Measurement Flashcards
RICS Professional Statement: RICS Property Measurement (2nd Ed) January 2018 (incorporating International Property Measurement Standards)
- global RICS-led initiative introduced mandatory IPMS and practices aiming to avoid current inconsistent definitions of measurement in different countries and bring greater global transparency
- came into effect from 1st may 2018 following first edition in 2016
- it aimed to establish consistencies in property measurement to be adopted by governments and industry on a global basis
- it replaces references to the measurement of offices and residential properties in the RICS Code of Measurement Practice
- members are encouraged to report on a dual basis until IPMS is embedded into market practice having regard to the clients instructions
- RICS intentions that it will become mandatory practice
- at present members must advise their clients about benefits of IPMS
- no date has yet been given by RICS for implementation of IPMS: Industrial Buildings 2018
- read up on IPMS retail buildings
General principles of measurement and calculation in RICS Professional Statement
- it is mandatory for all RICS members when measuring office and resi buildings (unless a client provides a written instruction to use an alternative), to comply with the following requirements:
1. provide a date when measurements are undertaken
2. state measuring methodology adopted
3. provide the reference and scales of any plans used
4. state conversion factor from metric/imperial and any rounding
5. measurements and calculations must be clearly documented
6. retain record of RICS member responsible to certify above requirements - paragraph 1.2 states that ‘members are expected to advise their client/employer on the benefits of using IPMS. However it is understood that iPMS is not suitable in all circumstances and in these circumstances, RICS members must document the reason for depature’
- paragraph 1.2 also states that adopting IPMS is mandatory for the reporting of resi and office space
- download Professional statement as diagrams will help revision and explain the complexities of IPMS 3 (includes appendix a details of acceptable tolerances)
IPMS: office buildings
IPMS1 - offices for planning or building cost purposes (GEA)
IPMS 2 - offices for agency and valuation purposes (GIA)
IPMS 3 - offices also for agency and valuation purposes
IPMS 1
- used for measuring the area of a building including external walls on floor-by-floor basis
measurements included but stated seperately are: - covered galleries
- balconies
- generally accessible roof terraces (GEA did not include galleries and balconies)
Exclusions include: - upper void levels of an atrium
- open external stairwells
- patios, refuse areas, external parking at ground level
IPMS 2
- used for measuring the interior of an office to include all areas available for direct use, measured to the ‘Internal Dominant Face’ of the wall on a floor by floor basis in component areas
- internal dominant face is defined as the ‘inside finished surface comprising more than 50% of the floor to ceiling height for each IDF wall section
Measurements included but stated seperately include: - covered galleries and balconies
- generally accessible roof terraces
Exclusions include: - open light wells and upper level voids of an atrium
- patio and decks at ground floor level
- external parking and equipment yards, cooling equipment and refuse areas
- the internal dominant face is the inside finished surface comprising 50% or more of the surface area for each vertical section forming an internal perimeter (i.e. wall)
- areas can be also detailed on a component-by-component basis
IPMS 3
- used for measuring the occupiation of floor areas in exclusive use using assumptions as IPMS2
- it is the floor area available on an exclusive basis to an occupier but excluding the standard facilities and shared circulation areas
- measured to the internal dominant face on a floor by floor basis
- it excludes standard facilities providing shared or common facilities such as stairs, lifts, motor rooms, WCs, cleaners cupboards, plant rooms etc
Measurements included but stated seperately are: - covered galleries and balconies
- generally accessible roof terraces
differences between IPMS 3 and NIA
the main differences include:
- perimeter measurements are taken to internal dominant face
- no exclusions for restricted height of less than 1.5m
- all columns are included
- areas occupied by the reveals of a window when measured and assessed as the internal dominant face are included
- on floors with multiple occupiers, the area is taken to the midpoint of the partition wall between tenancies
- covered galleries and balconies for their exclusive use of one tenant are included and stated separately
RICS Code of Measuring Practice 2007
- the RICS code of measuring practice 2007 is now reproduced in Part 3 of the RICS Property Measurement Professional Statement as a global code of practice w.e.f may 2015 as a best practice document for all measurement exercises except for offices and resi property
- provides precise definitions to ensure common & consistent approach to measurement
bases of measurement - RICS Code of Measuring Practice 2007
- GEA - town planning,, council tax valuation and building cost estimates for houses
- GIA - estate agency, rating, building cost estimation for commercial assets and valuation of industrial/warehouse and valuation and rating of retail warehouses and food stores plus new homes valuation (approx 2-3% deduction from GEA)
- NIA - as above but from shops (approx 15% deduction from GIA
Gross internal area for industrial/retail warehouses - RICS Code of Measuring Practice 2007
- include columns, lift wells, mezzanines with permanent access, loading bays
- exclude canopies, fire escapes and covered ways
- ancillary offices within the unit are measured on a GIA
Net internal area for shops - RICS Code of Measuring Practice 2007
when measuring a shop unit fitted out with full height partitioning by the tenant, try to estimate the actual built width of the shop by one of the following techniques:
- remove a ceiling tile
- try and get behind the partitioning (spot any gaps/holes)
- inspect the basement or first floor to see actual built width
- scale from floor plans (having undertaken some site check measurements)
- take sufficient on-site measurements to calculate the ITZA measurement
Net internal area - RICS Code of Measuring Practice 2007
include:
- atria with clear heigh above and entrance halls if not used in common areas
- notional lift lobbies and notional fire corridors
- kitchens
- built in cupboard and the like occupying usable area
- ramps, stoping areas and steps within the usable area and stated sepately and pavement vaults
- areas occupied by ventilations and heating grills
- areas occupied by skirting and perimeter trunking
- areas occupied by non-structural walls subdividing accommodation in sole occupancy
Exclusions - RICS Code of Measuring Practice 2007
- WCs
- plant and lift rooms
- stairwells
- meter and service cupboards and service risers
- areas less than 1.5m in height
- cleaners rooms
- permanent circulation areas
- space occupied by permanent, continuous air conditioning, heating or cooling apparatus if the space it occupies is rendered substantially unusable with a 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
Other definitions - RICS Code of Measuring Practice 2007
internal eaves height - the clear height between the floor and the lowest point on the underside of the rood eg at the eaves
site depth - the measurement from the front to rear boundaries
shop depth - the measurement from the notional display window to the rear of the retail area, including the thickness of the display window
built depth - the maximum external measurement from the front to rear walls
gross frontage - the overall external measurement in a straight line across the front of the building from the outside of the external walls or the centre line of the party walls
net frontage - the overall frontage of the shop line measured between the internal face of the external walls
measurement of land - RICS Code of Measuring Practice 2007
- check boundaries accurately on site with an ON plan and or land registry title document prior to calculating the area of the site using promap
- a trundle wheel could also be used on site
- use mathematical trigonometry or a planimeter for the calculation of a site area
- a plot ratio is the ratio between the sitze of the site and the building footprint (GEA). this is also known as site cover. 1 acre is 0.4046 hectare
