Measurement Flashcards
What Professional Statement did the RICS release to incorporate the International Property Measurement Standards?
RICS Property Measurement, 2018
What was the aim of RICS Property Measurement, 2018?
Establish consistencies in property measurement to be adopted by governments and industry on a global basis
Which IPMS measuring practices were adopted in RICS Property Measurement, 2018 (2)?
Offices and residential properties
What are RICS members encouraged to do until IPMS becomes embedded into market practice?
Report on a dual basis
When are RICS planning on implementing IPMS: Industrial Buildings 2018 and IPMS: Retail Buildings 2019?
- IPMS for industrial in consultation
- IPMS for retail has finished its consultation period and will likely be included as part of property measurement third edition.
For what types of property is adoption of IPMS mandatory?
When reporting on residential and office space, unless the client provides a written instruction to use an alternative
What are the general principles of RICS Property Measurement, 2018 (A, O, D, M, P, C, D)?
- Advise clients of the benefits of using IMPS
- Omission: document the reason for not using IMPS
- Date: must provide a date when the measurements are undertaken
- Methodology: state the measuring methodology adopted
- Plans: provide the reference and scale of any plans used
- Conversion: state the conversion factor from metric / imperial and any rounding
- Document: measurements and calculations must be clearly documented
When did Property Measurement 2018 become effective?
1st May 2018
When is IPMS 1 - Offices used? What method of measurement does it most closely correspond to?
Planning or building cost purposes
GEA
When is IPMS 2 - Offices used? What method of measurement does it most closely correspond to?
Agency and valuation purposes
GIA
When is IPMS 3 - Offices used? What method of measurement does it most closely correspond to?
Agency and valuation purposes
NIA
What is IPMS 1 - Offices definition, and what does it include (3), how stated, and exclude (5)?
Measures the area of a building including external walls on a floor-by-floor basis
Include but state separately:
• Covered galleries (internal balconies)
• Balconies
• Generally accessible roof terraces
Exclude: • Upper void of an atrium • Open external stairwell • Patios • Refuse areas • External parking at ground level
What is IPMS 2 - Offices definition, and what does it include (3), how stated, and exclude (5)?
Measures the interior of an office to include all areas available for direct use, measured to the Internal Dominant Face
Include but state separately:
• Covered galleries (internal balconies)
• Balconies
• Generally accessible roof terraces
Exclude: • Upper void of an atrium • Open external stairwell • Patios • Refuse areas • External parking at ground level
What is IPMS 3 - Offices definition, and what does it include (3), how stated, and exclude (11, 5 in main subcat.)?
Measures the floor area of an office available on an exclusive basis to an occupier but excluding the standard facilities and shared circulation areas, measured to the Internal Dominant Face
Include but state separately:
• Covered galleries (internal balconies)
• Balconies
• Roof top terraces in exclusive use.
Exclude: • Standard facilities providing shared or common facilities such as: • stairs, • lifts, • motor rooms, • WCs, • cleaners' cupboards, • plant rooms etc.
- Upper void of an atrium
- Open external stairwell
- Patios
- Refuse areas
- External parking at ground level
What is the definition of the Internal Dominant Face?
Inside finished surface comprising more than 50% of the floor to ceiling height for each IDF wall section
What are the differences between IPMS 3 and NIA (perimeter, exclusion/inclusion, glazing, multiple oc walls, exclusive use areas)?
- Perimeter measurements are taken to the ‘Internal Dominant Face’
- No exclusions for restricted height of less than 1.5m
- All columns are included
- Area occupied by the reveals of a window when measured and assessed as the IDF are included
- On floors with multiple occupants, 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
What are the THREE IPMS standards for measuring residential buildings/broadly what area do they cover?
- IPMS 1 - Residential: External (not on an occupier basis)
- IPMS 2 - Residential (Internal): Internal area of the building (not on an occupier basis)
- IMPS 3 - Residential (Occupier): the occupation of the building on an exclusive basis to an occupier
What are the THREE sub areas of IPMS 3 Residential/broadly what area do you measure?
- IPMS 3A: measurement to the outer face of the external wall and centre-line of shared walls
- IPMS 3B: measurement of the area in exclusive occupation, including internal walls and columns, measured to the IDF
- IPMS 3C: measurement of the area in exclusive occupation, excluding the walls and columns, measured to the IDF
What document should you refer to when measuring retail and industrial property?
RICS Code of measuring practice, 2015
When would you use GEA as a basis of measurement (3)?
- Town planning
- Council tax valuations
- Building cost estimates for houses
When would you use GIA as a basis of measurement (4, for 3 uses, 2 other uses)?
- Industrial, warehouses, retail warehouses and food stores:
• Estate agency
• Rating
• Valuation - Building cost estimates for commercial assets
- New homes valuations
When would you use NIA as a basis of measurement (2, for 3 uses)?
Shops/Offices:
• Estate agency
• Rating
• Valuation
When you’re measuring industrial / retail warehouses on a GIA basis, what do you include (4) and exclude (3)?
Include: • Columns • Lift wells • Mezzanines with permanent access • Loading bay
Exclude:
• Canopies
• Fire escapes
• Covered ways
On what basis would you measure ancillary office space contained within a warehouse
GIA
When measuring a shop unit that is fitted out with full height partitioning by the tenant, what are some of the methods you can use to estimate the actual built width of the shop (4)?
- Remove a ceiling tile
- Try and get behind the partitioning
- Inspect the basement or first floor to see actual built width
- Scale from floor plans (having undertaken some on site check measurements)
What is included in a Net Internal Area (NIA) measurement (A, E, N, N, K, B, R/S/S, V, S/P, N-S)?
- Atria with clear height above (measured at base level only)
- Entrance halls if not used in common areas
- Notional lift lobbies
- Notional fire corridors
- Kitchens
- Built in cupboards and the like occupying usable area
- Ramps, sloping areas and steps with useable areas
- Areas occupied by ventilation and heating grilles
- Areas occupied by skirting and perimeter trunking
- Area occupied by non-structural walls subdividing accommodation in sole occupancy
What is excluded in a Net Internal Area (NIA) measurement (W, P/L, S, M/SC/R, H, C, P, H), and where should measurements be taken from in glazing/subject to what?
- WCs
- Plant and lift rooms
- Stairwells
- Meter and service cupboards and service risers
- Height: areas less than 1.5m in height
- Cleaners rooms
- Permanent circulation areas
- HVAC or other space if unusable/protrudes 0.25m+ into usable area.
• Measurements should be taken to the glazing for full height glazing unless elements of the window structure or design render the space substantially unusable
What is the internal eaves height?
The clear height between the floor and the lowest point on the underside of the roof e.g. at the eaves
What is the site depth?
The measurement from the front to rear boundaries
What is the shop depth?
The measurement from the notional window display to the rear of the retail area, including the thickness of the display window
What is the built depth?
The maximum external measurement from the front to rear walls
What is the gross frontage for a shop?
The overall external measurement in a straight line across the front of the building from the outside of the external wall or the centre line of the party walls
What is the net frontage for a shop?
The overall frontage of the shop line measured between the internal face of the external walls
What is the difference between plot ratio and site cover?
Plot ratio: gross floor area of the property divided by the site area
Site cover: the building footprint expressed a percentage of the site area
What should be done before calculating the site area on Promap?
Check the boundaries on site with an OS plan and / or Land Registry title document
What could be used to measure the boundaries whilst on site?
Trundle wheel
How accurate do measurements have to be, and where set out?
When carrying out measured building surveys, net area surveys and valuation surveys, an accuracy of ±25mm is required
Table of Tolerances are set out in Appendix A of Property Measurement 2018
What is the building line?
The line within, or coinciding with, the property line, beyond which it is illegal to build
What is a commonly used scale for a building plan?
1:100
What is a commonly used scale for a street plan?
1:1250
What is a commonly used scale for a location plan?
1:2500
What is a commonly used scale for a road map?
1:50000
What are commonly used measuring tools (4)?
- Tape measure
- Rod/kebab skewer
- Laser device
- Trundle wheel (used for measuring land)
How do you check the accuracy of your laser measuring device (2, short/long term)?
- Check a known distance and record the measurements in a log
- Send devices to be calibrated at least quarterly or if accuracy begins to deteriorate
(I would not calibrate a laser as per the manufacturer’s instructions it is for them to calibrate.)
What is the definition of GEA?
Gross External Area is the area of a building measured externally at each floor level.
What is the definition of GIA?
Gross Internal Area is the area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level
What’s the definition of NIA?
Net Internal Area is the usable area within a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level
Tell me about how you use floor plans to facilitate measuring buildings?
- I use floorplans to sketch my measurements
- I use floorplans to check my measurements once I have calculated – any discrepancies I go back and remeasure.
Why do you take check measurements?
To ensure accuracy before reporting
Tell me about a strength and weakness of a measuring technique you have used.
Laser measure – fast, usually very accurate.
Disadvantage: sometimes laser will not reach wall to wall, or you are not able to see it – need to have something held up at half way to combat.
When would you use a tape measure?
For narrow areas
What is a potential source of error when measuring (3)?
- Human error – misreading, additional check measurements.
- Knowledge error (unsure what to in/exclude) - take enough measurements to calculate later on
- Equipment error – faulty equipment which should be checked and calibrated quickly/annually.
What would you use IPMS 3B and not IPMS 2?
Because I was measuring the area in exclusive occupation.
What is Effective Floor Area?
Effective floor area is a measurement basis historically used by the UK Valuation Office Agency for measuring flats (but not houses) for council tax.
What is ‘area’ is EFA? What would you take off to convert from IPMS 3C to EFA (3)?
EFA is ‘useable area’ or ‘carpet area’
- Areas with headroom of less than 1.5m
- Bathrooms, showers and toilets
- The area of balconies
- The area of roof terraces
What are limited use areas and how do you report these?
In certain markets there may be areas in buildings that are incapable of legal or effective occupation due to local or national legislation.
Such areas and their limitations are to be identified, measured and stated separately within IPMS reported areas.
How would you measure a mezzanine?
- Included in GEA and GIA (if permanent access)
- Not included IPMS 1, 2,3 or NIA
- Resi – included in IPMS
Where is the measurement taken to for the common wall when measured for IPMS 3?
Centre line of the common wall
Where is the measurement taken to for the common wall when measured for NIA?
Surface of the common wall
What is the difference between IPMS 1 and GEA (3, 1 stated separately)?
- Covered galleries (internal balconies) – included but stated separately (Included GEA)
- External open sides balconies included but stated separately (excluded GEA)
- Accessible roof terraces - included but may be stated separately (normally excluded GEA)
Why is accuracy important when you measure buildings (3, 1 in certain circumstances)?
- It can have a significant influence on value
- It is important to measure accurately to ensure you have met client’s requirements
- It is important to measure accurately so the fit out can be implemented correctly
What are the changes between the existing and new (IPMS) residential practice?
Replaces use of GEA/GIA/NIA in code of measuring practice.
What is the definition of GIA (resi)?
Gross Internal Area is the area of a building measured to the internal face of the perimeter walls at each floor level
Residential - What’s the difference between GIA and IPMS 3B (4)?
- Measured to IDF as opposed to surface wall.
- Areas occupied by the reveals on windows if assessed as IDF included
- Balconies – Included but stated separately
- Accessible roof terraces included but stated separately
How do you deal with tenant’s improvements when measuring for valuation purposes?
This would depend on the terms within the lease and whether they are to be disregarded or included.
What are the current IPMS industrial and retail trajectories?
- IPMS Industrial – we believe early 2020 implementation
- IPMS Retail – we believe early 2020 imp., RICS has not incorporated retail/industrial yet CHECK AGAINST EXISTING QUESTIONS
What are the limitations of lasers in bright light and darkness, and what should you therefore do in each case?
o Lasers do not work well in bright sunlight - use a long tape measure to overcome issue or by shadowing target area.
o When using a laser to measure to a dark surface, the measuring time can increase leading to inaccurate measurements. Taking a sheet of A4 white paper to site can be used as a measuring target.
When can cloth tape be inaccurate?
o Cloth tape can be inaccurate if not fully stretched or overstretched.
Why can measuring software be inaccurate?
o Measuring software may be less accurate given it is hard to pinpoint the exact boundaries or surfaces to measure to online
Why can photocopied plans be inaccurate, and how do you check this?
o Photocopied scaled plans can be distorted which will affect the scale of the plan- use check measurements to confirm scale accuracy.
What are the 2 methods for laser calibration?
o Check typical accuracy by following the Leica guidance
establish a constant baseline, taking at least 10 measurements from a fixed point and carrying out a number of calculations.
Record result in a log.
o Or send disto for calibration –
Typically lasers become inaccurate after being dropped and may show an error (e.g. 256).
