Measurement Lv1

Question 1

Tell me about your understanding of RICS Property Measurement.

Answer 1

“Proeprty Measurement 2nd Edition, 2018 (incorporating IPMS)

Introduces IPMS to avoid inconsistencies and bring global transparency

Effective 1st May 2018 following 2016 edition

Replaces reference to offices and residential proeprties in RICS Code of Measuring Practice.

Members encouraged to report on dual basis until embedded into market practice - having regard to client instructions. RICS intention for it to become mandatory.

Members must advise clients about benefits of IPMS. “

Question 2

What are the principles of measurement and calculation in RICS PS (unless client provides written instruction to do otherwise)?

Answer 2

“1. To provide the DATE when measurements taken

2. State MEASURING METHODOLOGY adopted
3. Provide REFERENCE + SCALE of plans used
4. State CONVERSION FACTOR from emtric/imperial and any rounding
5. Clearly document
6. Retaim record of RICS members responsible”

Question 3

When would you use NIA as a measurement basis?

Answer 3

I would use NIA as a basis for shops and offices - This could be for valuation and agency purposes

Question 4

When would you use GIA as a measurement basis?

Answer 4

“I would use GIA as a basis for Estate Agency and valuation of industrial, warehouses, department stores and food stores.

Ancillary offices within retail or industrial are measured on a GIA basis.

GIA would also be used for calculation of service charges apportionment.

I would measure to the internal face of the perimeter wall at each floor level. “

Question 5

When would you use GEA as a measurement basis?

Answer 5

I would use GEA as a basis for town planning, council tax valuations and building cost estimates for houses. - Area of building measured externall at each floor.

Question 6

Tell me about what is included in GIA?

Answer 6

“GIA I would include:
1. Columns
2. Lift wells
3. mezzanines with permanent access
4. Loading Bays

I would exclude:
1. Canopies, Fire Escapes and covered ways”

Question 7

Tell me about what is included in NIA ?

Answer 7

“NIA for offices, I would include:
1. Atria with clear height above entrance halls (if not used in common area)
2. Notional lift lobbies and notional fire corridors
3. kitchens
4. Built in cupboards occupying usable space
5. Ramps and steps in usable space and stated seperately
6. Areas occupied by heating grills
7. Areas occupied by skirting and heating grills
8. Areas occupied by skirting and permitre trunking
9. Areas occupied by non-structural walls subdividing accommodation in sole occupancy

I would Exclude:
1. WC’s
2. Plant and lift rooms
3. Stairwells
4. Meter and service cupboards and risers
5. Areas less than 1.5m in height
6. Cleaners rooms
7. Permanent circulation areas
8. Space ossupied by permant AC, heating and cooling apparatus if space is substantially unusbale or less than 0.25m2 area.
9. Areas unusable with dimension between opposite faces less than 0.25m2
10. Measurements taken to the glazing for full height glazing unless substantially unusable”

Question 8

Tell me about what is included in GEA?

Answer 8

“GEA I would Include:
1. Perimeter wall thickness
2. Areas occupied by internal walls and partitions
3. Columns, stairwells and lift wells
4. Garages
5. Areas with headroom less than 1.5 metres
6. Mezzaninies with permanent access

I would Exclude:
1. Fire Escapes
2. Open sided balconies
3. Car parking”

Question 9

What measurement basis would you use for office property?

Answer 9

I would use IPMS unless the client does not want to use IMPS and states in writing

Question 10

What measurement basis would you use for industrial property?

Answer 10

I would use GIA

Question 11

What measurement basis would you use for retail property?

Answer 11

I would use NIA

Question 12

What do you know about the RICS Code of Measuring Practice

Answer 12

“The RICS Code of Measruing Practice 2015 is still best practice document for all measurement except for Offices and Residential Proeprties.

It Provides precise definitions to ensure common and consistent approach to measurement”

Question 13

How does RICS Property Measurement differ from the old Code of Measuring Practice?

Answer 13

“The comparison is that :
1. IPMS 1 - Offices, equates closely to GEA
2. IPMS 2 - Offices, equates closely to former GIA
3. IMPS 3 - Offices, equates closely to former NIA

4. IPMS 2 - Residential, equates closely to GIA and NSA (net sales area)
5. IMPS 3A - equates closely to GEA
6. IPMS 3B - equates closely to GIA
7. IPMS 3C - equates closely to effective floor area EFA”

Question 14

Why is accuracy important when you measure buildings?

Answer 14

Important so that buyers and renters pay a fair price

Question 15

Tell me about how you use floor plans to facilitate measuring buildings?

Answer 15

I use floor plans as a guide when measuring the proeprty, annotating my measurements from the proeprty to the respective area of the plan. Ideally this would be scaled so can be cross checked.

Question 16

How do you calibrate a laser measurer?

Answer 16

I would use a tape measure to find a known distance. I would then take 3 measurements and use the average. I would then adjust the laser meter accordingly

Question 17

Why do you take check measurements?

Answer 17

If the measurements differ then you should do it again and sallows you to determine why there was a difference between the two.

Question 18

Tell me about a strength and weakness of a measuring technique you have used.

Answer 18

“1. Lasers don’t work well in bright sunshine - shade area or use measuring tape
2. Measruing dark surfaces can increase distance - use white A4 sheet
3. Lasers maybecome inaccurate through glass
4. Cloth tape measures inaccurate if not fully stretched out
5. Steel tape measures inaccurate if not full stretched “

Question 19

When would you use a tape measure?

Answer 19

Cloth tape and metal tape can be used for narrow and complex area

Question 20

What is IPMS?

Answer 20

IPMS stands for International Proeprty Measurement Standards

Question 21

Why has IPMS been introduced?

Answer 21

To increase consistency in definitions between countries and and bring greater global transparency

Question 22

Which IPMS standards are adopted by RICS?

Answer 22

Office and Residential

Question 23

What is dual reporting and when would you use it?

Answer 23

Reporting to the client on both NIA and IPMS. Carried out until IPMS becomes industry standard

Question 24

What is IPMS1/2/3 and when are these used?

Answer 24

“IPMS 1 (GEA): For planning or building cost purposes

1. Includes exterenal walls on floor by floor basis
2. Included but stated seperately; Covered galleries, Balconies and roof terraces.
3. Excludes; upper void levels of atrium, open external stairwells, patios and external parking

IPMS2 2 (GIA): Agency and Valuation purposes:

1. Measure interior of office to include all available areas for direct use measured to the Internal Dominant Face of the wall
2. Included but stated seperately; Covered galleries, balconies, accessible roof terraces
3. Excludes; open light wells, upper levels void of atrium, patios and decks at GF, external parking and equipment yards.

IPMS 3 (NIA): Agency and valuation Purposes:

1. Measure occupation of floor areas in exclusive use using same assumptions as IPMS2.
2. Measured to IDF
3. Included but stated seperately; Covered galleries, balconies, accessible roof terraces
4. Excludes standard facilities providing shared or common facilities such as stairs, lifts, motor rooms, WCs, cleaners cupboards, plant room”

Question 25

What is IPMS1/2/3 (a, b and c) and when are these used?

Answer 25

“IPMS 1 : Residential, external
IPMS 2: Residential, Internal (interior area of building)
IPMS 3: Residential (Occupier), occupation of building on exclusive basis (3 sub parts)

IPMS 3A: Measure to outer face of external wall
IPMS 3B: Measure Internal Area (including internal walls and columns and measured to IDF and finished surface).
IPMS 3C: Measurement if area in Exclusive occupation, (Excluding all walls and columns, measured to IDF and finished surface)”

Question 26

How do they differ to their former Code equivalents?

Answer 26

“The main diffrences between IPMS3 and NIA are:

1. Perimeter measurements are taken to the Internal Dominant Face, before they were taken to internal face.
2. No exclusions for restricted height of less than 1.5metres
3. All columns are included
4. Areas occupied by reveal of window when measured and assessed as the IDF are included
5. On floors with multiple occupiers, the area is taken to the midpoint of the partition wall between tenancies.
6. Covered galleries and balconies for there exclusive use of one tenant are included but stated seperately. “

Question 27

What are limited use areas and how do you report these?

Answer 27

Limited use areas areas which maybe incapable of legal or effective occupation. These are reported seperately

Question 28

What is the internal dominant face?

Answer 28

Is the inside finishing surface comprising more than 50% of the floor to ceiling height for each IDF wall section.

Question 29

What other IPMS standards have been published or consulted on?

Answer 29

“IPMS retail buildings published September 2019

IPMS Industrial published in January 2018”

Question 30

Have they been incorporated into Property Measurement?

Answer 30

Neither have been incorporated to date by RICS in an updated edition of Property Measurement

Question 31

What different basis of measurement do you tend to use for marketing vs valuation purposes

Answer 31

“For marketing purposes and valuation of an office building I would use IPMS 3.

IPMS 2 is used for categorising use of space in an office building and could be used for marketing and valuation purposes. “

Question 32

What due diligence checks do you complete before undertaking a measurement

Answer 32

“1. Understand what basis of measurement you are carrying out.
2. Obtain floor plans if possible.
3. Arrange access to the proeprty and assess if PPE is required
4. Bring measureing equipment
5. Carry out dynamic risk assessment”

Question 33

What are some limitations for annotating copied site plans with measurements?

Answer 33

“The site plans may be out of date, refurbishment or structural works may have taken place.

Secondary source of information, the basis of measurement if scaled may have been different or unknown. “

Question 34

How would you adjust your comparable evidence if measured on a different basis than your subject property?

Answer 34

I would need to adopt a common measurement appropriate to the local area

Question 35

What is a tolerance level in your measurement?

Answer 35

My tolerance for measurement in estate agency, residential valuation, low accuracy commercial development and valuation is - +/- 25mm on a scale of 1:100