Measurement

Question 1

What is the current guidance for measuring?

Answer 1

RICS property measurement, 2nd edition January 2018
International Property Measuring Standards: All Buildings

Question 2

Tell me about your understanding of RICS Property Measurement.

Answer 2

RICS property measurement is a professional standard which outlines how RICS members and firms should conduct measurements and incorporates the International Property Measuring Standards, IPMS.

Question 3

When would you use NIA as a measurement basis?

Answer 3

I would Use NIA in an office and retail premise.

Question 4

When would you use GIA as a measurement basis?

Answer 4

I would use GIA in a warehouse/industrial premise.

Question 5

When would you use GEA as a measurement basis?

Answer 5

I would use GEA on a residential property.

Question 6

Tell me about what is included in NIA?

Answer 6

The useable floor area, this includes entrance all, kitchens, built in units occupying useable floor area, areas occupied by skirting and trunking, areas occupied by non structural walls

Question 7

Tell me about what is included in GIA?

Answer 7

All areas from the internal wall faces.
This includes
walls within the internal wall faces,
columns,
pillars,
mezzanine floors,
lift rooms,
service accommodation,
voids over stairwells,
loading bays.

Question 8

Tell me about what is included in GEA?

Answer 8

GEA includes
perimeter wall thickness
areas occupied by internal wall fac, as well as columns, pillars.
internal balconies, mezzanine areas, lift rooms,

Question 9

What measurement basis would you use for office property?

Answer 9

NIA - IPMS 3

Question 10

What measurement basis would you use for industrial property?

Answer 10

GIA

Question 11

What measurement basis would you use for retail property?

Answer 11

NIA - IPMS 2

Question 12

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

Answer 12

The First Edition originally superseded the Code of Measuring Practice (6th Edition) by incorporating elements of International Property Measurement Standards (IPMS) for offices only. The Second Edition’s key change is to also include IPMS for residential buildings.

Question 13

Why is accuracy important when you measure buildings?

Answer 13

Accurate measurements are crucial as they ensure that the results are reliable and that decisions made on the basis of these measurements are sound. Inaccurate measurements can lead to significant problems and it is important to understand the implications of such errors.

Question 14

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

Answer 14

I use floor plans to facilitate measuring buildings by recording an accurate to scale plan of the areas within a property. For example, I will draw a floorplan of a warehouse to show the overall area of the property and within I will measure facilities such as offices to show where they are located and the total area occupied by the office space.

Question 15

How do you calibrate a laser measurer?

Answer 15

I use a steel tape measure to get an accurate distance between two points and do the same measurement with my laser. I have not found a difference in the measurements when I have collaborated in the past, however if the measurement was incorrect i would refer to the instruction manual on how to calibrate the meter to make accurate measurements.

Question 16

Why do you take check measurements?

Answer 16

I take check measurements to ensure the data is accurate. On occasions, there has been an obstacle preventing a clear line from one wall to the other. In this case I have used the add function on the laser to record a full length. I will then do the same from a different part of the property to ensure the measurement is accurate.

Question 17

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

Answer 17

A strength of using a disto is that it provides a quick measurement of one length, and are accurate when kept in a good condition and callibrated.
A weakness of using a laser is that it can only measure up to 100m. So with measurements over 100m, inaccurate measurements could occur if there is not a point of contact to measure to in the first 100m.

Question 18

When would you use a tape measure?

Answer 18

I would use a tape measure in tight areas to provide a more accurate recording.

Question 19

When would you use a trundle wheel?

Answer 19

When measuring land, as the laser is not always picked up in the light.

Question 20

What is a potential source of error when measuring?

Answer 20

obstacles in the way of laser measure, no place to record the area direct from wall to wall.

Question 21

What is IPMS?

Answer 21

The International Property Measurement Standards

Question 22

Why has IPMS been introduced?

Answer 22

An International Property Measurement Standard (IPMS) will ensure that property assets are measured in a consistent way, creating a more transparent marketplace, greater public trust, stronger investor confidence, and increased market stability

Question 23

Which IPMS standards are adopted by RICS?

Answer 23

IPMS 1, which equates closely to the former GEA
(gross external area).

• IPMS 2 – Office, which equates closely to the former
  GIA (gross internal area).
• IPMS 2 – Residential, which equates closely to the
  former GIA (gross internal area) and net sales area
  (NSA).
• IPMS 3 – Office, which equates somewhat to the
  former NIA (net internal area).
• IPMS 3A – Residential, which equates somewhat to
  the former GEA (gross external area).
• IPMS 3B – Residential, which equates somewhat to
  the former GIA (gross internal area).
• IPMS 3C – Residential, which equates somewhat to
  the former EFA (effective floor area).

Question 24

Explain your understanding of IPMS All Buildings to me.

Answer 24

IPMS All Buildings provides the foundation for incorporation into and adoption of building measurement conventions in the many global jurisdictions. It facilitates the interface between the major differences in the historic conventions of those many global jurisdictions.

Question 25

What is dual reporting and when would you use it?

Answer 25

Dual reporting is reporting the measurements in two ways, For example, an office could be dual reported to IPMS 3 and NIA. And used to analyse market transactions.

Question 26

What IPMS bases are you aware of and when would each of these used?

Answer 26

‘IPMS 3 – Office is for measuring the occupation of floor areas in exclusive use. It can be used by parties such as
agents and occupiers, asset managers, facility managers, property managers, researchers and valuers.

IPMS 3 – Office equates somewhat to the net internal area (NIA) measurement defined in the Code of measuring
practice.

Question 27

How do they differ to their former Code equivalents?

Answer 27

there are a number of other areas that must now be measured; these include balconies/rooftop terraces, shared circulation areas, internal structural walls, columns, common walls, walkways and areas less than 1.5m in height, to name but a few. However, these are measured and reported separately as ‘limited use areas’ for information and do not make up the useable floor area used for rent calculation.

Question 28

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

Answer 28

there are a number of other areas that must now be measured; these include balconies/rooftop terraces, shared circulation areas, internal structural walls, columns, common walls, walkways and areas less than 1.5m in height, to name but a few. However, these are measured and reported separately as ‘limited use areas’ for information and do not make up the useable floor area used for rent calculation.

Question 29

What is the internal dominant face?

Answer 29

The internal dominant face, is the internal wall of the property perimeter walls.

Question 30

How has IPMS been incorporated into Property Measurement?

Question 31

What RICS guidance relates to the measurement of land?

Answer 31

Land measurement for planning and development purposes 1st edition, May 2021
Effective from 7 August 2021

Question 32

How do you deal with a situation where your client requests a different measurement standard to those contained within the RICS guidance?

Question 33

What Is a suitable measurement tool for taking land measurements?

Answer 33

A trundle wheel or mapping software like digimap.

Question 34

How can you ensure your measurements are accurate?

Answer 34

I use multiple methods to ensure measurements are accurate. I take multiple measurements from different points, I use google maps to indicate the overall ground floor area,

Question 35

How would you treat low or limited head height when measuring?

Answer 35

I would treat low or limited head height as a separate area. And I would mark it as a limited us area. In rating low head height impacts the value and the area impacted is valued at a factor of 0.95 times the base rate.

Question 36

How would you measure using a scaled plan?

Answer 36

I would use a scale ruler and give the plan a scale of 1:100 for example. This would equate to one centimeter equaling a metre.

Question 37

How would you adjust your comparable evidence if it was measured on a different basis to your subject property?

Question 38

What is a tolerance level when measuring?

Answer 38

A tolerance level is when the area claculated is within a certain % larger or smaller than the currently indicated area.

Question 39

How could you take measurements from Google Maps?

Answer 39

Google maps allows you to measure from point to point or outline an area and provides an area in square metres.

Question 40

How reliable are these? Google maps

Answer 40

The scale on google is reliable, however what is not reliable is the boundaries that are input as they are manual. Goggle maps provides a good way to check length and width of warehouses for internal purposes but should not be used for advising on measuring, only as a check oon measurments.

Question 41

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

Answer 41

on site i create a floorplan which shows lenths and widthd of the areas.
When in the office i input my data into a measuremnt table which calculates area and takes out deductions.

Question 42

What did you exclude on your GIA measurement?

Answer 42

Perimeter wall thickness

Question 43

What did you exclude on your NIA measurement?

Answer 43

Entrance halls
toilets
lift rooms
stairwells
corridors
permanent circulation areas
internal structural walls

Question 44

How would you advise a client over measurement of space below a mezzanine floor?

Answer 44

I would advise that the space below a mezzanine floor is valued at a rate of 0.7 times the base rate. However, the value of the mezzanine would be valued at 0.5 times the base rate. Therefore, for the mezzanine addition, the value is 1.2 times the base rate value.

Question 45

When you believe a measurement is inaccurate, what can you do to verify it?

Answer 45

Remeasure the length from multiple points, ensure there are no obstacles that could interfere with the laser measurement. Pace out the length which can give an indication of accuracy.