Measurement Flashcards
What are the key RICS documents regarding measurement?
RICS Code of Measuring Practice, 6th Edition 2015
RICS Property Measurement, 2nd Edition 2018
International Property Measurement Standards 2023
When was the RICS Professional Statement, RICS Property Measurement 2nd Edition (2018) effective from?
1st May 2018
Define GEA?
The area of a building measured externally at each floor level
What is GIA?
The area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level
What is NIA?
The useable area of a building, measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level
What is IPMS?
International property measurement standards
What are the benefits of IPMS?
Worldwide consistency
Increased transparency of measurement data
Facilitates international trade in property
Easier portfolio benchmarking
What is a component area in IPMS?
One of the main elements into which the floor area of a building can be divided
What are the component areas in IPMS?
Component areas A, B1, B2, B3, C, D, E, F, G and H
If a component area is a multifunctional use, what should it be stated as?
State according to principle use
What properties does IPMS currently apply to?
Offices and residential
What is dual reporting?
Report in terms of IPMS and another basis
When should dual reporting be adopted?
When there is not enough comparable evidence recorded using the same basis, so the client requests a standard other than IPMS
What is the benefit of dual reporting?
Facilitates comparative analysis both locally and globally
What is IPMS 1?
The total floor area of a building measured to the outer perimeter of external construction features, and reported on a floor by floor basis.
Universal standard that applies to all building classes
In IPMS 1, what measurements are included but stated separately?
Internal balconies
External balconies
Accessible rooftop terraces
What areas are excluded in IPMS 1?
🚫 Open light wells
🚫 Open external stairways
🚫 Patios
🚫 External car parking
What is the difference between IPMS 1 and GEA?
Internal balconies are included in GEA, and included but stated separately in IPMS 1
External balconies are excluded in GEA, and included but stated separately in IPMS 1
Accessible rooftops are excluded in GEA, and included but stated sepatately in IPMS 1
Why has RICS made changes from Code of Measuring Practice to Property Measurement?
To provide a globally consistent measurement practice
What is IPMS 2?
The sum of the area of each floor level of a building measured to the internal dominant face, and reported on a component by component basis for each floor of a building
In IPMS 2, what measurements are included but stated separately?
📌 Internal balconies, external balconies, accessible rooftop terraces.
IPMS 2: Excluded Areas?
🚫 Open light wells
🚫 Open external stairways
🚫 Patios
🚫 External car parking
What is the difference between IPMS 2 and GIA?
Internal balconies are included/excluded in GIA, and included but stated separately in IPMS 2
External balconies are excluded from GIA, and included but stated separately in IPMS 2
Accessible rooftops are excluded in GIA, and included but stated separately in IPMS 2
Areas occupied by the reveals of windows when measured as the internal dominant face, are excluded in GIA and included in IPMS 2
What is IPMS 3?
The floor area available on an exclusive basis to an occupier, meassured to the internal dominant face. - excluding standard facilities, calculated on an occupier-by-occupier basis for a building
What are standard facilities?
The areas of a building that provide shared facilities and typically do not change over time EG stairs, lifts, toilets, cleaners cupboards, plant rooms
What is included in IPMS 3?
Internal walls and columns
Floor area taken to internal dominant face
Where there is adjacent common wall, it is measured to central line
In IPMS 3, what measurements are included but stated separately?
📌 Internal balconies, external balconies, rooftop terraces, areas under 1.5m height.
What areas are excluded in IPMS 3?
Standard facilities
What is the difference between IPMS 3 and NIA?
📌 IPMS 3 includes internal walls & columns, NIA excludes them.
📌 Common walls measured to centre line in IPMS 3, but to dominant face in NIA.
📌 Walkways included in IPMS 3, excluded in NIA.
Which IPMS Corresponds to GEA, GIA, and NIA?
📌 GEA → IPMS 1
📌 GIA → IPMS 2
📌 NIA → IPMS 3
Applications of IPMS Standards?
🏙 IPMS 1: Town planning
🏗 IPMS 2: Building cost estimation
🏢 IPMS 3: Property management
What Are Limited Use Areas?
📌 Areas that cannot be legally/effectively occupied (e.g., height restrictions, limited lighting).
What does GEA include?
✅ Perimeter wall thickness & projections
✅ Internal walls & partitions
✅ Columns, internal balconies, plant rooms, loading bays
✅ Areas with headroom under 1.5m
What is the Internal Dominant Face?
The internal finish comprising more than 50% of the floor to ceiling height.
GEA – Excluded Areas?
🚫 External balconies
🚫 External car parking
🚫 External fire escape stairs
GEA – Common Uses?
🏗 Town planning, rating/council tax, building cost estimation.
GIA – Excluded Areas?
🚫 Perimeter wall thickness & projections
🚫 External balconies, car parking, fire escape stairs
GIA – Common Uses?
🏢 Rating, building cost estimation, estate agency, valuation, property management.
NIA – Included Areas?
Atria and entrance halls
Kitchens
Areas with ventilation/heating grilles
Areas occupied by skirting and perimeter trunking
What does NIA exclude?
🚫 Perimeter walls & projections
🚫 External balconies, car parking, fire escape stairs
🚫 Areas <1.5m height, permanent HVAC units
🚫 Lift rooms, plant rooms, toilets, cleaners’ cupboards
What is NIA used for?
property management, estate agency and valuation for shops, supermarkets and business uses
What are the main reasons for Property Measurement?
📌 Valuation
📌 Purchase & Sale
📌 Leasing & Letting
📌 Reinstatement Cost Assessments
📌 Business Rates
📌 Property Management
What is retail area?
Net internal area of a shop
What is storage area?
The area of a shop that does not form part of the retail area, as it is exclusively used for storage
What are ancillary areas?
Areas capable of beneficial use, but not included in retail or storage area NIA for example plant rooms and cleaners cupboards
What is gross frontage?
External measurement in a straight line across the front of the building
What is net frontage?
External measurement in a straight line between internal faces of external walls
What is shop width?
Internal width between inside faces of external walls
What is shop depth?
Measurement from notional display window to rear of retail area
Why is accurate measurement so important?
📌 Third parties rely on area for financial decisions
📌 Ensures a transparent, stable property market
📌 Market value is determined by floor area
Equipment for Property Measurement?
📏 Laser measurer
🎯 Trundle wheel
📐 Measuring tape
📊 Measuring rod
📏 Scale rulers
🗺 Digital mapping tools
Information Required in a Measurement Report?
📅 Purpose & date of measurement
📜 Measurement standard used
📌 Reason for departure from IPMS (if applicable)
📏 Methodology & scale of plans used
📐 Floor area & unit of measurement
📝 Name of RICS member responsible
What Unit of Measurement Does RICS Prescribe?
None, members should adopt metric or imperial units (usually metric in UK)
What is Zoning?
📌 Used to calculate retail unit values
📌 Front of shop is most valuable
📏 6.1m (20ft) deep zones
📉 Each zone back = 50% less valuable than the previous
📊 ITZA (In Terms of Zone A) used for rental valuation
What is the approximate conersion of sq ft to sq m
📏 1 sq ft = 0.0929 sq m (Divide sq ft by 10.764 for conversion to sq m)
What is the approximate conversion of acre to hectare?
🌳 1 acre = 0.40 hectare
What basis of measurement do you use to measure shops?
NIA
What basis of measurement do you use when estimating cost of development?
GEA
What is the RICS international property measurement 2nd edition referring to?
Office and residential
Is IPMS mandatory for office and residential?
Yes
Are you permitted to not use IPMS?
There has to be good reason to depart from IPMS, a client’s request is not a sufficient reason – e.g. what your comparables are measured using – Even when you do depart, you should measure using both.
What is main difference between IPMS 3 and NIA?
📏 IPMS 3:
✅ Measured to internal dominant face
✅ Includes columns & window reveals
✅ Includes areas under 1.5m (stated separately)
📏 NIA:
🚫 Excludes columns, window reveals & areas under 1.5m
What Areas are Excluded from NIA?
🚫 Columns
🚫 Toilets, cleaners’ cupboards
🚫 Plant rooms, lift rooms
🚫 Stairwells
What data capture techniques do you use?
Laser distometer - limitations: laser cannot hit window or mirrored wall, so if another person is there you could ask them to hold a piece of paper against the wall, needs calibrating every 12 months by sending back to manufacturer to ensure it is accurate
Software like ProMap - used measuring land, fields etc - limitations: does not take into consideration elevation. If no ProMap would use Trundle Wheel
Kebab Stick or Knitting Needle - used to measure behind shop fit
What scale is a Land Registry Plan?
1:1250 in urban areas and 1:2500 in rural areas
What does GIA comprise?
Everything to the internal wall
Where do you measure to when measuring a pitched roof?
From ground to lowest point of the roof
