Measurement Lv1 Flashcards
Tell me about your understanding of RICS Property Measurement.
“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. “
What are the principles of measurement and calculation in RICS PS (unless client provides written instruction to do otherwise)?
“1. To provide the DATE when measurements taken
- State MEASURING METHODOLOGY adopted
- Provide REFERENCE + SCALE of plans used
- State CONVERSION FACTOR from emtric/imperial and any rounding
- Clearly document
- Retaim record of RICS members responsible”
When would you use NIA as a measurement basis?
I would use NIA as a basis for shops and offices - This could be for valuation and agency purposes
When would you use GIA as a measurement basis?
“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. “
When would you use GEA as a measurement basis?
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.
Tell me about what is included in GIA?
“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”
Tell me about what is included in NIA ?
“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”
Tell me about what is included in GEA?
“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”
What measurement basis would you use for office property?
I would use IPMS unless the client does not want to use IMPS and states in writing
What measurement basis would you use for industrial property?
I would use GIA
What measurement basis would you use for retail property?
I would use NIA
What do you know about the RICS Code of Measuring Practice
“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”
How does RICS Property Measurement differ from the old Code of Measuring Practice?
“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
- IPMS 2 - Residential, equates closely to GIA and NSA (net sales area)
- IMPS 3A - equates closely to GEA
- IPMS 3B - equates closely to GIA
- IPMS 3C - equates closely to effective floor area EFA”
Why is accuracy important when you measure buildings?
Important so that buyers and renters pay a fair price
Tell me about how you use floor plans to facilitate measuring buildings?
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.
How do you calibrate a laser measurer?
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
Why do you take check measurements?
If the measurements differ then you should do it again and sallows you to determine why there was a difference between the two.
Tell me about a strength and weakness of a measuring technique you have used.
“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 “
When would you use a tape measure?
Cloth tape and metal tape can be used for narrow and complex area
What is IPMS?
IPMS stands for International Proeprty Measurement Standards
Why has IPMS been introduced?
To increase consistency in definitions between countries and and bring greater global transparency
Which IPMS standards are adopted by RICS?
Office and Residential
What is dual reporting and when would you use it?
Reporting to the client on both NIA and IPMS. Carried out until IPMS becomes industry standard
What is IPMS1/2/3 and when are these used?
“IPMS 1 (GEA): For planning or building cost purposes
- Includes exterenal walls on floor by floor basis
- Included but stated seperately; Covered galleries, Balconies and roof terraces.
- Excludes; upper void levels of atrium, open external stairwells, patios and external parking
IPMS2 2 (GIA): Agency and Valuation purposes:
- Measure interior of office to include all available areas for direct use measured to the Internal Dominant Face of the wall
- Included but stated seperately; Covered galleries, balconies, accessible roof terraces
- 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:
- Measure occupation of floor areas in exclusive use using same assumptions as IPMS2.
- Measured to IDF
- Included but stated seperately; Covered galleries, balconies, accessible roof terraces
- Excludes standard facilities providing shared or common facilities such as stairs, lifts, motor rooms, WCs, cleaners cupboards, plant room”
What is IPMS1/2/3 (a, b and c) and when are these used?
“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)”
How do they differ to their former Code equivalents?
“The main diffrences between IPMS3 and NIA are:
- Perimeter measurements are taken to the Internal Dominant Face, before they were taken to internal face.
- No exclusions for restricted height of less than 1.5metres
- All columns are included
- Areas occupied by reveal of window when measured and assessed as the IDF 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 there exclusive use of one tenant are included but stated seperately. “
What are limited use areas and how do you report these?
Limited use areas areas which maybe incapable of legal or effective occupation. These are reported seperately
What is the internal dominant face?
Is the inside finishing surface comprising more than 50% of the floor to ceiling height for each IDF wall section.
What other IPMS standards have been published or consulted on?
“IPMS retail buildings published September 2019
IPMS Industrial published in January 2018”
Have they been incorporated into Property Measurement?
Neither have been incorporated to date by RICS in an updated edition of Property Measurement
What different basis of measurement do you tend to use for marketing vs valuation purposes
“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. “
What due diligence checks do you complete before undertaking a measurement
“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”
What are some limitations for annotating copied site plans with measurements?
“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. “
How would you adjust your comparable evidence if measured on a different basis than your subject property?
I would need to adopt a common measurement appropriate to the local area
What is a tolerance level in your measurement?
My tolerance for measurement in estate agency, residential valuation, low accuracy commercial development and valuation is - +/- 25mm on a scale of 1:100
