Measurement Flashcards
What measurement standards documents are there?
a. RICS Property Measurement 2nd Edition 2018
b. Code of Measuring Practice 6th Edition 2015
What is RICS Property Measurement 2nd Edition 2018?
a. It’s an RICS professional statement which includes mandatory requirements for RICS members and regulated firms.
What does RICS Property Measurement 2nd Edition 2018 include?
a. Includes the International Property Measurement Standards (IPMS) for Residential and Office buildings only.
When did RICS Property Measurement 2nd Edition and the IPMS’ come into effect?
a. 1st May 2018
What information must be retained on file or in a report?
a. Purpose of the measurement instruction
b. Date of instruction
c. Date of measurement
d. Measurement standard adopted
e. If IPMS is not used, document the reason for departure (i.e we use the COMP in Edinburgh for Home Reports)
f. Measurement methodology
g. Scale of any plans
h. Unit of measurement
i. Name of RICS member or firm responsible for instruction
What clarification notes do you put in your reports regarding the measurements undertaken?
a. That they were in line with RICS property measurement standards and that they are approximate.
How do you ensure your measurements are correct?
a. I double check them, especially when measuring over long distances
b. I ensure my distometer is properly calibrated
What techniques are used for IPMS Residential?
IPMS 1 – GEA - Planning
IPMS 2 – GIA - Costings
IPMS 3A – GEA - Agency and Valuation
IPMS 3B – GIA - Agency and Valuation
IPMS 3C – EFA - Agency and Valuation
Note: Remember this by thinking that you start from the outside and work your way in.
What is the definition of IPMS 1 Residential and when is it use?
a. The sum of each floor level of a building measured to the outer perimeter of exterior construction features and which may be reported on a component basis for each floor level of a building.
b. Used for planning purposes or the summary of costing of a development
What is the definition of IPMS 2 Residential and when is it used?
a. The sum of the areas of each floor level of a residential building measured to the internal dominant face, which may be reported on a component-by-component basis for each floor level of a building.
b. Used for marketing and making direct floor space comparisons between buildings
What is the definition of IPMS 3 Residential and when is it used?
a. For measuring the occupation of floor areas in exclusive use.
b. We mainly use IPMS 3B and it is used for more precise situations where it is necessary to measure a part or a whole of a floor or building.
What is the difference between IMPS 2 and IMPS 3B?
There are situations where they will be the same
The main difference is IMPS 3B provides a more precise measurement where part (or whole) of a building needs to be measured.
What is included in IPMS 1 measurements?
a. Balconies
b. Mezzanines
c. Areas where ceiling height is under 1.5m
d. Internal walls
e. Garages
f. Basements
What is included in IPMS 2 measurements?
a. Internal walls
b. Basements
c. Mezzanines
d. Areas occupied by the reveal of windows when assumed to be the IDF (Internal Dominant Face)
What measurements are included but stated separately in IPMS 3B Measurements?
a. Attics, basements and cellars
b. Balconies and verandas in exclusive use
c. Garages
d. Limited use areas
What is excluded from IPMS 3B measurements?
a. External walls
b. Voids
c. Areas of stairwells at upper levels
d. Open light wells
e. Open external stairwells
f. Patios
g. Attics
What is the definition of a Limited Use Area?
a. IPMS does not specify what a limited use areas is as it differs between jurisdictions however examples include:
i. Areas with height restrictions (For us anything below 1.5m)
ii. Areas with limited natural light (Boxrooms can’t be bedrooms without a window)
What is the Internal Dominant Face (IDF)?
a. The surface of an internal wall which is above 50% of the total surface area
What measurement method do you use most often?
a. IPMS 3B and GIA due to comparable evidence
Note: We conduct home reports in line with the Code of Measuring Practice i.e measuring GIA, this is how it’s done in our local jurisdiction.
What was the previous guidance for measuring residential properties?
a. Code of Measuring Practice 6th Edition
Note: We conduct home reports in line with the Code of Measuring Practice i.e measuring GIA, this is how it’s done in our local jurisdiction.
What is GEA according to COMP and what is it used for?
a. The area of a building measured externally at each level. It includes canopies, balconies, fire escapes etc. Think of it encompassing everything
b. Used for residential insurance calculations, rating/council tax, building cost estimation and industrial
What is GIA according to COMP and what is it used for?
a. The area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each level
b. Used for building cost estimation, estate agency valuation and industrial
What is NIA according to COMP and what is it used for?
a. The usable area within a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each level of a building.
b. Used by Estate Agencies for offices, shops etc.
What method would an estate agent use when referring to COMP?
a. EFA – Effective Floor Area (on a room by room basis.
Note: think of the plans made by square foot
What are the hierarchy of definitions within the RICS Code of Measuring Practice?
a. GEA – Gross External Area
b. GIA – Gross Internal Area
c. NIA – Net Internal Area
What measurements would you take for an EPC?
a. GIA
b. Unheated corridor
c. Ceiling height
d. Party Wall
e. Heat Loss Wall
f. Insulation depth
g. Wall thickness
h. Glazing thickness
What is the standard thickness of a solid stone wall?
a. Approx 600mm
What is the standard thickness of a cavity wall?
a. Approx 300mm (100mm brick, 100mm cavity and 100mm brick)
How do you calculate the external area when measuring internally?
a. Use a multiplier: For cavity multiply by 1.1 and for stone multiply by 1.2
How would you determine if an area is required to be called a basement?
a. Is it below ground level?
b. What is the extent of natural light?
c. Is there restricted height?
How would you measure an attic space with sloping ceilings/walls and eave spaces?
a. I would only measure from the sloping walls at a height of 1.5m
b. If the eave spaces are below 1.5m then they would be excluded
How would you measure a retail unit?
a. Using the Retail Area which is the Net Internal Area
How would you measure an office?
a. Using Property Measurement 2nd Edition = IPMS 2 – Office (Broadly corresponds to GIA)
How would you measure a plot of land?
a. OS maps software such as ProMap
b. Measuring wheel
How does a Distometer work?
a. It sends out a laser to a point and measures the time it takes to return to the device
How would you measure odd shaped dwellings i.e turrets, unique angles?
a. Using a mix of areas of circles and triangles
i. Circles – Pi r2
ii. Triangles – Pythagoras Theorem i.e A = ½ B x H
What are measured surveys?
Involve taking measurements of sites or buildings in order to produce accurate drawings at a defined level of detail.
What is excluded from the Retail Area?
a. Storeroom and ancillary accommodation formed by structural partitions
b. Display cabinets which are to be identified separately
c. Areas with less than 1.5m headroom
What are the International Property Measurement Standards: All Buildings and when were they introduced?
Standards which supersede all previously published IPMS standards
2023
What is the difference between IPMS in the Property Measurement 2nd Edition 2018 and IPMS: All Buildings?
IPMS all building now includes all buildings
The measurement methods have changed to:
IMPS 1 – External - Whole Building
IMPS 2 – Internal - Whole Building
IPMS 3.1 – External - Exclusive Use
IMPS 3.2 – Internal - Exclusive Use
IPMS 4.1 – Selected Areas – Including Walls and Columns
IPMS 4.2 – Selected Areas – Excluding Walls and Columns
