Measurement

Question 1

What basis should you report measurements on?

Answer 1

Report on dual basis until IPMS embedded into market.

Question 2

Name some requirements from PS on ‘Property Measurement’ to follow when measuring.

Answer 2

1. Measurement date
2. State measuring methodology
3. Provide reference and scale of plans
4. State conversion factor, rounding
5. Document measurement + calculations
6. Retain record of RICS member responsible
7. Advise on benefit of IPMS + state reason why IPMS not included
8. IPMS mandatory for office / resi
9. Appendix shows acceptable tolerances for accuracy on scales.

Question 3

What is IPMS 3?

Answer 3

Floor area available on an exclusive basis to an occupier, but excluding standard facilities and shared circulation areas, and calculated on an occupier-by occupier or floor-by-floor basis for each building’

Question 4

What is “IPMS 3 – Offices” used for?

Answer 4

Agency and valuation purposes - closest to NIA

Question 5

What does IPMS 3 Include?

Answer 5

Includes (but stated separately) are covered galleries and balconies, and generally accessible roof terraces.

Question 6

What does IPMS 3 exclude?

Answer 6

Excludes standard facilities providing shared/common facilities such as stairs, lifts, motor rooms, WCs, cleaners’ cupboards, plant rooms.

Question 7

What are the main differences between IPMS 3 and NIA?

Answer 7

• Perimeter measurements are taken to the “internal dominant face”
• No Exclusion of areas with a restricted height of less than 1.5m
• All columns are included.
• Areas occupied by the reveal of a window (if greater than 50% of floor to ceiling height) when measured and assessed as the internal dominant face are included in the measurement.
• On floors with more than one tenant, 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.

Question 8

What is the Internal Dominant Face? (IDF)

Answer 8

Inside finished surface comprising more than 50% of the floor to ceiling height for each IDF wall section.

Question 9

Are you aware of any changes to IPMS?

Answer 9

IPMS ‘All Buildings’ - published in 2023

Question 10

What does IPMS All Buildings, 2023 aim to do?

Answer 10

• Establish a consistent methodology for measuring all types of buildings in the world
• Promote international collaboration.
• Harmonises all building classes into a single document into one set of standards.
  -high-level, overarching standards that provide guidance on best practice in property measurement.

Question 11

What definitions does IPMS All Buidlings set out?

Answer 11

• 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.

Question 12

Has IPMS All Building 2023 been adopted by RICS?

Answer 12

Not yet

Question 13

What governs GEA, GIA, NIA?

Answer 13

The RICS Code of Measuring Practice 2015 (6th edn)

It is still the best practice document for all measurement exercises except for offices and residential properties.

Question 14

What is NIA?

Answer 14

Net Internal Area is the usable area within a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level

Question 15

When is NIA predominantly used?

Answer 15

Valuation and rating for shops (approx. 15% deduction from GIA).

Question 16

What is included in NIA?

Answer 16

• Atria with clear height and entrance halls if not expressly included in the communal areas.
• Notional lift lobbies and notional fire corridors
• Kitchens
• Built-in cupboards
• Ramps, sloping areas and steps within the useable area (stated separately)
• 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.

Question 17

What is excluded under NIA?

Answer 17

• WCs
• Plant and lift room
• Meter and service cupboards and service risers
• Internal structures – walls, columns, piers, chimney breasts.
• Areas less than 1.5m in height
• Stairwells
• Cleaner rooms
• Space occupied by permanent continuous air conditioning/heating/cooling apparatus if space it occupies is rendered substantially unusable, or if it protrudes 25cm or more into a useable area.
• Areas rendered substantially unusable with dimension between opposite faces of less than 0.25m.
• Measurements should be taken to the glazing for full height glazing, unless elements of the window structure or design render the space substantially unusable.

Question 18

What do you do when measuring a shop that is fitted with full-height partitioning by the tenant?

Answer 18

You can take ceiling tile off, try and get behind the partitioning if there’s a gap (spot any gaps/holes), inspect the basement or first floor to see the actual built width, scale from floor plans (having undertaken some on site check measurements) or get enough measurements to carry out an ITZA measurement.

Question 19

What is GIA?

Answer 19

Gross Internal Area - area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level.

Question 20

What basis of measurement would you use for a warehouse or a department store?

Answer 20

GIA

Question 21

When is GIA mainly used?

Answer 21

• Estate agency
• Rating
• Building cost estimation for commercial assets
• Property measurement – GIA basis for service charge calculations
• Valuation of industrial/warehouses
• Valuation and rating of retail warehouses and food stores

Question 22

What does GIA include?

Answer 22

• Areas occupied by internal walls and partitions
• Columns, stairwells, lift wells, vertical ducts
• Atria and entrance halls
• Internal open-sided balconies, walkways
• Corridors of permanent essential nature (e.g. fire corridors)
• Mezzanine floor area with permanent access.
• Lifts rooms ad plant rooms, fuel tanks, tank rooms.
• Services accommodation – toilets, bathrooms, changing rooms.
• Garages
• Conservatories

Question 23

What does GIA exclude?

Answer 23

• Perimeter wall thickness
• External open-sided balconies, covered ways and fire escapes
• Canopies
• Voids over or under structural, raked or stepped floors
• Greenhouses

Question 24

What is GEA?

Answer 24

Gross External Area is the area of a building measured externally at each floor level.

Question 25

When is GEA predominantly used?

Answer 25

• Town planning
• Council Tax Valuations
• Building cost estimates for houses

Question 26

What does GEA include?

Answer 26

• Perimeter wall thickness and external projections
• Areas occupied by internal walls and partitions
• Columns, piers, chimney breasts, stairwells
• Entrance halls
• Internal balconies
• Structural stepped floors
• Horizontal floors
• Mezzanine areas
• Lift rooms, plant rooms, fuel stores
• Outbuildings which share at least 1 wall with the main building
• Loading bays
• Pavement vaults
• Garages
• Areas with headroom less than 1.5m
• Conservatories

Question 27

What does GEA exclude?

Answer 27

• External open-sided balconies, covered ways and fire escapes
• Canopies
• Open vehicle parking areas, roof terraces, and like
• Voids over or under structural or stepped floors
• Greenhouses, garden stores, fuel stores