Measurement Flashcards
What is the RICS document relating to measurement?
RICS Professional Statement: RICS Property Measurement (2nd Ed). January 2018
What is the aim of introducing IPMS (International Property Measurement Standards) and practices ?
(submission)
- To avoid current inconsistent definitions of measurements in different countries
- Bring greater global transparency
Is IMPS mandatory for residential?
Yes, I know that it is for residential buildings - CHECK
What do you currently advise your clients on with measurement?
I must advise clients about the benefits of IPMS
What does IPMS replace?
It replaces references to measurement of offices and residential properties in the RICS Code of Measuring Practice 2015
What are the eight general principles of measurement and calculation in RICS Professional Statement?
- Provide a date when the measurements are undertaken
- State measuring methodology
- Reference and scale of any plans used
- State the conversion factor from metric/imperial and any rounding
- Measurements and calculations must be clearly documented
- Record the RICS member responsible to certify the above requirements
- Members expected to advise clients on benefits of IPMS
- Adopting IPMS is mandatory for reporting of residential and office space
What is IPMS 1?
Similar to GEA. Used for commercial and residential. Measuring the area of a building including external walls. Measurements included but stated separately are for example balconies.
Exclude: Atrium and open external stairwells
Patios and refuse areas
What is IPMS 2 Residential (Internal)?
- Similar to GIA
- Measuring the interior area of the building
- Measured to the internal dominant face of the wall
- Alike IPMS 1, measurement included but stated separately are for example covered galleries and balconies.
What is IPMS 3 Residential (Occupier)?
Measuring the occupation of floor areas (precise). Measured also to the internal dominant face. Same assumptions as IMPS 2.
What is IPMS 3A?
- Similar to IPMS 1, but for more precise buildings
- Measure to the outer face of the external wall and to the centre line of shared walls
(Think of a flat and that has neighbours on both sides i.e. doesn’t own all her walls as shares them with the neighbours).
What is IPMS 3B?
Similar to IPMS 2 and GIA.
Measurement of the area in exclusive occupation, including
the floor area occupied by internal walls and columns,
measured to:
• the internal dominant face and
• the finished surface of shared walls
What is IPMS 3C?
Similar to IPMS 3B.
Measurement of the area of exclusive occupation
Measured EXCLUDING the internal walls and columns
Measured to the Internal Dominant Face and finished surface
What is the IPMSC ?
International Property Measurement Standards Coalition
What does IPMS All Buildings do?
Brings together all building classes into a single document into one set of standards
What is the purpose of the introduction to IPMS All Buildings?
Aims to establish a consistent methodology for measuring all types of buildings in the world and promote international collaboration
What is internal eaves height?
The clear height between the floor and the lowest point on the underside of the roof e.g. at the eaves
How would you calculate the area of a site?
Promap
How would you check the boundaries accurately on site?
OS map and/or Land Registry title plan
What can be used to measure land?
ProMap or a trundle wheel
How accurate is a laser?
Lasers tend to be accurate to within c.1.5mm up to 200m
What scales are used on plans?
1:50 for a single room
1:100 for a building plan
1:1250 for a street/location plan
1:2500 for a location plan
1:50000 for a Road/walking plan
What is GIA?
Whole enclosed area of a building within the external walls taking each floor into account and excluding the thickness of the external walls
The whole area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level
(examples of where used: estate agency & valuation of industrial/warehouses)
approx. 2-3% deduction from GEA
What is GEA?
The area of a building measured externally at each floor level
What is NIA?
Is the usable area within a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level
(examples of where used: shops)
approx. 15% deduction from GEA
What does GIA include/exclude?
Include:
- Areas occupied by internal walls and partitions
- Columns, piers, whether free standing or projecting inwards from an external wall, chimney breasts, lift wells, stairwells etc
- Areas with a headroom of less than 1.5m
Exclude:
- External open-sided balconies, covered ways and
fire escapes - Canopies
- Voids over or under structural, raked or stepped
floors - Greenhouses, garden stores, fuel stores, and the
like in residential property
When did IPMS for Residential Buildings get introduced?
It came into effect on 1st May 2018
How do you calibrate your laser distometer? CHECK
Send it off the manufacturers annually to be calibrated
Why is calibration for laser distometers important?
To ensure accuracy
What can you do to ensure that your measurements are as accurate as possible?
- Taking several check measurements
- Ensuring the laser or tape is measuring from the correct
surfaces - Checking measurements with scaled plans or reliable mapping
software
What are the benefits and limitations of a laser distometer?
Benefits:
- Accuracy
- Ease of use
Limitations:
- It does not function well in bright light
- Difficult to use in very narrow spaces
What is 1 acre in hectares?
0.4046
(one hectare contains about 2.47 acres)
How would you measure a property of an irregular floorplate?
(Submission)
Using Trigonometry
What is the purpose of a letter of reliance when using another party’s measurements?
CHECK
What definitions does IPMS All Buildings, 2023 set out?
IPMS 1 - External Measurement
IPMS 2 - Internal Measurement
IPMS 3.1 External exclusive use
IPMS 3.2 Internal exclusive use
IPMS 4.1 Selected areas including internal walls
IPMS 4.2 Selected areas excluding internal walls
What is the main difference in measurements of IPMS and GIA?
(Submission)
IDF v wall
When would a valuer use a GEA measurement?
(Submission)
Insurance purposes
Can you tell me what you understand of margins of error in measurement?
(Submission)
It is up to the valuer’s discretion to decide
As per the RICS Measured survey recommends a tolerance of +/3 %
How do you identify which is the internal dominant face?
(Submission)
The finished surface that occupies over 50% of the wall section
What is the finished surface?
(submission)
The wall surface directly above the horizontal wall–floor junction, ignoring skirting boards, cable trunking, heating and cooling units and pipework.
What is the internal dominant face?
The inside finished surface that occupies over 50% of the wall section
The internal finish comprising more than 50% of the floor to ceiling height for each wall Section.
How does the Code of Measuring Practice differ from IPMS?
(Submission)
The main difference between the IPMS and the CoMP is that the measurements are taken to the “Internal Dominant Face”
What would you do if Promap was unavailable if you were measuring a site of land?
A trundle wheel could also be used on site
Why did you use IPMS2 in Briardale Gardens?
IPMS 2 is the interior area of the building + sum of all floors
Briardale Gardens was under one ownernship therefore, IPMS 2 most appropriate one
What did you measure Grosvenor Waterside to?
GIA/IPMS 3B
Is there anything you would include in IPMS 2 but would exclude in GIA?
Balconies, often referred to as external open-sided balconies.
- IPMS 2 = Included but stated separately
- GIA = Excluded
Accessible rooftop terraces
- IPMS 2 = Included but stated separately
- GIA = Excluded
What about if you had a property that was extended into the loft space and was eaves affected? How would you measure? Ceiling heights
I would include areas with a headroom of less than 1.5m in GIA included in measurement but stated as seprate measurement in the report
But, for IPMS, I understand that these areas need to be stated separtely and therefore, would need to figure that the area of the room that falls underneath 1.5m height.
Methodology:
Room measurement first
Widest width x longest length
Then measure the area of the room below 1.5m
Area of widest part - area below 1.5m = area of loft space
What is a typical scale for a floorplan?
1:50/ 1:100
Typically
What is the scale of a location plan?
1:1250
What is included and excluded in IPMS 2?
Measurements included but stated separately:
- Covered galleries
- Balconies (being external to the main structure of the
building)
- Generally accessible rooftop terraces.
Exclusions:
- Open light wells
- Upper level voids of an atrium
- External car parking
What is included and excluded in IPMS 3B?
Measurements included but stated separately and
individually:
- Attics, basements/cellars
- Balconies and verandas in exclusive use
- Garages
- Limited use areas.
Measurements excluded but which may be stated
separately and individually:
- Patios
- Unenclosed parking areas, which may be measured
or defined by number of spaces
- Staircase openings
If you were at a property and done all your measurements, when you came back to the office your measurements realised that you had missed a couple of dimensions, what would you do?
Use a scale ruler and scale a scaled floor plan
If you didn’t have the floorplans avaliable, how could you measure?
You would have to rearrange to reinspect the property
