMS 2 but stated seperately
What is IPMS 3 offices?
Used for measuring the occupation of floor areas in exclusive use, excluding standard facilities and share circulation areas
Measured to internal dominant face on a floor by floor basis
What is included in IPMS 3 offices?
Stated seperately:
- Covered gallies / internal balconies
- Generally accessible roof terraces
When is IPMS 3 offices used?
Agency and Valuation
What is IPMS 3 offices former code equivalent?
NIA
What is the difference between IPMS 3 office and NIA?
- Perimeter measurement taken to internal dominant face
- No exclusions for restricted height of less than 1.5m
- All columns included
- Covered gallies for the exclusive use of one tenant included but stated seperately
What is the internal dominant face?
The inside finish surface comprising 50% or more of the surface area for each vertical section forming an internal perimeter
What are the IPMS standards retail?
- IPMS 1 (external)
- IPMS 2 - Retail (internal)
- IPMS 3A - Retail (occupier)
- IPMS 3B - Retail (occupier)
- IPMS 3C - Retail (occupier)
What are the IPMS industrial?
IPMS 1 - External
IPMS 2 - Internal
IPMS 3A - External (Exclusive occupation)
IPMS 3B - Internal (Exclusive Occupation)
What is IPMS 1 Retail & Industrial?
Used for measuring the area of a building including external walls → whole building measurement
When is IPMS 1 Retail and Industrial used?
Planning purposes or the summary costing of development proposals
What does IPMS 1 Retail & Industrial include?
- All areas and walls
- Pillars and enclosed walkways or passages between seperate buildings
What does IPMS 1 Retail & Industrial exclude?
- Temporary structures
- Open lightwells
- Open external stairways that are not integral part of the building (e.g open framework fire escape)
What is IPMS 2 Retail and Industrial?
The total of the areas of each floor level of a building measured to the internal dominant face of all external walls
When is IPMS 2 Retail and Industrial used?
Providing data on the use of space and for benchmarking
→ make direct comparisons between data derived
What does IPMS2 Retail & industrial include?
- All internal areas, including internal walls and pillars
- Internal laoding bays and mezzanines included but stated seperately
- Enclosed void areas (atria) included only at lowest level
What does IPMS 2 Retail & Industrial exclude?
Excluded but to be stated seperately;
- Areas outside the external wall, such as sheltered areas and external loading bays
What is IPMS 3A, 3B, 3C and when are they used?
Used for emasuring teh occupation of floor areas in exclusive use
What are limited use areas and how do you report these?
Allow members to quantify seperately those areas in the relevant IPMS total, such as areas with limited height, where special consideration is needed
They are stated seperately in the calculation if included
What do you know about IPMS for All building Asset Class
Consultation period closed in MArch 2021 and will be published in future
What is the Retail Area?
The retail area of a shop is the NIA
What is the storage area?
The NIA of a shop which does not form part of the retail area whic is used exclusively for storage purposes
What are the Ancillery Areas?
NIA not included in Retail Area and storage area but capable of beneficial use
What is the gross frontage?
The overall external measurement in a straight line accross the front of the building, from the outside of external walls, or the centre line of party walls
What is net frontage?
The overall external frontage on the shop line measured between the internal face of the external wall, or internal face of support column
What is shop width?
Internal width between inside faces of external walls at the front of the shop or other point of reference
What is shop depth?
Measurement from the notional display window to the rear of the retail area
What is building depth?
Maximum external measurement from front to rear walls of a building at ground level
What guidance is there when carrying out measurements?
- Code of Measuring Practice, 2007
- RICS Property MEasurement, 2018 → incorporates IPMS
→ IPMS is mandatory for office measurements as of 1st January 2016
What would you take with you when measuring?
Disto, pencil, paper, ruler, measuring tape
What do you exclude from the measurement of an office building
Varies depending on measurement
→ Exclude columns and areas with height of less than 1.5m → code of measuring pracitce (included in IPMS)
→ Exclude toilets, plant and lift rooms, stairwells, clear cupboards → NIA / IPMS 3
How do you measure an industrial unit with a mezzanine floor and a canopy?
→ The canopy would be excluded
→ Mezzanine floor included if it has permanent access
How would you measure a shop trading on basement, ground and first floor with a large central staircase and return frontage?
I would measure on NIA basis, therefore exclude any tenant fit-out
→ i would also use the zoning technique
What is zoning?
Valuation technique based on halving back principle
How would you value a plot of land for valuation purposes?
I could use an OS plan or promt to carry out a desktop measurement
→ Alternatively, i could use a trundle wheel and walk the boundary of the site
Is the Code of Measuring Practice mandatory for RICS members?
No, it is a guidance note, so only advises best practice
Members are how strongly encouraged to follow it
Would you include gatehouses or plat rooms which are outside of the main building?
→ yes, if a permanent structure
→ fuel tanks not included
→ if unsure always consult Code of Measuring Practice and RICS Property Measurement
How would you measure an industrial building for rating purposes?
On GIA basis → consult the Code of Measuring Practice
How would you measure a food store / supermarket or out of town retail warehouse?
on GIA basis → consult the code of measuring practice
What do you exclude from the measurement of an industrial unit?
Canopies
Fuel stores
Covered ways
What scale of plan to you usually work to in your area of work?
1: 50 (room plan)
1: 100 (building plan)
1: 1250 (street plan) → better for development sites
What is the difference between a goad plan and an OS plan?
Goad shows retail occupiers (not to scale) - birds eye view of a retail centre
OS plan is a to scale map
What information must be included on all plans?
- Scale and north point
- Crown copyright
On an OS plan, what do the numbers mean on a field and numbers on a road
Height above sea level
How do you deal with tenants’ improvements when measuring for valuation purposes?
Take instructions from your client and check what is and isnt tenants improvements
→ also check the reinstatement clause
What type of property would you measure on a Gross External Area?
Industrial buildings in Scotland for rating purposes
Town planning & council tax valuation
What is ITZA?
In terms of Zone A
→ Zoning is a valuation technique, not basis of measurement
When and why would you use ITZA?
Space near street is more valuable - ability to attract passing footfall into the shop
how do you zone?
Halving back principle using 20ft (6.1m) as standard zone
→ half back each area until getting to Zone C / D, then remainder
→ 30ft zones used in Oxford Street, Bond Street and Scotland
What is teh equivalent zone method for offices?
‘in terms of best space’ using ‘headline rent’
Common allowances / discount - quantum discounts, shape e.g excessive frontage to depth, unusual shape, masked area, split levels
Why do you always zone a retails unit?
In general, the Market uses zone, so best to use in order to make comparisons
However, zone is not required and for departments stores and very large units, you may wish to value on an overall basis (once ground level exceeds 10,000ft)
How do you measure a mansard roof?
- For NIA, i would exclude all area under 1.5m
- FOr GIA, i would include it all up to the permimeter wall
What basis of measurement do you use for rating?
NIA - offices and shops
GIA - supermarket, industrial, warehouse, leisure
Tell me about party walls
Party Wall Act 1996
→ Party Wall along boundary of land belonging to two or more owners
→ Any works must inform adjoining owners 2 months before→ otherwise, work can be stopped through court injunction or legal redress
→ Written consent not granted by owners, party wall surveyor can preapre party wall award
Tell me about an office building you have measured and the approach taken?
Riverbridge House
Measured on NIA and IPMSE 3 → excluded WC’s, stairwells, plant rooms and cleaner cupboard
Provided with floor plans so used these and measured using a disto before returning to the offic and calculating the total area on excel
How would you measure an office suite with continuous heting system around the premieter of the suit and partitioned offices?
I would exclude it if it protrudes more than 0.25m
Reference RICS Property Measurement, 2018 and measure on NIA and IPMS 3
How would you measure an atrium in an office building occupied by a single tenant?
Include it at base level → nothing above
How do you treat a notional lift lobby and notional fire corridor during an inspection of an office?
Include in NIA
Consult Property Measurement and Code of Measuring
What is Quantum?
Allowance for quantity for large properties
→ Dependent on demand for particular type and size of property in areas
What is the basis of measurement for residential valuation?
Depends on comparables
→ Generally GIA, but could also use Net Sales Area, especially for new builds
What are the 3 bases of measurement?
NIA - Offices and Shops
GIA - Residential, estate agency, department store, industrial, warehouse
GEA - insurance, building cost
What does GEA include?
- Area of building measured externally at each floor level
- everything in the main envelope of the building
- Atria
- Internal balconies
- Loading bays
- Pavement vaults
- Garages
- Conservatories
What does GEA exclude?
- Canopies
- Roof terraces - state seperately
- Open sided balconies
- External fire escapes
- Open vehicle parking areas
- Greenhouses
What does GIA include?
Same as GEO, but from the inside of the wall
What does GIA exclude?
Same as GEO, but from the inside of the wall
What does NIA include?
- Atria (if let to a single tenant)
- Skirting and perimeter trunking
- Pavement vaults
- Kitchens
- Notional lift lobbies
- Stationary cupboards
- Ramps, internal steps but not stairwell
What does NIA exclude?
- Atria and entrances (where share in multi-let)
- Areas under 1.5m
- Protrusions more than 0.25m (heating or cooling units)
- Usable space less than 0.25 wide (fire place)
- Internal structural elements
- Corridors (if has a single function and not useable)
- Continuous heating or cooling accross the whole wall
- Vehicle parking areas
How does GIA differ from NIA?
NIA measures useable space only
GIA is measured up to perimeter walls and includes structural partitions
What changes were made in the RICS Code of Measuring Practice 6th edition, 2015?
Required after Kilmartin v Safeway 2006 → highlighted the need for clarification of useable space
→ Ramps, slops and steps included in NIA
→ Measurement of heating and cooling apparatus
→ Measurement of full height glazing
→ Leisure is special use and defined seperately (using GIA)
WHat does RICS say about using m or ft for measuring?
Adopt metric units as standard
→ if Client requires imperial uits, they can be provided as supplemental information
→ Market practice is £psf so measure in M and convert to FT
How do you measure a return frontage?
Measure from the main frontage, then apply an additional % to the Zone A space
What issues might you come accross when measuring period buildings?
Fireplaces → viewed same way as heating apparatus. Exclude if protruding 0.25m into usable space
Mansard roof - a lot of space and under 1.5m
Having to exclude any unuseable circulation space
What basis would you use for insurance to estimate building re-instatement cost?
Use GEA for residential
Open for commercial, thought note we use GEA here too
How do you work out how big a plot of land is?
Look at plan → disto → trundle wheel
→ 1acre = 4,000 sq m , 45,000 sq ft
How do you know where the boundaries are?
Look at OS map or title plans
How do you know if your tape measure is accurate?
Use Steel rule
What scales are used on plans?
1: 50 - room plan (1cm = 50cm)
1: 100 - building plan
1: 1250 - street/location plan
1: 2500 - location plan
1: 5000 - road/walking map
Have you ever measured an office building? How do you deal with radiators?
→ if intermittent then include
→ if continuous or protrude over 0.25m then exclude
What basis of measurement do you use for rating?
The usual basis used
→ NIA - offices, shops
→ GIA - supermarket, warehouse, industrial, leisure
What is an appropriate level of accuracy
Depends on:
How difficult to measure
Site specific conditons
May range from +/- 1% to +/- 10%
→ greater margin acceptable when measuring car park vs central london office
How does a laser disto work?
The time for the laser to go there and back
