Measurement

Question 1

Tell me about your understanding of RICS property Measurement

Answer 1

The RICS Professional Statement: RICS Property Measurement Jan 2018 2nd Edition, Effective May 2018 (including IPMS) was introduced on a global basis, to avoid inconsistencies and improve global transparency.

It is mandatory for members measuring offices and residential buildings to use IPMS. Members must advise benefits of IPMS however where necessary to come away from IPMS, the reasons must be recorded in writing.

It replaces COMP 2015 guide on resi and offices.

Question 2

When would use NIA as a measurement basis?

Answer 2

When providing commercial building costs for retail shops, retail shop valuations, estate agency valuations for retail shops.

Question 3

When would you use GIA measurement basis?

Answer 3

Estate Agency Valuations
Building Cost Estimates - Commercial
Valuation of Industrial, Retail Warehouse and Foodstores

Question 4

When would you use GEA measurement as a basis?

Answer 4

Building cost estimations for residential
Council Tax
Town Planning

Question 5

What is included in NIA?

Answer 5

RW/Indsutrial:
Mezzanines
Lifts
Columns
Loading Bays

Offices
Kitchens
Ventilations
skirting
lift lobbies
atria with clear heigh above
Built in cupboards

Question 6

What is included in GIA?

Answer 6

Perimeter Wall Thickness
Internal Walls and Partitions
Columns, Stairwells
Internal Balconies
Atria and entrance halls
Lift rooms
headroom less than 1.5m

Question 7

What is included in GEA?

Answer 7

Internal walls and partitions
Columns, Piers, projections
Internal balconies
Mezz floors
Lift rooms
Loading bats

Question 8

What measurement basis would you use for office property?

Answer 8

IPMS 2 (GIA).
The sum of a all floors, measured from the Internal Dominant Face of a wall.
Component by component basis.

Includes;
Covered galleries
Roof Terraces

Dont
Upper level voids of atrium
Patio and decking at Ground Floor
External parking/Equipment yard

Question 9

What measurement basis would you choose for indsutrial property?

Answer 9

GIA. Measure from the internal facing walls of the building.
Includes:
Columns
Lift Wells
Mezzanine with permanent access
Loading Bays

Question 10

What measurement basis would you choose for indsutrial property?

Answer 10

GIA. Measure from the internal facing walls of the building.
Include columns, mezzanines with permannt access, lift wells,

Question 11

What measurement basis would you use for retail property?

Answer 11

NIA

Question 12

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

Answer 12

It incorporated elements of IPMS for offices and residential, slowly being adopted by RICS.

Mandatory requirement.

When including measurements i na report, ensure you state:
Date of Inspection
Measurement methodology
Measurement basis
Plans referece and scsale
Metric units
Tolerance
Member responsible.

Question 13

Why is accuracy important when measuring buildings?

Answer 13

Valuation - based on size and usable space.
Planning and Development - designing new bilds and complying with planning regs
Lease Agreements - rental value based on size and usable sapce
Property Transactions - used to determine price / sq ft or metre, a key factor in negotitaions

Question 14

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

Answer 14

Helps the surveyor to identify elements of a building, doors, wlals, windows.
- Help calculate floor areas GIA
- Calculation of Volumes, stairwells, atriums, lift shafts - what is included in NIA
- Verification of Measurements - compare using dimensions on plan, accuracy and consistency

Question 15

How do you calibrate a laser measurer?

Answer 15

Measure the laser against a known distance
Automatic Calibration, feature within the disto
Factory Calibration - take it into the maker

Question 16

Why do you take check measurements?

Answer 16

Quality assurance - ensuring accuracy and consistency
Verification - ensuring measurement are correct and and errors identified
Risk Management - Can help manage risk and potential for liability
Confidence to clients

Question 17

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

Answer 17

Using a distometer they are very quick and user friendly.

Always require a solid surface and non reflective surface. Bright light may alter the beam.

Question 18

When would you use a tape measure?

Answer 18

May be used when areas are more difficult to access for lasers or where the property has unusual edges or angles.

Question 19

When would you use a trundle wheel?

Answer 19

Plot measurements.

Question 20

What is a potential source of error when measuring?

Answer 20

The presence of non measurable areas, in some cases surveyors must make a special assumption and refer to it in the measurement report.

Question 21

What is IPMS?

Answer 21

International Property Measurement Standards

Question 22

Why has IPMS been introduced?

Answer 22

To provide global consistency and improve transparency when measuring property.

Question 23

Which IPMS standards are adopted by RICS?

Answer 23

IPMS 1,2 AND 3.

Question 24

Explain your understanding of IPMS All Buildings to me.

Answer 24

It is a standardised method for measuring and reporting the size of all types of buildings. It is promoted to improve consistency and accuracy and provide better comparable data across all property types.
It was developed by a coalition of different organisations.

Question 25

What is dual reporting and when would you use it?

Answer 25

Dual reporting is when you refer to the use of RICS PS RICS Property Measurement (2018) and the RICS COMP 2015.
A surveyor reports to the client using both IPMS and either NIA or GEA. They must give the reasons in writing for coming away from the RICS UK RICS PM 2018 EFF MAY 2018 2ND ED.

Question 26

What IPMS bases are you aware of and when would each of these used?

Answer 26

I am aware of IPMS1, 2 and 3.
I would use IPMS 1 and 2 if i was measuring an office building on behalf of a client and I would use IPMS 3 if I was measuring a residential building.

Question 27

How do they differ to their former Code equivalents?

Answer 27

IPMS 2 is different to NIA in that it does include areas under 1.5 metres high.
Perimeter measurements are taken to the Internal Dominant Face
All columns are included
Floors with multiple occupancys the measurement is taken to the middle partition.

Question 28

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

Answer 28

Limited areas are areas in an office which cannot be due to legislation. These spaces vary depending on the legislation in a country, for instance some countries do not allow occupation of under 1.5m high.
These areas must be identified and reported seperately.

Question 29

What is the internal dominant face?

Answer 29

Internal finish that is 50% or more of the floor to ceiling height for each IDF wall.

Question 30

How has IPMS been incorporated into Property Measurement?

Answer 30

Initially it has been incorporated into RICS UK RICS PROPERTY Measurement 2018 eff May 2018 2nd Edition.

It has changed the way Offices and rESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS are measured. The RICS will continue to adopt the IPMS across all property types.

Question 31

What RICS guidance relates to the measurement of land?

Answer 31

Land Measurement for Planning and Development Purposes GGN 1st edition (May 2021)

Question 32

How do you deal with a situation where your client requests a different
measurement standard to those contained within the RICS guidance?

Answer 32

Understand the reasons why the client requests a different measurement standard and ensure they understand the possible implications of measuring using a different practice around accuracy and consistency.

Question 33

How can you ensure your measurements are accurate?

Answer 33

Through the use of scaled plans
Ensure all measurement are double checked.
Ensure they are proof read by a colleague.
Ensure any notes are clear and collated professionally.
Ensure all measurements are standardised.
Potentially use technology.

Question 34

How would you treat low or limited head height when measuring?

Answer 34

Identify the scale on the plan whether 1:50, 1:100, 1:1250, depending on what type of plan it is.
Calculate the measurements on the plan
Measure the property on the plan, for instance 1 unit on the plan represents 50 in real life.

Question 35

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

Answer 35

Ensure the difference is highlighted and where possible make adjustments for example GEA is 2-3% larger than GIA and NIA is approximately 15% smaller than GIA.

Question 36

What is a tolerance level when measuring?

Answer 36

An acceptable range of error or discrepancy which is considered to be reasonable.

Question 37

How could you take measurements from Google Maps?

Answer 37

You can measure plot sizes using acreage, one would ensure that the boundary was however accurate through confirmation with the title plan. If a surveyor was using google maps for a report, it would have to be stated clearly that they were relying on this.

Question 38

How reliable are these?

Answer 38

Fairly reliable however the accuracy would need to be double checked through manual or another computer programme, through allignment of a title plans

Question 39

How do you ensure that you present your measurements clearly and
coherently?

Answer 39

I present my measurements through excel with a breakdown of the various sections of a plan. A step by step calculation of the measurements is provided with any additional comments. Any drawings or notes made throughout the measurements are also provided.

The measurements are input into a table in excel in a manner that is easy and efficient to read.

Question 40

Why was it important to check the accuracy of the distometer by
comparing the measurement against a known distance within your
company’s office?

Answer 40

A potential disadvantage of distometers are they can sometimes need recalibrating. It is important understand whether the distometer is accurate as the measurements provided could be relied on for various reasons such as property valuation, lease negotiations, planning and redevelopent. An error with the distometer could have huge financial implications on the value or letable areas of the property. Through confirmaiton of the known distance, I am ensuring I am confident that the distometer is working.

Question 41

Why does it help to have plans when measuring units?

Answer 41

The benefit of plans is that you are able to identify what the property entails, some areas may be restricted to access or hidden to the naked eye, with a hopefully accruate plan you are able to identify these areas.

A plan may provide confidence to the client in your measurements depending on if the measurements correlate.

Cross referencing of measurments through scaled plans.

Help identify volumes in the building such as stairwells, lift wells.

Question 42

Is there anything you had to exclude during the measurement?

Answer 42

Yes I ensured to exclude canopies, walkways and fire escapes.

Question 43

How did you report your measurements to the client?

Answer 43

I reported the findings in an excel spreadsheet presented as well constructed table, identifying the step by calculations for each unit.